Assalamu'alaikum

 This is part two in our series on fasting taken from Sayyid Sabiq's "Fiqh
 us Sunnah."

                    The Fast of Ramadan:

 The fast of Ramadan, according to the Qur'an, sunnah and consensus, is
 obligatory. The evidence from the Qur'an consists of the following two
 verses: "O you who believe, fasting is prescribed for you as it was
 prescribed for the people before you in order for you to gain God
 consciousness, and, "...The month of Ramadan, during which the Qur'an was
 revealed, a guidance for mankind, and clear proofs of the guidance and the
 criterion; and whoever of you is resident, let him fast the month"
 [al-Baqarah 185].

 From the sunnah we have the following statements of the Prophet: "Islam is
 built upon [the following] five pillars: testifying that there is no God
 except Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger, the establishment of the
 prayer, the giving of zakah, the fast of Ramadan and the pilgrimage to
 Makkah." Talhah ibn 'Ubaidullah reported that a man came to the Prophet
 and said: "O Messenger of Allah, tell me what Allah requires of me as
 regards fasting." He answered, "The month of Ramadan." The man asked: "Is
 there any other [fast]?" The Prophet answered: "No, unless you do so
 voluntarily." The whole Muslim nation agrees that the fast of Ramadan is
 obligatory. It is one of the pillars of Islam, and if one disputes this,
 he cannot be called a Muslim.l

       The Virtues of Ramadan and the Deeds Done During It:

 Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet, upon whom be peace, said: "The
 blessed month has come to you. Allah has made fasting during it obligatory
 upon you. During it, the gates to Paradise are opened and the gates to
 hellfire are locked, and the devils are chained. There is a night [during
 this month] which is better than a thousand months. Whoever is deprived of
 its good is really deprived [of something great]." This is related by
 Ahmad, an-Nasa'i, and al-Baihaqi.

 'Arfajah testifies to this: "We were with 'Utbah ibn Farqad while he was
 discussing Ramadan. A companion of the Prophet entered upon the scene.
 When 'Utbah saw him, he became shy and stopped talking. The man [the
 companion] spoke about Ramadan, saying: 'I heard the Messenger of Allah
 say during Ramadan: "The gates of Hell are closed, the gates of Paradise
 are opened, and the devils are in chains. An angel calls out: 'O you who
 intend to do good deeds, have glad tidings. O you who intend to do evil,
 refrain, until Ramadan is completed.'"

 Muslim relates that Abu Hurairah reported the Prophet saying: "The time
 between the five prayers, two consecutive Friday prayers, and two
 consecutive Ramadans are expiations for all that has happened during that
 period, provided that one has avoided the grave sins."

 Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported that the Prophet, upon whom be peace, said:
 "Whoever fasts the month of Ramadan, obeying all of its limitations and
 guarding himself against what is forbidden, has in fact atoned for any
 sins he committed before it." Ahmad and alBaihaqi related this hadith with
 a good chain.

 Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet, upon whom be peace, said: "Whoever
 fasts the month of Ramadan with faith and seeks Allah's pleasure and
 reward will have his previous sins forgiven." This hadith is related by
 Ahmad and the compilers of the sunan.

 Series to be continued throughout Ramadan.......
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