Ramadhan Fiqh
Courtesy of Y. Kermali

1)         NIYYAT FOR FASTING.

(a)        Fasting means that you must, in obedience to the commands of Allah, from the time of Adhan for  Fajr prayers up to the time of Adhan for Maghribprayers, avoid nine things which will be mentioned later.

1. It is not necessary for you to make the Niyyah for fasting through your mind or to say that I would be fasting on the following day. 

It is sufficient for you to decide that in obedience to the command of Allah I will not perform from the time of Adhan for Fajr prayers up to the time of Adhan for Maghrib prayers, any act which will invalidate the fast.
 
(c)        In order to ensure that you will be fasting throughout this time you should begin your fast a little earlier than the time of Adhan for Fajr prayers, and break your fast a little later after the time of Adhanfor Maghribprayers.  

(d)        You can make Niyyah every night of the holy month of  Ramadhan that you will be fasting on the following day.
But it is better to make Niyyah on the first night of Ramadhan that you will be fasting the whole month of Mahe Ramadhan.

(e)        It is important to remember that the last time for making Niyyah to observe a fast of Ramadhan is moments before the time of Adhan for Fajr prayers.  It is, therefore, advisable to keep your Niyyah on the first night of Ramadhan that you will be fasting throughout the month of Ramadhan.

(f)         It is very important to keep in mind that your Niyyah  of fasting should remain constant throughout the period of fasting.
If you are undecided in your Niyyah whether to break the fast or not, immediately your fast becomes invalid even if you do not actually break it or are repentant of your intention.

2)         THINGS WHICH WILL MAKE YOUR FAST BATIL

There are eight acts which if you do will make your Fast Batil.

(i)         If you eat and/or drink.
(ii)         If you ascribe false things to Almighty Allah, Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.w.) and the twelve infallible Imams of Ahlul-Bayt (a.s.).
(iii)        If you swallow thick dust.

1. If you take enema with liquids.
2. If you vomit.

(vi)        If you remain in Janabator Haidh or Nifas till the Adhan for Fajr prayers.
(vii)       If you indulge in sexual intercourse.
(viii)       If you masturbate (istimna) which means self abuse, resulting in ejaculation.

Details of these acts will be explained in the following articles:

(i)         EATING AND DRINKING.

(a)        If you eat or drink something intentionally your fast will become Batil, irrespective of whether the thing which you ate or drank was usually eaten or drunk and it is more or less. Even if you take a tooth brush out of your mouth and then put it back into your mouth, swallowing its liquid, your fast will become Batil.

(b)        If you eat or drink something forgetfully, your fast will not become Batil, but the moment you realize you should immediately throw out the food or drink from your mouth.

(c)        If you intentionally swallow something  which remained in between your teeth, your fast will become Batil. 

Note:    If you know that some particles of food  which have remained in between your teeth, will go down into your stomach during the day, then you must remove those particles from your teeth, i.e. with a toothpick.

(d)        You are allowed to swallow your saliva. It does not make your fast Batil, even if it may have collected in your mouth owing to thoughts about sour things, etc..

(e)        There is no harm in swallowing your phlegm or mucous from head and chest as long as it does not come up to your mouth.  However, if it reaches your mouth, the obligatory precaution is that you should not swallow it.

1. ASCRIBING LIES TO ALLAH, PROPHET MUHAMMAD (S.A.W.W.)

AND THE TWELVE INFALLIBLE IMAMS OF AHLUL-BAYT (A.S.)

(a)        If you intentionally ascribe something false to Allah, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.w.) or the twelve infallible Imams of Ahlul-Bayt (a.s.), verbally or in writing or by making a sign, your fast will become Batil, even if you may at once retract and say that you have uttered a lie or may repent for it.  And, as a recommended precaution, you should refrain from imputing lies to Bibi Fatema Zahra (a.s.) and all the Prophets and their successors.

(b)        If you quote something as the word of Allah or of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.w.) with the belief that it is true, but you realize later that it is false, your fast will not become Batil.

 (iii)      LETTING DUST REACH YOUR THROAT.

(a)        On the basis of obligatory precaution, allowing thick dust to reach your throat will make your fast Batil, whether the dust is of something which is Halal to eat, like flour, or something which is Haraam to consume like dust or earth.

(b)        Allowing thin dust to reach your throat will not invalidate the fast.

(c)        As an obligatory precaution, you should not allow the smoke of cigarettes, tobacco, and other similar things to reach your throat.

(iv)       ENEMA.

(a)        If you take liquid enema, your fast will become Batil even if you are obliged to take it for the sake of treatment.

(v)        VOMITING.

(a)        If you vomit intentionally your fast will become Batil, though you may have been obliged to do so on account of sickness.  However, your fast will not become Batil, if you vomit forgetfully or involuntarily.

(b)        If you are certain that if you belch, something will come out from your throat, you should not, as a precaution, belch intentionally, but there is no harm in your belching if you are not certain about it.

(c)        If you belch and something comes out from your throat into your mouth, you should throw it out, and if it is swallowed unintentionally, your fast is in order.

Note:    IMMERSING YOUR HEAD IN WATER

(a)        If you intentionally immerse your entire head in the water, this act will not invalidate your fast; but it is a Makrooh act, and it is better that you should avoid doing so.

(b)        If you immerse your head under water with the Niyyat of Ghusl, both your Fast and Ghusl will be in order.

(vi)       REMAINING IN JANABAH OR HAIDH
OR NIFAS TILL FAJR TIME
(vii)      SEXUAL INTERCOURSE

1. ISTIMNA (MASTURBATION)

 

Since these important and simplified Masaels of Mahe Ramadhan have been written at the request of www.shiasisters.net and are meant exclusively for young girls of 9 years and above, details of the acts described above have not been included.  If there is any specific question on the subject, it can be directed to kabana@juno.com and he will make efforts to get you an answer to your question.