In the season of Ramadan, there are outlined rules to guide the Muslim faithfuls on how to better and diligently accomplish the 30-day fast.
Here are seven guiding rules of fasting for Muslims:
1. Apart from offering the daily five daily prayers at the time of Fajr (dawn), Dhuhr (noon), Asr (afternoon), Maghrib (evening) and Isha (night), the rozedaars should not eat or drink anything intentionally in a state of fast and abstain from smoking or else the fast will become invalid.
2. Consumption of any food item due to absent-mindedness or by mistake will not have any negative effect on one’s fast nor make it invalid hence, a person can immediately repent and continue with their fast after realising they have consumed something due to forgetfulness.
3. Refraining from false speech, insulting, cursing, lying and fighting is a must for Muslims all though their lives but observed more strictly during Ramadan so as to not negate the reward of fasting.
4. Those chronically ill, pregnant, breastfeeding, diabetic, old and sick with health restrictions are exempted from observing a fast during Ramadan. However, they should compensate for it by performing Fidiya which is done by feeding a poor person on every day of Ramadan or every day of missing one’s fast.
5. A woman during her menstrual cycle or post-childbirth bleeding is not obliged to observe fast but the missed fasts need to be compensated later.
6. Giving alms to the needy is called Zakat which is an obligatory charity in Islam. This is another compulsion during the holy month of Ramadan and the amount to be given out in Zakat is a fixed percentage of one’s savings that is required to be given to the poor which is different from Sadaqah or voluntary charity that is the amount Muslims donate above and beyond what is required from the obligation of Zakat.
7. A very important rule for Muslims observing the Ramadan fast is that physical intimacy like indulging in sex is not allowed during the sacred month as rozedaars are required to channel their spirituality while seeking forgiveness through letting go of the worldly pleasures during these 29 or 30 days when they observe fast with their family and friends.
