Abu Ubaidah (R.A.) reports,' Fasting is a protective covering for a man, as long as he does not tear that protection'. (Reported by Nasa-iy,ibn Majah and ibn khuzayamah) The Mashaaikh have mentioned six things about which care should be taken in fasting. 1.) Firstly, one should keep the eyes away from place where one is not supposed to look. They even go so far as to prohibit looking at ones own wife with desire. So how much more important is it to avoid looking at another woman with desire. Similarly one should avoid looking at any evil place or where evil is committed. Rasulullah (p.b.u.h.) said,' The evil eyes are an arrow of the Shaytaan. Whosoever out of fear for Allah, prevents himself from looking at evil, Allah shall grant him such faith, the sweetness and ecstasy of which he will feel in heart'. The Sufis interpret the above saying about scenes which one should avoid looking at including such places and things which distract the mind from the remembrance of Allah. 2.) Secondly, guarding the tongue against telling lies, unnecessary conversation, backbiting, arguments, swearing etc. In Bukhari we read that fasting is a deterrent for the fasting person. For this reason those who fast should avoid all non-sensible talk, joking, arguments etc. Should anyone pick an argument, then say, 'I am fasting". In other words, one should not start an argument and when someone else starts it then too one should avoid it. When the one who begins an argument is a reasonable person, and then say to him, I am fasting. When the one who starts an argument is a foolish person then one should remind one’s self that, I am fasting and must not respond to such meaningless things". One must particularly abstain from backbiting and lies. One of the Sahaba inquired from Rasulullah (p.b.u.h.) what is backbiting. Rasulullah (p.b.u.h.) replied,' To mention something about your brother behind his back which he resents'. The Sahaba then said, and is it still backbiting if that thing mentioned about him really is in him? "Our Nabi (p.b.u.h.) said, 'In that case (if that which was mentioned is really true) it is definitely backbiting. And if is guilty of it then you have slandered him". 3.) Thirdly, according to the Sufis, what should be avoided is that the ears should be kept away from listening to anything Makrooh. It is Haraam to say or listen to anything which should not be said. Rasulullah (p.b.u.h.) said that,' in backbiting both the backbiter and the listener are equal in sin"". 4.) Fourthly, the rest of the body should be kept away from sin and evil. Neither should the hands touch it, nor the feet made to walk towards it. Special care should be taken, especially at the time of Iftaar. No such things should enter it, about which there is any doubt as to its being Haraam or Halaal. When a person fasts, and at Iftaar time breaks fast with Haraam food, he becomes just like a sick person who takes medicine to cure him of the sickness but also adds poison which destroys him.
Posted on: Thu, 11 Jul 2013 12:51:07 +0000
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