Alterations And Adjustments Were Made In Fasting
Alterations And Adjustments Were Made In Fasting
There were several changes made in the obligation of fasting.
Initially, the fast of `aashura (10th of Muharram) was fardh(compulsory).
Thereafter, three days, 13th, 14th and 15th (ayyam-e-beedh) of every month were made fardh.
Thereafter, the fasting of any one month of the year was made fardh.
Finally, the month of Ramadhaan was fixed as the month of fasting but with certain restrictions that are as follows:
- Fasting would commence the moment one slept after sunset (one was not allowed to eat or drink even if he awoke during the night). The following verse was revealed abrogating this restriction in Surah Baqarah : and eat and drink until the white thread (light) of dawn appears to you distinct from the black thread (darkness of night) [2:187].
- A person also had the choice of fasting or paying fidyah (feeding of the poor).
Allah Ta`ala says in the Qur’aan: Those who can fast have (a choice to fast or) to feed a poor person for every fast) [2:184].
This was abrogated by the following verse: Whosoever of you sights (the crescent on the first night of) the month (of Ramadhaan) must observe saum (fasting) that month.) [2: 185]. (Tafseer-e-Ahmadiyyah, Pg 38)
This is one tafseer (commentary) of the aayah that it was abrogated. A second tafseer is that the verb يُطِيقُونَهُ is from the category of verbs on the scale of if`aal whose one feature is salb-e-ma’khaz (negating the meaning of the root word). Taking this into consideration, the aayah will thus mean that those who do not have the ability to fast should feed a poor person for each day. According to this tafseer the verse is not abrogated, rather it is in its exact and precise form and refers to a very old person who is unable to fast. The option of fidyah(feeding of a poor person) has been prescribed for him. (Noor-ul-Anwar, Pg 43)
Malfoozaat of Faqeeh-ul-Ummat
