Question:
- Does someones using forbidden speech during the month of Ramadan nullify his fasting?
Answer:
- When we read the statement of Allah {Oh you who believe, prescribed for you is fasting the same way it was prescribed for those that came before you, that you may be of those who are God fearing} (2:183), then we see the wisdom in which fasting was prescribed upon us. It is fearing our Lord and worshiping Allah. Fearing Allah means that we leave off those forbidden things. What needs to be understood is that when it is used in a general way like this, it is talking about both doing those things that we were commanded and leaving off those things that we were forbidden from. The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Who ever does not leave off evil speech, acting on it and ignorance, then Allah is not in need of his leaving off of his food and drink” (narrated by al Bukhari). This affirms the fact that the fasting person must stay away from the impermissible things from both speech and action. He should not back bite people, lie, tale carry or buy and sell impermissible items. He should leave these things off for the whole of the month. If he does this, it will be easy for him to be upright for the rest of the year.
- Unfortunately many of those participating in the fast do not differentiate between their fasting day and the days they do not fast. They do what they normally do from the impermissible speech like lying, cheering and other then these things. They do not feel ashamed of what they are doing even while they are fasting. These actions do not nullify the fast, but they take away from the persons reward. It may be when the day is over they have lost out on the reward that they actually got for their fast.
[Taken from Fatawah Arkan al Islam by Sheikh Uthaimeen]
[Translated by Abu Abdillah Abdul Lateef]
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