1

In the name of God, Most Merciful, Most Kind

Fasting (Siyam)

The Qur'an says:

"Ramadan is the (month) in which was sent down the Qur'an, as a guide to mankind, also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (Between right and

wrong)." (2:185)

O you who believe! fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may guard (against evil)." (2:183)

• An Introduction to Fasting • Ahadith on Fasting • A Message from the Holy Prophet about Ramadhan (s) • Dua of Imam Sajjad (a) to Welcomes the Month of Ramadhan • The Ramadhan Checklist • Eighteen reasons why a Muslim Fasts • Fasting and the purification of souls • Some health guidelines for ramadan • E'tikaf is a form of worship • The position of the Holy Quran in the Islamic Traditions • About the rank and position of the Holy Quran: • The Recitation Of The Holy Quran And Contemplating And

Deliberating On It. • Daus for opening and closing the fast and Dau al-Iftitah • Rules Of Fasting In Accordance with the the Rulings of

Ayatullah Sistani

(please copy and distribute this article) For more information please visit the following websites

http://al-islam.org/ www.momimeen.co.uk

email yaahlulbayt@live.co.uk

2

An Introduction to Fasting Originally, in Arabic the word 'as-Sawm' meant 'al-Imsak', that is, to abstain totally from any act including eating, drinking, walking, speaking, etc. Thus, the Arabs used to refer to a horse refusing to run or to be fed, as 'Sa'im', that is, fasting. As is clear, the word 'Sawm' is ancient and was used in a different context by the Arabs before Islam. Then, however it did not have the specific meaning given to it by Islam as a term denoting a certain religious obligation. As an Islamic term, it means to refrain intentionally from what breaks fasting. To a Muslim, fasting is not just refraining from eating and drinking but carries the added significance of worship, psychological comfort, morality and legislation. It is neither the irrational motionless 'Imsak' of pre-Islamic Arabs nor the mere abstaining from eating and drinking, but is, in fact, the building of one's character, control over desires, and an inspiration towards social and scientific creativity. God has commanded this sanctified duty and enjoined it on the Muslims, as He had enjoined it on the believing nations before. He assigned the blessed month, the month of Ramadan, for every adult and healthy Muslim as a period of fasting. This sacred ordinance was prescribed by God, for all believers and revealed in the preceding month of Sha'aban, nearly a year and a half after the Hijra (the Prophet's auspicious migration from Mecca to Medina [in 622 BC] which marks the start of the Islamic calendar). Gradually, God revealed numerous other verses about the month of Ramadan and the rules of fasting. In light of these divine injunctions, the Prophet (S.A.W.) expounded the merits of fasting, its significance, regulations, effects, benefits and great reward. Hence, fasting is one of the pillars of Islam and a religious duty for all those who believe in monotheism, and consequently, whoever denies it is an unbeliever. It is an apparent sign of obedience, submission and servitude to God, the Exalted. By fasting, a Muslim expresses his submission to Allah's command, his response to His will, and control over his own desires and wishes at the God's behest. In the holy month of Ramadan, a Muslim's abstaining from food, drink, sexual intercourse, etc., during the prescribed hours is the very manifestation of obedience to the Creator's will. This self-deprivation represents a state of self-control and of overcoming carnal pleasure, desire, and enjoyment, for the blissful love of God, His proximity, and the eagerness to desires. It is a triumph of pristine love over one's pleasures for the eternal ones promised by God, the Almighty. This response to the Divine commandments represents and incarnates true servitude and is a brilliant display of spirit, intellect and decisive willpower. By fasting, a person keeps himself from the pleasures of life, with no preventive or hindering factor, except that of obeying God and showing genuine devotion to His commands. Traditions (ahadith) succinctly explain this fact: "A fasting person is in a state of worship, even when (asleep) in bed, except when he backbites another Muslim." (Al-Kafi, al- Kulayni, "The Book of Fasting" 3rd Edition, vol.4, p.190) "... Every breath you take is (has the reward of) Tasbih (praise to Allah) and your sleep is worship..." (Uyun al-Akhbar al-Rida - the Prophet's sermon). In a moving speech, the Prophet of Allah described the believing soul that fasts for love of Allah out of truthfulness and sincerity, and thus the whole day becomes an alter of worship, and each and every activity of the fasting body, provided it abstains from loathsome acts, is nothing but worship embodied.

3

A fasting person is in a state of worship, even when (asleep) in bed, except when he backbites another Muslim. The Prophet of Islam The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) described the sleep of a fasting Muslim, even the very breathing, as acts of worship, because they emanate from a body regarded as being in a state of continual worship through abstaining from tasting delicious and lawful things, solely out of obedience to the Creator. He Himself extols fasting and attributes as a special blessing for mankind as is clear from a 'Hadith-e-Qudsi': The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) said: "God, the Exalted says: 'Fasting is (exclusively) for Me and I will reward it." Ali ibn Musa al-Rida (A.S.), the Eighth Imam quoted his ancestor the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) on the chain of authority of his noble forefathers: "O people, any body who in this month (Ramadan) cultivates good manners, will walk over the 'Sira' (Paradise's bridge) on the Day when feet will tend to slip...." ('Uyun al­Akhbar, al-Rida - Prophet's sermon).

Ahadith on Fasting One who while fasting does not guard his tongue from telling lies and does not refrain from bad deeds, is not respecting his fast. Allah does not approve of mere abstention from food. Holy Prophet (s)

When you are fasting, you should not speak ill of anybody, nor should you be rough and noisy. If anybody speaks ill of you or tries to pick a quarrel with you, reply him not, but say to him that you are fasting. Holy Prophet (s)

A person gets the same reward by reciting in this month, one verse of the Holy Qur'an, as others do by reciting the whole of the Qur'an in other months. Holy Prophet (s)

The day of your fast should not be like any ordinary day. When you fast, all your senses - eyes, ears, tongue, hands and feet must fast with you. Imam Ja`far as-Sadiq (a)

O Jabir! Whoever during the month of Ramadhan, fasts in its days, stands up for prayers in parts of the night, controls his desires and emotions, puts a rein on his tongue, keeps his eyes down, and does not injure the feelings of others, will become as free of sins as the day he was born. Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (a)

The sleep of a fasting person is worship, his silence is glorification (of Allah), his prayers are answered and his actions are multiplied. Imam Ali (a)

The prayer of a fasting person at the time of Iftar is never rejected Imam Ali (a)

4

Whoever is prevented from food that he likes, because of his fast, Allah will feed him from the food of Heaven and from its drink. Holy Prophet (s)

There are two pleasures for a fasting person; one when he breaks his fast, and one when he meets his Lord. Imam Ja`far as-Sadiq (a)

Unfortunate is the person who is deprived of the forgiveness of Allah during this great month (of Ramadhan) Holy Prophet (s)

Fasting is a protection from the fire. Imam Ja`far as-Sadiq (a)

Fast, and you shall be healthy. Holy Prophet (s)

If people understood what good there was in the month of Ramadhan, they would have liked that it last for a year. Holy Prophet (s)

Whoever is not forgiven in the month of Ramadhan, then in which month will he be forgiven? Holy Prophet (s)

A Message from the Holy Prophet about Ramadhan (s) O People! The month of Allah has come with His mercies and blessings. This is the month that is the best of all months in the eyes of Allah. Its days are the best of days, its nights are the best of nights, its hours are the best of hours. This is a month in which you have been invited by Him. You have been given the opportunity in this month to receive the honors from Allah, the Merciful. In this month if you fast as ordained by Allah, every breath you take has the reward of Tasbeeh, and your sleep has the reward of worship. Your good deeds are rewarded more than usual, and your duas are accepted Therefore you must invoke your Lord in earnest, with hearts that are free from sin and evil, and pray that Allah may help you keep the fasts, and to recite the Holy Qur'an. Surely the person who in this month does not receive the mercy and benevolence of Allah is most unfortunate. O people! You have made your conscience the slave of your desires. Make it free by invoking Him for forgiveness. Your back is breaking under the heavy load of your sins, so prostrate yourself before Him for long intervals and make it lighter. Anybody who does not annoy others in this month, Allah will keep him safe from His anger on the day of Judgement. . . Anybody who treats well his relatives in this month, Allah will bestow His mercy on him on the day of Judgement. Whoever offers sunnat prayers in this month, Allah will save him from Hell. Whoever, in this month, offers one wajib prayer, the angels will write the rewards of seventy such prayers that were offered by him in other months. Whoever recites salawat often, Allah will keep the scales of his good deeds heavy . .. whoever recites in this month, only one ayat of the Holy Qur'an, he will be rewarded in a manner as if he had recited the entire Qur'an in other months

5

Dua of Imam Sajjad (a) to Welcomes the Month of Ramadhan Praise be to Allah, who ordained this month, the month of Ramadhan, the month of fasting, the month of Islam, the month of purity, the month of purification, and the month of prayers. In this month the Qur'an was made to descend as a guidance to mankind and contains clear instructions and distinctions. He gave this month superiority over all other months by giving it abundant honor and dignity. He prohibited in it what He has allowed in other months in order to exalt it, and forbade in it food and drink in order to honor it. O Lord! Bless Muhammad and his family, and inspire us to know this month's excellence, and to honor its dignity, and to abstain from whatever You have forbidden in it. Help us to observe its fast, by restraining our limbs from disobeying You, and by employing them in that which would please You, so that we may not lend our ears to any vain speech, and may not direct our eyes, hands and feet towards anything forbidden, and that nothings fills our stomachs except what You have made lawful, and our tongues may not utter anything except what You have allowed. O Lord! Bless Muhammad and his family, and give us grace to perform timely the five prayers with due regard to their limits which You have enjoined, and the rites which You have prescribed. In this respect, raise us to the rank of those who performed them with success, who duly observed their essential points, who always performed them at proper times, in most perfect and complete humility according to the rules laid down by Your Prophet, may You blessings be on him and his family. And our Lord, give us grace in this month, to show favors to our relations, and do good to them, and to take care of our neighbors and do good to them, to take care of our neighbors with kindness and benevolence, to purge our property of obligations, and purify it by giving charity, and to call back those who have left us, and be just to those who were unjust to us, and make pace with those who were hostile to us. O Lord! Erase our sins with the disappearance of this month's crescent, and free us from our penalties with the completion of its days, so that the month may pass from us while You have cleansed us of our guilts, and freed us from our sins. O Lord! Fill this month with our worship of you alone, and adorn its moments with our service to You, and help us in the daytime to observe the fast, and at night to pray and beseech You, help us to humble ourselves before you and lower ourselves in Your presence.

6

The Ramadhan Checklist When starting on a journey, most people like to have a list of items that they will need. Before departure they make sure they have all the items. That is to ensure they do not spoil their trip by forgetting something, or not being well equipped for the trip. A journey is usually exciting, and travellers like to make the most of the opportunity to enjoy themselves. Ramadhan is a spiritual journey for the believer. For the whole month, he travels to get nearer to Allah. On the way he will pass many obstacles and diversions which may hinder and slow his passage. To make sure that his journey is swift and progressive, he needs many items. Preparing for Ramdhan means to ensure one has the necessary equipment for the journey. The following are some of the necessary items for a believer's trip towards Allah. An Attitude of Anticipation and Enthusiasm A believer looks forward to the month of Ramadhan. He enjoys the beauty of spirit that Ramadhan begins, the warmth of carrying out the orders of Allah, the hope of achieving His pleasure, and the happiness at being able to obey the commands of Allah. He is happy when the month arrives and sad when it departs. Flexible Time and Schedule Ramadhan requires that we set aside more time than normal for worship and prayers. A believer plans his time in such a way that in Ramadhan he is not overwhelmed by the demands of the world. He lessens work if possible and cuts down on activities which can be put to a halt for a little while. The chance to earn rewards and blessings from Allah in this special time will only last a limited time. Believers must make sure their daily schedules allow maximum benefit of this special time. A Qur'an with a good translation An important part of worship in Ramadhan includes reciting the Qur'an regularly. A Hadith tells us, Ramadhan is the Spring of the Qur'an. Understanding the word of Allah, and pondering over it should be daily activities in this holy month. A believer makes sure he has a copy of the Qur'an which is easy to read, and which has a simple translation which he can understand. If time permits, he should also read the commentary of the Qur'an. It is also important to have the right books for the Duas and A`amaals for this month. A Donation to a Worthwhile Charity Ramadhan is the best time to donate in the way of Allah. To feed the hungry or give to the needy is an act of great reward, especially during the holy month. Before the month of Ramadhan, a believer decides how much he can afford to give, chooses a worthwhile charity and sends his donation. This is a recommended charity, different from the zakatul Fitra which is obligatory for Eid. Hadith tells us that charity cools the anger of Allah and brings down many blessings on the giver. In the month of Ramadhan this rewards is multiplied many times. A Determination to Avoid Sins Fastings is not mere abstinence from food and drink, as we have heard many times. It is also staying away from all sins. While fasting, all the organs of the body fast, and refrain from doing anything which would displease Allah. A believer makes a firm decision to avoid all sins that he commits most often, and plans how he will stay away from them during the month. This conscious preparation of a war against sins is a very necessary item in the baggage of a believer in his journey towards Allah.

7

A Desire to Help Others In his sermon at the approach of the holy month of Ramadhan, the Prophet (s) said: Whoever lightens the work of his workers in this month, Allah will make easy his accounting on the Day of Judgement. This does not only apply to those who have workers working for them. To help and lessen the work of others: parents, siblings, relatives, friends, etc. during the holy month is an act of great virtue. It eases the load of the other person, and brings about kindness and affection. Cooperating and assisting one another is greatly loved by Allah. These and other similar important items are necessary for a successful journey during the month of Ramadhan. Each believer must try to be prepared as possible, lest the opportunity to redeem himself pass away. It is a great loss for the believer if the whole month of mercy and blessings passes, and he has not been able to achieve forgiveness of his sins, and has not won the pleasure of Allah, and the rewards that He gives so abundantly during Ramadhan. To avoid such a failure, it is necessary to keep a Ramadhan checklist that is regularly updated.

Eighteen reasons why a Muslim Fasts Every year the month of Ramadhan comes and goes; every year we fast, yet without proper appreciation of the potentials of character building that the fasts hold for us. We find ourselves as spiritually backwards after the fast are over as when the month began. In fact our lack of knowledge of the real objectives of fasts often tends to produce an adverse effect in us, for, as is well known, the best of medicines could have ill effects if not taken in accordance with the physician's directives and instructions. Thus it is, that the fast tends to make many of us irritable and quick tempered (expecting, as we do, VIP treatment from others, especially our subordinates and family members because of our fast) while the fast was in fact meant to mellow us into exhibiting the finer tracts of human character as illustrated by our Imams. Imam Zaynul Abidin (a) would record the lapses of his servants during the month of Ramadhan, without telling them anything at the time. As the month would draw to its close, he would gather the servants before him and apprise them of their mistakes, for giving them at the same time and beseeching the Lord to forgive him, even as he had forgiven them. The holy Imam, Masoom that he was, only sought by this practical demonstration to draw attention of his followers to the fact that they would be accountable to God for their actions and should they desire His forgiveness, they would have to forgive their subordinates as well. This practical lesson taught by the Imam ought to be rigorously pursued during the month of Ramadhan by the followers of the Imam. As in this case, so in other spheres of life, our attitude to fasts ought indeed to be radically changed. We ought to welcome fasts as a practical means of reforming ourselves rather than nearly consider them as an inevitable religious bondage, eagerly awaiting to free ourselves there from at the month end to resume our ways of old again. Besides of course being a means to acquiring the pleasure of God, for which all acts of devotion are basically meant, fasting could be used as a stepping stone to build up the various traits of character in accordance with the clear injunctions of the Qur'an itself that fasts have been prescribed with a view to developing piety in man. In the hurry and bustle of the present day life, man often finds himself ill-equipped to battle through life's odds if he is not equipped with the proper attitude to face the various problems. While we find

8

ourselves frustrated or look to other directions in such difficulties, we have most unfortunately overlooked the character building force that the fasts provide us every year. Ramadhan is a month of fasting and prayers for the Muslims. The fast consists of total abstinence from food and drink from dawn to dusk. There is however, a greater significance to fasts than mere abstinence from eating and drinking. The real objective of fasts is to inculcate in man the spirit of abstinence from sins, and cultivation of virtue. Thus the Qur'an declares that the fasts have been prescribed with a view to developing piety in man. How are the many facets of piety sought to be cultivated through fasts? This article tries to list as concisely as possible, the various benefits the fasts would confer upon Muslims.

1. The most important consideration in undertaking a fast, as in any act of devotion, is to seek nearness to God, and seek His pleasure and Forgiveness. This itself generates a spirit of piety in man.

2. Creating the conditions of hunger and thirst for oneself, simply in obedience to the Divine

order, measures the faith of man in God and helps strengthen it by putting it to a severe test. 3. Fasting enhances through creation of artificial non-availability, the value of the bounties of

God which man often takes for granted. This inculcates in man a spirit of gratitude and consequent devotion to God. Nothing else can bring home to a man the worth of God's bounties than a glass of water and a square meal after a day long fast. This also reminds man that the real joy in enjoying God's bounties lies in moderation and restraint and not in over indulging.

4. Fasting makes us deeply conscious of the pangs of hunger and discomfort suffered by the less

fortunate among our brethren. They have to put up with difficult conditions all through their lives. It thus kindles in man a spirit of sacrifice leading to change towards his suffering brethren.

5. Fasting gives man an unfailing training in endurance, a spirit of acceptance. This could well

prepare him to put up with the unchangeable situations in life in the same spirit of resignation as cultivated during the fasts.

6. Fasting develops courage, fortitude, and a fighting spirit in man to surmount the heavy odds in

life with a cool and tranquil mind. It sharpens his power of concentration to overcome obstacles through a vigorous exercise all throughout the month, leading to a steeling of his will power and resolve, that could help him in challenging situations in life. It is seen than many an undesirable habit which is difficult to give up, is more easily given up during the days of fasting.

7. Fasting teaches man reliance on God, and confidence in Him. Just as the vigorous state of

fasting for a whole month is undertaken with His assistance, bitter situations in life could also be surmounted with His help.

8. Fasting develops a spirit of patience in man, with the realization that the days of fasting, though seemingly unending, do have a successful and happy end. Thus is life. All bitter situations pass, and come to an end.

9. Fasting is meant to conquer anger and develop self-control in man. The vigorous effort

required to put up with hunger and thirst can well be extended to conquer other infirmities of human character that lead man into error and sin.

9

10. Fasting inculcates a spirit of tolerance in man to face unpleasant conditions and situations without making his fellow beings the victim of his wrath. Many people, when facing discomfort and deprivation, become irritable and annoyed. This anger is then vented on those around them. Fasting helps a man become more tolerant despite his own discomfort.

11. Fasting mellows a man and enhances his character, giving a jolt to the human instincts of pride,

haughtiness, jealousy and ambition. Fasting softens his character, and clears his heart and mind of many negative emotions.

12. Fasting exposes the weakness of man in the event of his being deprived of two basic bounties

of God; food and drink. It infuses into him a spirit of weakness and submission, generating humility and prayer in an otherwise arrogant being.

13. Fasting breathes the spirit of forgiveness in man towards others, as he seeks God's

forgiveness through fasts and prayers. 14. Fasting gives lessons in punctuality. Man has to adhere to a strict schedule of time in the

observance of the fast. 15. Fasting could affect the economy of the individual as he is less wasteful on food and meals. 16. Fasting demands a rigid sense of discipline, mental, spiritual and physical. This forms

characteristics which are an essential ingredient to success in life. 17. Fasting creates spiritual reformation in man, infusing him with a spirit of enthusiasm and zest

to change and become a better human being in the eyes of God. This is an excellent opportunity, given to believers each year, to change themselves and consequently their destinies.

18. On the physical side, fasting cleanses the human system of the accumulated impurities of

uninterrupted eating throughout the year. It prepares the body to face diseases or conditions of scarcity. The rigid abstinence of a fast regulates man's health, sharpens his intellect and enhances the qualities of his heart.

Fasting is thus a bounty in itself, encompassing within itself many bounties. It instills a spirit of reformation in man, creating a wide awakening in him to fulfil his duties towards God and man, and towards himself. (Adapted from an article by Marhum Ahmed Sheriff Dewji, published in the Light Magazine)

10

Fasting and the purification of souls The Holy Qur'an refers to two features of fasting in Ramadan: mental and practical. These are like the wings of a bird on which man flies through the heavenly space of spirituality in the month of Ramadan. The Qur'an says: "Ramadan is the (month) in which was sent down the Qur'an, as a guide to mankind, also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (Between right and wrong)." (2:185) This means that in the month of Ramadan, one should get to know the Qur'an better and, through the clearance of guidance, take a broader view of the right and wrong of life. The Qur'an says: "O you who believe! fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may guard (against evil)." (2:183) Here the Qur'an emphasizes piety; that means fighting against and having victory over the false deity of the soul. Imam Ali (A.S.) said: "The bravest are those who gain victory over the false deity of their souls." (Safinatul-Bihar; vol.1, P.689). In the holy month of Ramadan, human beings are the guests of God; therefore they have to be eligible for His divine honor. The Qur'an says: "We purified him so that he could be saved." (91:9) Also the Qur'an says: "We created man of the best stature. Then We reduced him to the lowest degree." (95:4-5) God has given man the power and insight to choose his course in life. God has also given man the attribute of knowledge in an abstract form. This is the divine trust that man has assumed. The Qur'an says: "Surely We offered the trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they refused to be unfaithful to it and feared from it, and man has turned unfaithful to it; surely he is unjust, ignorant." (33:72) Satan, who symbolizes the wrong and animal dimensions of man, refused out of arrogance to prostrate before Adam and was cast out of Paradise. So, in order to retaliate, he has been tempting man ever since. For salvation, man needs the purification of his soul in addition to knowledge and insight. Such purification is obtained by having heartfelt faith in God. Man's soul should enjoin him unto good, not unto evil. The Qur'an says: "And I do not declare myself free, most surely (man's) self is wont to command (him to do) evil, except such as my Lord has had mercy on, surely my Lord is Forgiving, Merciful." (12:53) Man should not be a prisoner of his soul enjoining himself unto evil. Imam Khomeini (r.a.) said that if man wanted to attain human perfection, he should avoid worldly pleasures and strive to get nearer to God. The Qur'an says:"It is He who has placed you as viceroys of the earth....". Then how can man, as a viceroy of God, be without the divine attributes of his Lord?" A true man of faith has kindled the fire of faith within him, and fasting is something that enhances his faith. The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) said: "Fasting is prescribed for man to purify his soul." In Ramadan, the month of fasting, you become the guest of God. Do praise Him with devotion. God will answer all your prayers in this month. Fasting is the glad tidings of God's all-embracing mercy. Imam Ali (A.S.) asked the Prophet on the last Friday of the month of Shaaban: "What is the best thing to do in Ramadan?" The Prophet answered: "The best thing is to avoid committing sins." (Yun al-Akhbar ar-Ridha, vol.1). It is also stated that eating and drinking alone do not cause refraining from fasting. It should be known that refraining from everything that causes man to part from God is also counted.

11

Fasting has many advantages. God calls man to His feast while he is hungry, so then man can best appreciate the value of His bounties. The month of Ramadan is the spring of the Qur'an. The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) said: "He who reads a verse of the Qur'an in Ramadan is equal to having read all of the Holy Qur'an in other months." (Bihar al­Anwar, vol.16). Imam Ali (A.S.) said: "Do muse about the Qur'an whose teachings make your heart bloom with divine guidance". (Baharul-Anwar, vol.2). Imam Muhammad Baqir (A.S.) said: "Read the Qur'an while regarding God Who manifests Himself unto man in His words." On the Night of Power pray to God with all your heart and He will definitely answer all your prayers. The Qur'an says : "Surely We revealed it (the Holy Qur'an) on the grand night. And what will make you comprehend what the grand night. The grand night is better than a thousand months. The angels and Gibreel descend in it by the permission of their Lord for every affair, Peace! It is till the break of the morning." (97:1-5) Believers should keep themselves wide-awake and perform the act of worship unto their Lord overnight, especially on the Night of Power. The Prophet (S.A.W.) said: "Those who are deprived of the divine forgiveness are indeed ill fated." He also said: "Pray to God, repent and He will answer all your prayers." (Uyun al­Akhbar, al-Rida, vol.1) The Feast of Eid-e-Fitr (Bairam): The feast of Fitr is God's reward for those who fast during the holy month of Ramadan. In this month, man should try to add to his true knowledge of God, do acts of charity for the needy renew his beliefs towards his Lord and this will be a real Bairam (the feast of Eid-e-Fitr) for him. The prayers of the day of Bairam a reason of unity and solidarity of Muslims all over the world. On this day do honor God for His endless and all-enhancing mercy.

Fasting - Key to a good Health Fasting has its advantages from the point of view of health and hygiene. Islam wants a Muslim to be healthy, clean, alert, agile and energetic. "Fast to be healthy," had said the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.). And physicians today acknowledge the many benefits of fasting that ensure health and the soundness of one's body and mind. Some of these positive points have a direct influence on psychology and physique of the fasting individual. Fasting has been found to be an effective treatment for psychological and emotional disorders. It helps a person to firm up his will, cultivate and refine his taste and manners, strengthen his conviction of doing good, avoid controversy, petulance and rashness, which all contribute towards a sane and healthy personality. Besides nurturing resistance and ability to face hardships and endurance, fasting reflects on outward physical appearance by cutting out gluttony and getting rid of excess fat. The benefits of fasting on health do not stop there but are instrumental in alleviating a number of physical diseases, including those of the digestive systems, such as chronic stomachache, inflammation of the colon, liver diseases, indigestion, and conditions such as obesity, arteriosclerosis, high blood pressure, asthma, diphtheria and many other maladies. A Swiss physician Dr. Barsilus noted that: The advantages of hunger as a remedy exceed those ingesting medicine several times.

12

As readers are well aware, several physicians advise patients to skip meals, sometimes for a few days, before prescribing them a controlled diet. Generally speaking, fasting hastens the destruction of the decaying tissues of the body by means of hunger, and then builds new tissues through nutrition. This is why some scientists suggest that fasting should be regarded as an effective means of restoring youthfulness and longevity. However, Islam exempts from fasting sick and old people whose health is bound to deter. But fasting should have its regulations too, and not simply the in orderly skipping meals, that is bound to harm health and stamina, rather than improving them. Here again Islam provides the answer, and in order to realize the benefits of fasting, it recommends the late midnight meals called 'Sahar' (before the formal start of a fast) and the breaking of the fast at the time prescribed. Of course, to ensure good health one should abstain from gluttony after breaking fast.

SOME HEALTH GUIDELINES FOR RAMADAN This article provides useful advice on how to avoid some common problems encountered in Ramadan. If followed, it would enable one to fast comfortably and enjoy fully the spiritual benefits of Ramadan. During the holy month of Ramadan, our diet should not differ very much from our normal diet and should be as simple as possible. The diet should be such that we maintain our normal weight, neither losing nor gaining. However, if one is over-weight, Ramadan is an ideal time to normalize one's weight. In view of the long hours of fasting, we should consume slow digesting foods including fiber containing-foods rather than fast-digesting foods; slow digesting foods including fiber containing-foods rather than fast-digesting foods. Slow digesting foods last up to 8 hours, while fast-digesting foods last for only 3 to 4 hours. Slow-digesting foods are foods that contain grains and seeds like barely, wheat, oats, millet, semolina, beans, lentils, whole meal flour, unpolished rice, etc. (called complex carbohydrates). Fast-burning foods are foods that contain sugar, white flour, etc. (called refined carbohydrates). Fiber-containing foods are bran-containing foods, whole wheat, grains and seeds, vegetables like green beans, peas, sem (papry), marrow, mealies, spinach, and other herbs like methie, the leaves of beetroot (iron-rich), fruit with skin, dried fruit especially dried apricots, figs and prunes, almonds, etc. The foods eaten should be well balanced, containing foods from each food group, i.e., fruits, vegetables, meat/chicken/fish, bread/cereals and dairy products. Fried foods are unhealthy and should be limited. They cause indigestion, heartburn, and weight problems. AVOID: Fried and fatty foods. Foods containing too much sugar. Over-eating especially at sehri. Too much tea at sehri: Tea makes you pass more urine taking with it valuable mineral salts that your body would need during the day. Smoking cigarettes: If you cannot give up smoking, cut down gradually starting a few weeks before Ramadan. Smoking is unhealthy and one should stop completely.

13

EAT: Complex carbohydrates at sehri so that the food lasts longer making you less hungry. Haleem is an excellent source of sugar, fiber, carbohydrates, potassium and magnesium. Almonds are rich in protein and fiber with less fat. Bananas are a good source of potassium, magnesium and carbohydrates. DRINK: As much water or fruit juices as possible between iftar and bedtime so that your body may adjust fluid levels in time. CONSTIPATION: Constipation can cause piles (hemorrhoids), fissures (painful cracks in anal canal) and indigestion with a bloated feeling. Causes: Too much refined foods, too little water and not enough fiber in the diet. Remedy: Avoid excessive refined foods, increase water intake, and use bran in baking, brown flour when making roti. INDIGESTION AND WIND: Causes: Over-eating. Too much fried and fatty foods, spicy foods, and foods that produce wind e.g. eggs, cabbage, lentils, carbonated drinks like Cola also produce gas. Remedy: Do not over-eat, drink fruit juices or better still drink water. Avoid fried foods, add ajmor to wind-producing foods. LETHARGY (low blood pressure) Excessive sweating, weakness, tiredness, lack of energy, dizziness, especially on getting up from sitting position, pale appearance and feeling faint are symptoms associated with "low blood pressure". This tends to occur towards the afternoon. Causes: Too little fluid intake decreased salt intake. Remedy: Keep cool, increase fluid and salt intake. Caution: Low blood pressure should be confirmed by taking a blood pressure reading when symptoms are present. People with high blood pressure may need their medication adjusted during Ramadan. They should consult their doctor. HEADACHE: Causes: Caffeine and tobacco-withdrawal, doing too much in one day, lack of sleep, hunger usually occurs as the day goes by and worsens at the end of the day. When associated with "low blood pressure", the headache can be quite severe and can also cause nausea before Iftar. Remedy: Cut down caffeine and tobacco slowly starting a week or two before Ramadan. Herbal and caffeine-free teas may be substituted. Reorganize your schedule during the Ramadan so as to have adequate sleep. LOW BLOOD SUGAR: Weakness, dizziness, tiredness, poor concentration, perspiring easily, feeling shaky (tremor), unable to perform physical activities, headache, palpitations are symptoms of low blood sugar. Causes in non-diabetics: Having too much sugar i.e., refined carbohydrates especially at suhur (sehri). The body produces too much insulin causing the blood glucose to drop. Remedy: Eat something at sehri and limit sugar-contaning foods or drinks. Caution: Diabetics may need to adjust their medication in Ramadan, consult your doctor. MUSCLE CRAMPS: Causes: Inadequate intake of calcium, magnesium and potassium foods. Remedy: Eat foods rich in the above minerals e.g. vegetables, fruits, dairy products, meat and dates.

14

Caution: Those on high blood pressure medication and with kidney stone problems should consult their doctor. PEPTIC ULCERS, HEART BURN, GASTRITIS AND HIATUS HERNIAB: Increase acid levels in the empty stomach in Ramadan aggravate the above conditions. It presents as a burning feeling in the stomach area under the ribs and can extend up to the throat. Spicy foods, coffee, and Cola drinks worsen these conditions. Medications are available to control acid levels in the stomach. People with proven peptic ulcers and hiatus hernia should consult their doctor well before Ramadan. KIDNEY STONES: Kidney stones may occur in people who have less liquid to drink. There fore, it is essential to drink extra liquids so as to prevent stone formation. JOINT PAINS: Causes: during Ramadan, when extra salah are performed the pressure on the knee joints increases. In the elderly and those with arthritis this may result in pain, stiffness, swelling and discomfort. Remedy: Lose weight so that the knees do not have to carry any extra load. Exercise the lower limbs before Ramadan so that they can be prepared for the additional strain. Before physically fit allows greater fulfillment, thus enabling one to be able to perform salah with ease.

Eid-ul-Fitr Eid-ul-Fitr is linked with the Holy month of Ramadan. It signifies the end of the month of fasting. In view of the great significance attached to this day of Eid, numerous traditions consisting of prayers and worship of God on this day, have been quoted from the Holy Prophet and his Ahl-al-Bait. Taking a solemn bath (Ghusl) on the night preceding Eid is highly recommended (Sunnat). This is a night of great sanctity and profound virtues, and should be preferably spent in worship and prayer to God. Imam Zainul Abedin (A.S.) used to spend this whole night in devotion, and has said: "This night is as important as that of Shab-e-Qadr" (that is to say, the odd night towards the latter part of Ramadan when the Holy Qur'an was first revealed to our Holy Prophet [S.A.W.]). It is quoted from the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) that "one who offers six Rakat prayers on this night reciting in each Rakat Sura 'Al-Hamd' once and Sura 'Qul Huwallah' five times God will pardon his sins". Haris Aawar narrates that Hazrat Ali (A.S.), on this night, after Maghrib prayers, used to offer two Rakats prayers. In the first one he used to recite Sure 'Al-Hamd' once and Sura 'Qul Huwallah' one hundred times, and in the other both the Suras only once. After completion of the prayers he would bow his head in prostration and recite "Atubo Ellallah" 100 times and then would say, "I swear by one (God)! He has the sole command over my life". Whoever will, in this way, offer two Rakats prayers, the Beneficent will positively fulfill any wish begged from Him. (Aamal-e-Shabe Eid Al-Fitr) The conception of Eid in Islam is not confined only to celebration extravagance, luxurious feasts, friendly handshakes and embraces. The Muslims should rather devote this day to the worship of God and should beseech Him to approve their virtuous deeds and forgive their sins. This is because the doors of God's pardon are kept open this day and His Blessings are bountiful.

15

Once Imam Hassan (A.S.) noticed some folks in a most jovial mood merry making on the occasion of Eid. He, turning to his companions said. "God has made this month of Ramadan, a course of action for His slaves to render their due homage to their Lord and earn His pleasure. Some of them who have fasted successfully reached their goal, and those who did not fast have lingered behind and have missed a golden opportunity. When reward is assured for fasting, how strange it is on the part of those who do not fast to indulge in idle pastimes. I swear by God, if the curtains of Divination (Ghaib) wore to be lifted today, both the virtuous and the sinful could afford the physical sight of the rewards of their good and evil deeds respectively".

Eid Prayers It is considered by tradition to be an obligatory [Wajib - prayer, though technically it is an optional prayer with the injunction that it is preferable to offer even if optional (Sunnat-e-Muvakkadah)]. Ghusl (Purification Bath) on Eid day is sunnat, which should preferably be taken under a shelter and not under the open sky. Before offering Eid prayers it is recommended to have a breakfast of dates. The specified time of Eid prayer is between sunrise and the sun's initial decline (Zawal). If this prayer happens to be missed it cannot be offered late as 'Qaza'. Women are exempted from this prayer. It is 'Mustahab' (recommended) to offer Eid prayers with two Kutbas. Takbir before Namaz-e-Eid: "Allaaho Akbar, Allaaho Akbar, Laa ilaaha illallaah wallaaho Akbar, Allaaho Akbar, Wa lillaahil hamd. Alhamdulillah alaa maa hadaanaa walahu Shukr alaa maa aulana." The meaning of the above is: Allah is Great, Allah is Great there is no one worthy of prayer but Allah, and Allah is Great; Allah is Great, all praise be to Allah, it is He Who guides." This prayer consists of two Rakats. Niyyat (Intention) should be in these words: "I resolve to offer two Rakats Namaz-e-Eid, Sunnat Qurbatan Ellallah". This should be followed by "Takbir" (Allah-Ho-Akber). In the first Rakat after Sura 'Al-Hamd', recite Sura 'Ala' or The Most High. Then five times Dua-e-Qunoot, followed by Ruku and then Sajda. Then up again for the second Rakat. In the second Rakat after Sura 'Al-Hamd' recite Sura 'Shams' or The Sun and four times 'Dua-e-Qunoot'. After this the namaz should be completed like the Morning Prayer.

E'tikaf is a form of worship E'tikaf is a form of worship. It is formed by staying in a Mosque for a certain time. It is Ehtiyat that one should stay with the intention to worship Allah by praying formal or informal prayers although prayer is not a condition therein. The time for this form of worship could be anytime when one is allowed to fast. The best time is the month of Ramadan, especially, the last ten days. Conditions: 1. Intention as in the rest of the worship acts. It is necessary that the intention be made at the beginning of E'tikaf so that the rule, requiring the worship act to be completed with intention, be followed thoroughly from the beginning to the end. The decision made at the beginning of the night to start E'tikaf from the beginning of the following day will be open to objection. However, if one decides to start it from the beginning of the night it is not an offense to do so. One is not allowed to change one's mind from one E'tikaf to another of the same qualities or different.

16

2. Belief in Islam. 3. Freedom from mental illness. 4. Fasting; thus the E'tikaf of one who cannot fast for some reason is not valid. 5. Duration; which is three continuous days at least. It could be more but not less than three days. If it is started from the beginning of a day the two nights in between will be part of the duration. Less than three days is not considered E'tikaf. That it must take place in one of these Mosques: (a) The holy Mosque in Mecca, (b) the holy Mosque of the Prophet in Medina, (c) the holy Mosque of Kufa, (d) the holy Mosque of Basrah, and (e) the Mosque which is assigned for the Friday prayer in any town or city. It is Ehtiyat, however, to complete it in any of the first four Mosques. The roof and basement of a Mosque is part of the same and it is valid to complete Etikaf in such places of a Mosque. Permission of the people whose permission are required such as the master for the slave, husband and parents for the wife and children if this will be against the right of the husband or causes trouble to the parents. 6. Completing it in the Mosque where it was started. Thus, going out of the Mosque without an acceptable reason will invalidate the E'tikaf, regardless, one knows the rule or is ignorant or has gone out because of forgetfulness, except in the case of an emergency or one being forced or it is because of some need such as using wash room or having Taharat. One is allowed to come out of the Mosque during E'tikaf to take part in the burial of a deceased or to visit an ailing one; Going out of the Mosque for a time long enough to cause the E'tikaf to become as non-existing will be considered as invalidating the same, even if one has not done it out of one's own choice. If one needs to have Ghusl/bath during the E'tikaf and it is possible for him to have it inside the Mosque, and is not allowed to go out unless the reason for Ghusl requires him not to stay inside the Mosque. Etikaf is originally an optional worship act but it may become obligatory because of a vow etc. Things to avoid during E'tikaf: 1. Having sex and also according to Ehtiyat kissing or playing with one's wife; 2. According to a necessary Ehtiyat causing a semen discharge, 3. And smelling perfumes for enjoyment; it is not an offense if one cannot enjoy the perfume because of some defect in his smelling ability. 4. Selling or buying in the form of a business deal, according to a necessary Ehtiyat; there is no offense to be occupied with allowable activities as sewing or writing etc., although it is a Mustahab Ehtiyat to avoid them too. If one needs to buy something for food and there is no one to do the buying for him, it is not an offence for him to do it. 5. Expressing bitterness in talking about worldly or religious matters in order to prove one's ability, not the truth which is one of the best worships. The contracts of buying or selling during E'tikaf invalidate E'tikaf, but such contracts will be valid. If E'tikaf is invalidated because of having sex even, during the night, expiation will be due; if it is invalidated by other things, there will be no expiation, although it is a Mustahab Ehtiyat in this case too.

17

The expiation for invalidating an E'tikaf is to set free a slave or if this is not possible, fast for two consecutive months or if this also is not possible, feed sixty poor people.

The position of the Holy Quran in the Islamic Traditions About the rank and position of the Holy Quran:

Learning and teaching, reading and memorizing, planning and acting on the contents, there are numerous traditions in the Sunni and Shiite sources that its studying can display and manifest the importance and greatness of the Heavenly book. These traditions have been compiled in the books of traditions under the headings of "books of traditions", the "book of the excellence of Quran", and the "book of the Merits of Quran". The commentators of the Holy Quran especially the commentators living in the beginning of Islam have narrated these traditions in their books. In addition to the above, some of the earlier scholars have made efforts to write books under the heading of "the book of the Fazl-ul-Quran or the book of Navader-ul-Quran." Ofcourse, some of these writings could not be transferred to the other periods. But, in the periods of recent scholars, the late Allama Majlisi has allocated a part of the nineteenth volume of his book "Behar-ul-Anwar" to the Book of Quran. This part has been printed in the volumes 89 and 90. Besides, this point that this part of the book of Behar-ul-Anwar, like the other parts of this magnificent treasure, not only includes numerous writings of scholars of the earlier centuries, but implicitly it contains many traditions from the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) and the Holy Imams (A.S.). It is a very useful reference. Lastly, in the selection of the traditions of these writings, great emphasis has been laid on selecting the short Quranic traditions. In some cases, a part of the tradition has been mentioned from summary viewpoint. We have refrained from mentioning the reference of the tradition so that it will be easier to read or memorize them. But, those interested for finding the references of every tradition can refer to their sources.

The superiority and excellence of the Holy Quran. a) The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) said: "The superiority and preference of the Holy Quran on all other books and sayings is the same as the superiority of Almighty over His creatures." b) The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) said: "The Holy Quran is superior and excellent to everything other than Almighty Allah." c) The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) said: "One who reads the Holy Quran, then he imagines that somebody (else) has received better and superior than him, then most certainly he has considered it insignificant the thing that is honorable and great before the Almighty." d) The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) said: "Whenever mischief and seditions surround you like a part of the darkness of the night then (take refuge and) go towards the Holy Quran."

18

e) The Holy prophet (S.A.W.) said: "The Holy Quran is a wealth that no wealth can equal (or reach) it. And there will be no poverty after it."

The Comprehensiveness and value of Holy Quran. a) The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) said: "The Book of the Almighty comprises of the narratives and incidents of the ancients; the news of the future ones; and the rules and regulations amongst you. The Holy Quran was the measure and weight of the truth and falsehood and it is not facetious and in vain." b) Amir-ul- Momenin Ali (A.S.) said: "The Holy Quran is beautiful apparently and it is deep and profound inwardly. Its wonder is everlasting and the curtains of darkness will not be removed when refraining from it."

Learning and teaching the Holy Quran. a) The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) said: "The best of you are those who have learned the Holy Quran and teach to the others". b) The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) said: "One who teaches an Ayat of the Holy Quran, the Sawab (good deed) will be earned and returned to them so long as the Ayat is being recited." c) The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) said: "For the teacher of the Holy Quran, all the particles of the world seek forgiveness and supplicate for him even the fishes of the oceans." d) Amir-ul-Mimenin Ali (A.S.) said: "Learn and study (Holy) Quran. It is the best of the sayings. Peruse and think and deliberate on it as it is the spring of the hearts." e) Imam Sadiq (A.S.): "It is deserving and worthy of a believer that he should not depart from this world but that he has learned the (Holy) Quran or is in the path of learning it." f) The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) said: "The (Holy) Quran is the (dining) table of the Almighty. Therefore, utilize it and learn as far as possible."

The Recitation of The Holy Quran; Its Effect and Its Usefulness.

a) The best of the worships is the recitation of the (Holy) Quran. The traditions that have been narrated about reward and good deeds for the recitation of the Holy Quran is considered as the best of worships. It is important to mention that during the period of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.); the learning of the word and meaning of the Holy Quran was considered jointly. The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) recommended the recitation of the Holy Quran along with understanding their meanings. The conduct of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) shows us that he would teach ten Ayats of the Holy Quran to his

19

companions and till the time they would not learn and understand the practical rules and science of the ten Ayats, he would not commence the next ten Ayats. Thus, the reader of the Holy Quran was aware and well conversant of their meanings. b) Imam Sadiq (A.S.) said: "The Quran is the covenant and programs the Almighty for His creatures. It is deserving that every Muslim should look at this divinely testament every day and recite fifty Ayats from them every day." c) The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) said: "One who recites ten Ayats of the (Holy) Quran during the night is from amongst the negligent and the heedless. One who recites fifty Ayats is from amongst the recites and commemorators. One who recites hundred Ayats is from amongst the humble and meek ones. One who recites two hundred Ayats will be counted from amongst the one who fears the Almighty and from amongst the special ones. One who recites three hundred Ayats will be from amongst the delivered and saved ones. And one who recites five hundred Ayats, he will be from amongst the jurisprudents." d) Amir-ul-Mimenin Ali (A.S.) said: "In the day of Resurrection, it will be said to the reciter of the Holy Quran (Qaari) that recite (The Holy Quran) and step above. Recite as you have recited in the (previous) world. Your status and position is up to the last Ayats that you have recited." e) Amir-ul-Momenin Ali (A.S.) said: "One who recites the (Holy) Quran is like the one on whose heart has been inserted the Prophet hood except that "Wahi" (revelations) have not been revealed for him." f) The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) said to Salman Mohammadi: "O Salman! Upon you be about the recitation of the (Holy) Quran. Its recitation is kaffarah (atonement) of sins." g) Imam Sadiq (A.S.) said: "One who recites the Holy Quran and he is a young believer, then his body and blood will be blended and mixed with it." H) The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) said: "Surely, these hearts are rusts like rusted irons. Surely (the thing) which gives it luster and polish is the recitation of the (Holy) Quran."

The ways and the Manners of The Recitation of The Holy Quran.

a) The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) said: "Discharge (your duty towards the Holy) Quran in a good way and search for its wonders and strangeness." b) The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) said: "Recite the (Holy) Quran in the tone of the Arabs and with their dialects and accents." c) Imam Sadiq (A.S.) said: "The (Holy) Quran has been revealed in a sad and sorrowful manner. So, you also recite it humbly and sadly."

20

d) Amir-ul-Momenin Ali (A.S.) said: "During the recitation of the (Holy) Quran, express it in a good manner. And do not hurry in it like as reciting the poems and do not scatter it like the pebbles." But, install fear and alarm in your hard hearts through it. Your efforts should not be that you should recite and reach the end of the Ayat. e) The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) said: "Learn the (Holy) Quran in Arabic. Refrain from adding an extra word or alphabet in it."

The Recitation Of The Holy Quran in a beautiful and Melodious Tone.

a) The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) said: "For everything there is an adornment and a decoration. The adornment of the (Holy) Quran is a beautiful voice and tone." b) The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) said: "Adorn and decorate the (Holy) Quran with your (good) voice." c) It was asked from the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) that which of the peoples voice in the recitation of the (Holy) Quran is better. He said; "The voice of that person is better who while reciting the Holy Quran and his recitation reaches you, you feel that he is feaful of Allah." d) Imam Hadi (A.S.) said: "Ali ibn Hussain (Zainul Abedin) would recite the (Holy) Quran in such a beautiful voice the passer byes who would pass from his house would swoon and (would be overcome) by his voice." e) Imam Sadiq (A.S.) said: While interpreting the Ayat of the Holy Quran, "The meaning of this Ayat is that one should recite the Holy Quran in a slow and pauseful manner and make your voice beautiful with its recitation."

Memorizing The Holy Quran and Its Effects. a) The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) said: "The most honorable and noble from amongst my Ummat are the memorizers of the (Holy) Quran and those who (stay) awake (for worshipping)." b) The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) said: "The carriers of the (Holy) Quran are those who are included and covered by the Mercy of Allah." c) Imam Sadiq (A.S.) said: "Recite the (Holy) Quran and memorize it. Allah will not punish the heart in which the Quran has been placed (in it)." d) Imam Sadiq (A.S.) said: "The memorizer of the Quran and the one who acts on it will be the companions with the preferable divine ambassadors - the Angels."

21

e) And from amongst the Duas and supplications of Imam Sadiq (A.S.): "O Allah, select and approve for us two works: to recite the Quran in a good manner and to memorize their Ayats." f) Imam Kazim (A.S.) narrates from the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) who said: "The carriers of the (Holy) Quran are the learned persons of the inhabitants of the Heavens."

The Recitation of The Holy Quran While Looking At The Moshaf.

a) The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) said: "Looking at the Moshaf (Holy Quran) is (considered as) worship." As per some traditions, Moshaf is a name, which has been ascribed to the Holy Quran. This word has not come in the Holy Quran in this form, but its derivative of "Sohof" has been used in the Holy Quran on 8 occasions. b) The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) said: "The recitation of the Holy Quran from the Moshaf (Book) is better that its recitation from memory." c) The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) said: "Nothing is more difficult and harder for the Shaitan than the recitation of the Quran from the Moshaf (book)." d) Imam Sadiq (A.S.) said: "One who recites the Quran from the Moshaf (Book) then his eyes will enjoy and profit (from its good deeds and blessings)."

The Recitation Of The Holy Quran And Contemplating And Deliberating On It.

a) The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) said: "Woe is upon the one who recites the divine Ayats, but dose not contemplates and thinks about it." b) Amir-ul-Momenin Ali (A.S.) said: "Beware, there is no good in recitation (of the Holy Quran) and not deliberating and thinking on it." c) Amir-ul-Momenin Ali (A.S.) said: "Learn the (Holy) Quran as it is the best of the speeches and think and reflect on it as it is the spring of the hearts." d) Imam Sadiq (A.S.) while interpreting the Ayats of the Holy Quran, the right to the recitation of the Quran is thinking and pause over every Ayat, which propounds about the Heaven and the Hell.

22

The Recitation of The Holy Quran And Acting On It. a) The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) said: "How numerous are the reciters of the Holy Quran, and the Quran curses them." b) The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) said: "The one who does not consider the Haram (forbidden) acts of the Quran as Halal (permissible) does not believe and has no faith in the Quran." c) The one who learns the Quran and does not act on it, Allah will raise him as a blind (person) on the day of Resurrection." d) Amir-ul-Momenin Ali (A.S.) said: "By Allah, pay attention to the Quran. It should not be that others overtake and take precedence over you in acting and practicing (on the Quran)." e) Imam Reza (A.S.) said: "(Quran) is the word of Allah. Do not exceed and trespass from its boundary. Do not seek guidance other than from its shadow and protection or you will be deviated and misguided." f) Amir-ul-Momenin Ali (A.S.) said: "One who recites the (Holy Quran) and then enters the Hell, he is from those who have ridiculed and mocked at the Ayats of the Holy Quran." Courtesy: Naba Organization

The Spring of the Holy Qur'an The month of Ramadhan has been aptly named the spring of the Qur'an. During this month, believers set aside more time than usual to understand the word of Allah, to learn and ponder over its verses. Muslim homes and mosques ring with the beautiful recitation of this glorious book. It is the season of Qur'an reciting, when the desire to learn and understand the word of Allah blooms and flourishes, just as the natural world blossoms in the Spring. The following Ahadith show the importance of reciting the Qur'an in the holy month:

• Invoke your Lord in right earnest, with hearts that are free of sin and evil, to enable you to fast and to recite His Book (the Qur'an). Holy Prophet (s)

• Whoever recites an ayat from the Qur'an (in Ramadhan) will receive a similar reward as the one who recites the entire Qur'an in other months. Holy Prophet (s)

• Everything has a springtime, and the springtime of the Qur'an is the month of Ramadhan. Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (a)

• Invoke Allah, ask for forgiveness, recite the Qur'an, and repent to Allah for your sins more frequently, so that the blessings of the month of Ramadhan may come to you, while you are sincere to Allah, the Exalted. Imam Ali ar-Ridha (a)

The Holy Qur'an contains great cures for mankind, beautiful gems of wisdom for life, and the best instructions for happiness in this world and the Hereafter. God speaks to human beings through it, and it is incumbent upon all believers to find out for themselves what God has said to them.

23

Reciting the Holy Qur'an Many Muslims like to complete the recitation of the entire Qur'an in this blessed month. If that is not possible, at least a portion of the holy Book should be read during this month. The reward for it is much greater than in other months. Recitation of the Holy Qur'an has many benefits. The following Hadith illustrate some of these benefits:

• Illuminate your homes by reciting the Holy Qur'an . . for if the Holy Qur'an is recited frequently in a house, it brings blessings for the family, and the house will give light to those in Heaven as the stars of Heaven give light to those on the earth. Holy Prophet (s)

• The heart gathers rust like iron. Remove this rust by the recitation of the Qur'an. Holy Prophet (s)

• Whoever derives pleasure from the recitation of Qur'an, will not be depressed by the departure of friends. Imam Ali (a)

How to recite the Qur'an

1. Do wudhu before reciting. It is forbidden to touch the writings of Qur'an without wudhu. Even when not touching the writings, it is recommended to do wudhu before reciting the Qur'an.

2. See protection of Allah from the Shaytan. 3. Recite with a beautiful voice. The Holy Qur'an should be read slowly, with a beautiful voice and

consideration for the rules of recitation. The Holy Prophet (s) says: Give beauty to the Qur'an with your voices. And when he was asked as to who had the best voice for recitation, he said: The person who, when you listen to him, you realize that he fears Allah. The Holy Prophet (s) has also said: Everything has a decoration, and the decoration for the Qur'an is a beautiful voice.

4. Interact with the Qur'an. Another important point to remember is to interact with the Qur'an when reciting it. When reading verses which promise blessings and reward for the believers, one should be excited and hopeful. But on reading descriptions of punishments meted out to those who disbelieved and displeased Allah, a believer is fearful and seeks refuge in Allah. Sometimes Allah asks a questions, as in Sura ar- Rahman, Which of the bounties of your Lord will you two deny?. Commentators say a recitor of the Qur'an should answer that by saying None of your bounties, my Lord, do I deny. This type of interacting with the Qur'an makes the Qur'an alive, not just a book to be read.

Understanding the Holy Qur'an It is important that believers try to understand what Allah has revealed in the Holy Qur'an. It is a book of guidance, and to derive and act upon this guidance, we need to read and understand its verses. The fourth Imam (a) says:

• The Qur'anic verses are treasures of Knowledge and whenever a treasure is opened, you have to see what lies therein.

• Ponder over the verses of the Qur'an, and learn from them, for they are the best of lessons. Understanding the Qur'an could be done through reading the translation, thinking about the words used in the verse, the causes of revelation, and reading and discussing the commentary provided by knowledgeable scholars. Understanding and pondering over the verses of the Holy Qur'an is an important duty of all Muslims. Allah talks to us through the Qur'an, and we need to read and understand what He says in it. Many

24

Muslims believe that understanding the Qur'an is the duty of scholars, and they are content to just recite the verses without giving them much thought. The Holy Prophet (s) will complain about such Muslims on the day of Judgement. The Qur'an says he will say: O my Lord! My people took the Qur'an very lightly. By studying and pondering over the verses of the Qur'an, we will not be among the group the Prophet (s) will complain about on the day of Judgement. Exercises These exercises are to familiarize students with the contents of the Qur'an. This will Inshallah bring an appreciation for the holy Book, and an increased understanding of what God has sent us for guidance.

1. Choose one surah of the holy Qur'an for students to memorize, understand, ponder over, and read commentary of. Surahs could be chosen according to Grade level and available material. Some good sources of commentary for surahs are:

2. Choose some Qur'anic verses on important topics for students to learn. They could memorize them, understand them, ponder over them, and read or discuss relevant commentary. Some verses which could be included are:

3. Let students make their own schedules for Quranic recital during the holy month. This could include reading of translation and/or commentary.

4. Let the students memorize the hadith on importance of reciting and understanding the Qur'an. 5. Discuss the following important topics with the students during the holy month:

• Revelation and compilation of the Qur'an • Miracles of the Qur'an • The need of guidance for human beings

25

Daus for opening and closing the fast and Dau al-Iftitah

Dau for closing the Fast SAHEREE (Morning Meal)

Source http://www.ezsoftech.com/ramadan/ramadan04.asp The time for the completion of your morning meal is about ten minutes before 'Subh-e-Sadiq'. And 'Subh-e-Sadiq' is 80 minutes before sunrise. Always take Saheree food, even if very little or just a sip of water. Because it is 'Sunnat-e-Moakada' & it distinguishes us from other religions. The Dua mentioned in "Misbah" and "Iqbal", for the time of Saher (Dawn). O my Ultimate Sanctuary when troubles surround me! O my Last Hope when difficulties trouble me! Unto You I turn to, before Thee I stand to get help, with You I take refuge, except TYou there is no refuge; I do not seek joy after sorrow from anyone save You, so come to my help and free me from cares O He who accept even the smallest (efforts) but excuses from restrictions, accept whatever little there is and release from hardships frequently, Verily You art Oft-forgiving, Merciful. O Allah I ask for the faith which gives joy, satisfaction and confidence to my heart till I am positively aware that I will not have my fill unless it has been approved for me, and happiness will agree with me only whereby justly and fairly distributed, O the Most Merciful. O my "means" in my troubles! O my Companion in my difficulties! O my Guardian in my happiness! O the ultimate of my inclinations! You covers up my shortcomings, affords security in the event of crisis end fearful disasters, therefore, overlook my transgressions, O the Most Merciful. The Niyat (Intent) for keeping fast. The fasts of the month of Ramadan are obligatory. When the Crescent is sighted we should declare to ourselves that, we will keep all fasts during this month wajib qurbatan ilallah i.e., to attain nearness to Allah. Just like Salat/Namaz (prayers) the Niyat of fasting is mental, and is the case with Niyat of every action. To declare it in words cannot only be defined as Niyat.

26

Dau for Iftaree (Breaking of Fast) The time for this is 12 to 15 minutes after Sunset. It is better to offer 'Magrib Namaz' and then break one's fast, preferably with water, milk or dates. The following Dua may be recited at the time of breaking one's fast:

O my Allah, for You, I fast, and with the food You gives me I break the fast, and I rely on You Ameer ul-Moomineen Ali Ibne Abi Taalib (A.S.) used to recite the following du'a before Iftaar:

In the name of Allah, O Allah, we fast, and with the food You gives us we break the fast, an obligation we fulfill, and You art Hearer, Knower While taking the first mouthful recite: In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful, O He whose indulgence is boundless, forgive me Recite Soorah Al-Qadr. Give alms in the name of Allah. Every night do the following: Recite Soorah Al-Qadr 1000 times. Recite Soorah Al-Dukhaan 100 times. Recite O Allah, the Lord, (this is) the month of Ramazan, in it You revealed the Holy Quran, and in it made obligatory "fasting" upon Your servants, send blessings on Muhammad and on the children of Muhammad, and provide us with the means to go to Your Sacred House for "Hajj" this year and every year; and in this month forgive my grave sins, verily, other than You, no one can liberate (me) from its consequences, O Beneficent, O Omniscient.

27

Dua'a Iftitah (recommended to be recited every Night in Ramadhan)

An Introduction to Dua al­Iftitah Du' al­Iftitah was taught by our twelfth Imam (a) for Shi'as to recite every night during the month of Ramadhan. The Du'a is excellent for moulding man's attitude towards his Creator as it discusses many aspects of the wretchedness of the human being, and the Grace of Allah. The Du'a can be divided into two parts: 1)Man's relationship with Allah. 2) Divine leaders. The first section of the Du'a describes different qualities of Allah, and reveals the graciousness and love of Allah for the human being. This section of the Du'a can further be divided into the following parts: a) Praise of Allah. As is the etiquette of Du'a, Du'a al­Iftitah begins with the praise and glorification of Allah. This is not because Allah needs to be praised before He answers our Du'as, but to remind the supplicant of the Supreme Being he is addressing, and consequently put the awe of Allah into hearts which are often heedless. The beginning of the Du'a also places the supplicant between hope and fear, the ideal attitude while praying. Allah is most merciful, but is also severe in punishment. Humans are not to despair, nor to be too confident butconstantly strive in His way. b) Emphasis on the Oneness of Allah. Allah has no partner nor son, and has complete, undivided power and control over creation. The inhabitants of theskies and the heavens depend on Him.This is to strengthen reliance of the supplicant on Allah, as there is none else he can turn to. c) The Generosity of Allah. The treasures of Allah do not cease, and are always liberally bestowed on His creatures. The needs of the human beings are enormous, and by placing open the door of Du'a, Allah has given them the keys to His treasures. His doors are always open, and no supplication to Him is rejected without some answer. But man is often ungrateful, and always greedy. He expects that his du'as will always be immediately granted. When such gratification is not forhtcoming, he turns away, instead of reminding himself of all the favours he enjoys. d) Relationship of Allah and the human being. A strange relationship indeed! Although it is the human who needs Allah, and should strive towrds Him, it is Allah who invites and encourages him to come, who shows love and mercy and continues to favour him in many ways. As the 4th Imam says in Du'a ­e­ Abu Hamza Shimali: Praise be to Allah who answers me when I call Him, although I am reluctant when he calls me, and Praise is for Allah who gives me when I ask Him, although I am miserly when he asks me. This is worth pondering over for those who think of Allah as a tyrannical master imposing His rules over humans. This section of the Du'a is an excellent lesson in the Islamic view point of the qualities of Allah. The God of Islam is a loving, gracious God who treats the human being better than he deserves. The root of the relationship between Allah and man is the love of the Creator for His creatures. It is on man to search his heart for a reciprocal response.

28

The second section of the Du'a send blessings on the Holy Prophet (s) and the M'asumeen, and then discusses the role of the twelfth Imam (a). a) Salawat on the Prophet(s). After faith in Allah, the next most important part of religion is faith in His sent ones. Thus after acknowledging the greatness and graciousness of the creator, the Du'a teaches us to acknowledge the Divine leaders as our guides towards Him. Blessings are sent to the Prophet (s) as a sign of love and appreciation for the Prophet (s) and as an acknowledgement that he is a human being and needs mercy and blessings from Allah. It also strengthens rememberance of the Prophet (s) and the inspiration to follow his path. b) Blessings on the M'asumeen. After the Holy Prophet (s), his successors are remebered and prayed for. These are the true leaders of the Muslim Ummah who were Divinely appointed by Allah. Belief in them, and love for them, is an important part of the Shi'a faith. c) Role of the Twelfth Imam (a). In every era Allah has His representative who guides His creatures towards establishing truth and justice on earth. The Twelfth Imam is the leader of our time, who will come and Allah's religion on earth. The last part of Du'a al­Iftitah talks about his coming, preparing believers for the anticipated establishment of the rule of Allah on earth. Praying for help and victory for the twelfth Imam reminds us that we are waiting for him, and need to prepare for his coming. We become aware of our responsibilities in his ghaybat, and the importance of training ouselves as his helpers. We pray for the ultimate dream of a Muslim, a state in which the religion of Allah is paramount, and disbelief and hypocrisy are degraded. Du'a al­Iftitah reminds us that both faith and action are necessary to be a true believer. Faith in Allah entails acting on His message brought by His messenger, and establishing His religion on earth. While that can only be done through the Imam, we should work and pray for his arrival. Human beings can only enjoy true justice and peace, and a fulfilment of all their needs, under the leadership of a Divine leader. Du'a al­Iftitah is not only a supplication for our needs, but a teaching of the roots of faith, and a planning for a way of life. It remains on us to plot the chart of our life as we recite this beautiful du'a during the nights of Ramadhan.

Dua'a Iftitah

In the Name of God, Most Merciful, Most Kind

O Allah, I begin the glorification with praise of You; You, from Your bounties, gives out freely the truth and salvation; I know for certain that You are the most merciful in disposition of forgiveness and mercy, [but] very exacting at the time of giving exemplary punishment and chastisement to wrongdoers, the Omnipotent in the domain of absolute power and might. O Allah, You has given me permission to invoke You and beseech You, so listen, O Hearer, to my words of praise, and give a favourable reply to my supplication, and minimize my falling into misery, O the often-forgiving. O my Allah, many a trouble You hath removed; many a sorrow You have dispelled; many a misery You have mitigated; and at all times You spread out Your mercy, and cut short the tightening circles of misfortunes.

29

All praise be to Allah, Who has not taken unto Himself a wife, nor a son, and Who has no partner in sovereignty, nor any protecting friend through dependence. Magnify Him with all magnificence. All praise be to Allah, with full gratitude for all his bounties. All praise be to Allah, Who has no opposition to His rule, nor any challenge to His commands. All praise be to Allah, Who has no counsel to meddle with His operation of creation, nor is there anything similar to Him in His greatness. All praise be to Allah, Whose commandments operate in Creation; His glory is evident through love and kindness. His distinct overflowing generosity is freely available through His unlimited bestowals which do not exhaust His resources, and He does not swell the numerous benefits except because of generosity and kindness. Verily He is mighty, generous. O Allah, I ask for some from much, in the midst of my very many needs for which I entirely depend on You, and, since eternity, You are able to do without it but for me it is a titanic effort and for You is very easy and simple. O Allah, truly, when You pardon my sins, overlook my mistakes, take a lenient view of my disorderly conduct, cover up my foul actions, show consideration in spite of my many transgressions committed willfully or negligently, I am tempted to ask for that which I do not deserve, from You Who, through Your mercy, gives me the daily bread provides me with that which is suitable for me, through Your control; and distinguishes me with a favourable reply to my requests. So I persist in calling out, believing in You, and I invoke You, talking familiarly, not afraid, nor shy, but assured of Your love and kindness whenever I turn to You A temporary setback, and I, out of ignorance, begin to despair, although perhaps slowing down may be a blessing in disguise. because You alone knows [all] the consequences. I know no generous master who is more accommodating to dissatisfied servants that You art to me. O Lord, You give an invitation but I turn it down. You become familiar with me but I do not care for You. You love me but I do not correspond to You as if You are overreaching me. Yet You do not abstain from bestowing favours and blessings on me from Your mercy and generosity so have mercy on Your ignorant servant Verily You are generous and kind. Praise be To Allah the owner of sovereignty, Who sets the course of the skies and the stars controls the winds, causes the daybreak, and administers authority, the Lord of the worlds. Praise be to Allah for His indulgence in the wake of His all-awareness. Praise be to Allah for His amnesty ensuing from His omnipotence. Praise be To Allah for the respite He allows In spite of provocation. He is able to do what He wills. Praise be to Allah, the creator of all the created beings, Who makes sustenance freely available, starts the day, the owner of glory, might, favours, and bounties, Who is far away, invisible, and nearest, so near that He is fully aware of the whispered secrets, the Blessed, the Praised. Praise be to Allah, Who has no equal to challenge Him, nor is there an image comparable to Him, nor a helper to assist Him. He tames the powerful by His force, and disgraced are the terrible before His greatness; so He, through His power, fulfils that which He wills. Praise be to Allah, Who gives answer to me whenever I call Him; covers up my shortcomings yet I disobey Him; gives me the largest part of the bounties yet I want more. Many favours He has

30

sanctioned; many terrible dangers He has averted; and many blossoming joys he has made available for me. Therefore, I sing His praises and recite His glorifications. Praise be to Allah. None can disclose anything hidden by Him; none can shut the doors kept open by Him; no one who makes a request is sent away disappointed by Him; and no one who looks long and attentively is deluded in his hopes. Praise be to Allah, Who gives protection to the frightened; comes to the help of the upright; promotes the cause of the weak and the enslaved; annihilates the autocrats; destroys rulers and appoints the 'awaited saviors' in their place. Praise be to Allah, Who breaks everything belonging to the oppressors; puts an end to the tyrants; watches over the fugitives; brings assistance to those who cry out for help; meets and clears up the demands of the needy beseechers; supports the faithful. Praise be to Allah. In his awe-inspiring fear the heavens and its dwellers tremble and shiver; the earth and its inhabitants shake and quiver; the oceans and all that floats and swims in its waters flow together in excitement and tumult. Praise be to Allah, Who has guided us to this. We could not truly have been led aright if Allah had not guided us. Praise be to Allah, Who creates but is not created; gives subsistence but needs no provisions; gives food to eat but takes no nourishment; makes the living dead and brings the dead to life; and He is the everliving, there is no death for Him; in His hands is all the good and He is able to do all things. O Allah, send blessings on Muhammad, Your servant, Messenger, confidant, friend, beloved intimate, mercy unto all the created beings, bearer of Your sacraments, quotient of Your messengers, the most superior, the exquisite, the most handsome, the most perfect, the upright, the more prospering, the more pleasant, the thoroughly purified, the sublime; who has more and better blessings, advantages, mercies, affections and salutations than You made available to any one of Your servants, prophets, messengers, friends, and those honoured by You from among Your created being. O Allah send blessings on 'Ali the Leader of the Faithful, the successor to the Messenger of the Lord of the worlds, Your servant, Your beloved representative, brother of Your Messenger, Your decisive argument over mankind, Your most important sign, the great news from You. O Allah, send blessings on the truthful pure Fatima, the chosen leader of the women of the worlds. O Allah, send blessings on the sons of 'the mercy unto the worlds', the leaders and guides, the Imams al-Hasan and al-Husayn, the leaders of the dwellers of Paradise. O Allah, send blessings on the Leaders of the Muslims, 'Ali ibn al-Husayn, Muhammad ibn 'Ali, Jafar ibn Muhammad, Musa ibn Jafar, 'Ali ibn Musa, Muhammad ibn'Ali, 'Ali ibn Muhammad, al-Hasan ibn'Ali, and his son, the rightly guided Guide, Your decisive argument over Your servants, Your trustworyour confidant on Your earth; blessings, numerous, and for ever. O Allah, send blessings on the Custodian of your commandments, the vigilant Guardian, the reliable Patron, the awaited Justice, surrounded by Your favourite angels, assisted by the Holy Spirit. O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, send him to call the people to Your Book for establishing Your religion, and make him succeed in the earth, as You caused those who were before him to succeed, and establish

31

for him his faith which You has approved for him, and give him in exchange safety after fear. He serves You. He ascribes nothing as partner to You. O Allah, give him power and authority, and through him strengthen the people. Give him the necessary assistance, and through him support the people, and make him prevail over all, a final decisive victory, and delegate him Your controlling authority. O Allah, give currency to Your religion, and the way of life of Your Prophet, through him till nothing which is just and genuine is kept concealed from any human being. O Allah, we ardently desire that in [his] kind, just, and fair era, You should reactivate Islam and stimulate its followers, and humble and humiliate the imposters and their double-dealing, and include us among those who invite people unto Your obedience, and lead them to Your approved path, and give us the good of this world and the world to come. O Allah, let us bear out and hold up that which You make known to us as the truth, and let us be fully aware of that which we fall short of doing. O Allah, through him, set in order our disorder; gather and unite our flock; stitch together our sundered separation; turn our want and poverty into sufficiency; lift us up from our degradation; free us from our misery; pull us out from our debts; help us to get out from the ditch of cares and sorrows; fill the gap created by confusion among us; let our difficulties be easy to deal with; refine our substance and style; untie our ropes and straps; let our efforts succeed well and secure success; make us fulfill our promises; give answers to our prayers; listen to our requests; cause us to obtain the good of this world and the hereafter; give us much and more than our expectations, O the best of givers and bestowers; and cleanse our hearts, unburden our emotions from hate and anger, and, in the event of dispute in the matter of truth, show us the right path. Verily, You guides whoever You will to the right path. Let us, through him, get the better of Your enemies and our opponents, O True God. Be it so. O Allah, we feel uneasy about and are disturbed by the departure of our Prophet, Your blessings be on him and on his family, the absence of our guardian-friend, too many enemies, our numerical scarcity, widespread disorder, and the vicissitudes of time. So send blessings on Muhammad and on his family, and help us to overcome this state of affairs at once. Disperse the ominous clouds hanging over our heads; lend a helping hand to achieve success; bring in the rule of justice and fair play; make us bright, free from grief; and take care of us. Through Your mercy, O most Merciful.