Know, O Muslims, that As-Siyaam (fasting) falls into different categories:
The First: That which is a fundamental obligation in and of itself, and is obligatory upon every accountable muslim; male and female, free or a slave. This is the fasting of Ramadan – we ask Allah that He allows us to reach this month and that He aids us upon completing it, and that He accepts it from us.
For indeed it is obligatory according to the Mighty Book, the Mutawaatir prophetic traditions and by the consensus of the Muslims; the general ones and the specific (i.e. those possessing knowledge). Even old women who still have their natural disposition intact believe that fasting this month is an obligation, even if she is unable to read the Faatihah.
And Know – may Allaah guide us in our statements and actions – that there are conditions that must be met for this month to be obligatory:
• At-Takleef (Accountability) – as we have alluded to – which includes reaching the age of puberty and being sane. And there is no obligation in relation to the rights of Allaah, if accountability is not present, rather obligations are dependent on accountability being present - as it relates to the rights of Allah.
As for the rights of people, then this is a topic for another time, and this has been discussed extensively previously. Whoever wishes to review this can do so.
• The Second condition: entering of the month. And there are 2 ways in which we can tell that the month has begun:
1) The clear sighting of the moon, and it being affirmed by the testification of an upright one from a muslim man; he must be Muslim, pubescent and sane.
2) Residence (i.e. you must be a resident of the land that you are in and not a traveller) and the proof for this is His saying – the most High: “Whoever amongst you witnesses the month, then let him fast” - : 2:185; meaning Ramadan.
The Second: The completion of the month of Sha’ban as 30 days, as will be discussed later in shaa Allah.
• The Third: Residence, as we have discussed previously. We mentioned it earlier accidentally.
• The Fourth condition: Being free from illnesses which would necessitate or justify not fasting, and this is from the assessment by a trusted Muslim doctor. This is the fourth condition.
• And an additional Fifth condition for the women: being free from menstruation and post-natal bleeding.
This is the individual obligation, derived from the fundamental principles of the islamic legislation. It is obligatory upon every sane, pubescent Muslim, male or female (as has preceded), and it is fasting Ramadan, which is proven by the Qur’aan, Sunnah and consensus.
The Second: The obligatory (fasting) due to an urgent affair, and this includes the vow (that he will fast such and such) and the expiation; the expiation of killing accidentally, or manslaughter, and the expiation of the oath, and the expiation for ‘Adh-Dhihaar’ (proclaiming to your spouse that you are to me like the back of my mother; i.e. that you will not approach her intimately), and the expiation for sexual intercourse during the day in Ramadan – as will come inshaAllaah. So this is obligatory, but it is not upon every pubescent (sane) Muslim, but for an urgent affair. So whoever vows or does that which requires an expiation, then fasting is obligatory upon him only, not for other than him from the people.
The Third: The voluntary fast.
- Sheikh Ubayd in his Explanation of Kitaab As-Siyaam of Umdat Al-Ahkaam
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