RAMADAN is just seven days away. Throughout this month, every Muslim who has reached puberty, is sane and not sick or travelling, is required to fast from dawn to dusk, as mentioned in verse 183 of the Quran, Surah al-Baqarah.
There are many things that need to be revised:
MEANING of fasting;
LEGAL rules of fasting;
REQUIREMENTS for fasting to be valid;
INTENTION (niyyah) of fasting;
RECOMMENDED things to do during fasting;
THINGS that are not recommended during fasting;
MATTERS that invalidate fasting;
DOA for breaking of fast;
CIRCUMSTANCES that make a person unable to fast; and,
‘KAFFARAH’, or compensation, for deliberately missing or breaking the fast.
We need to do reading on fasting, understand the rules and share them with our family.
However, the approach should be different when it comes to sharing this information with pupils and newbies, or those who are just learning to fast.
Children are trained to fast at the age of 6 to 7 when they begin with half-day fasting, from dawn to lunch.
Gradually, newbies will be persuaded to perform the full fasting, especially during weekends.
They are taught about the intention (niyyah) behind fasting, the importance of sahur (meal before dawn), and things that would invalidate the fasting.
Usually, with newbies, parents tend to take the persuasive approach to make them fast.
Therefore, in addition to reminding them of the above things, 10 to 12-year-olds are also reminded of the recommended things to do during fasting, such as reading the Quran and doing good deeds.
Prophet Muhammad said that the rewards for good deeds performed during Ramadan are like those given for obligatory ones in other months.
Therefore, to seize these rewards, we need to plan and make time for these activities.
SITI FATIMAH ABDUL RAHMAN
Senior fellow, Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia