بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Translation of Dr. Shams Jilani “Roshni Hira Say”
Section: 121
The compulsory obligation of Zakat & Fasting
In previous section, we were discussing that how Almighty
Allah has revealed the verses in Holy Quran to clarify the
doubts regarding the change in the Qiblah. After this
revelation, the Jews of Madinah Al Munawwara who tried to
deceive Muslims got silent. Now we will move further that
what happened after this. One of the most prominent
decisions that came after this was the compulsory
obligations of Zakat. It was made compulsory in the month of
Shabaan.
Compulsory Obligations for Fasting
The narration is like that Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) used
to fast for three days from the early time. When he arrived at
Madinah Al Munawwara, and then came to know that the
Jews observed fast on the every tenth day of the month.
People told that they used to fast as an offer of thanks as on
this day their Prophet Hazrat Musa (Alihsalam) was shown
with the light of Almighty Allah.
After listening this Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) replied to
the Jews that we had more rightful claim to observe this
tradition of Hazrat Musa (Alihsalam). After this Prophet
Muhammad (PBUH) started to observe the fast on the tenth
of every month. Then Almighty Allah send his revelation in
the form of this verse.
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ
١٨٣, البقرة
أَيَّامًۭا مَّعْدُودَٰتٍۢ فَمَن كَانَ مِنكُم مَّرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍۢ فَعِدَّةٌۭ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ وَعَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ
يُطِيقُونَهُۥ فِدْيَةٌۭ طَعَامُ مِسْكِينٍۢ فَمَن تَطَوَّعَ خَيْرًۭا فَهُوَ خَيْرٌۭ لَّهُۥ وَأَن تَصُومُوا۟ خَيْرٌۭ لَّكُمْ
إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ
١٨٤, البقرة
O believers! Fasting is prescribed for you—as it was for
those before you 1 —so perhaps you will become mindful ˹of
Allah˺ Fast a˺ prescribed number of days. 1 But whoever of
you is ill or on a journey, then ˹let them fast˺ an equal
number of days ˹after Ramaḍân.˺. For those who can only
fast with extreme difficulty, 2 compensation can be made by
feeding a needy person ˹for every day not fasted˺. But
whoever volunteers to give more, it is better for them. And
to fast is better for you, if only you knew. (Surah Baqrah:
183, 184).
In fact the duration of fasting for the previous communities
was also thirty days but it was only increased for Hazrat
Musa (Alihsalam) for forty days. Then it was afterward
during the influence of different Christian kings, the duration
of fasting has been increased to two months. But with the
time, they deviated from this promise. Here for the readers
just one interesting point that witnessed the truthfulness of
the Holy Quran. As stated in verse 183 of Surah Al Baqra, we
saw that not only the people of book but the polytheist also
observed fast in the history of mankind. Like we saw the
polytheist in South Asia observed fasting from the time
immemorial. May Allah know better from where they
received this teaching? Imam Ahmad (RA) narrated that he
received from Abu Nasr Masoodi, who listened from Umaru
bin Marrah who listened from Abdurrehman bin Abilaili,
who listened from Maad bin Jabal, that like the obligation of
Prayers, the fasting also became compulsory in three steps.
Cont’d for the next week
