When Can We Really Fast? Community Over Calendars

We will touch on that briefly and then we will move on to a very important chapter of the book which is very unique about this book actually. And that is about and that is the chapter with regards to the issue of names. And the kind of words that the prophet would use. And the kinds of words that he would not use. the kind of things that he would say and the kind of things that he would prohibit people from saying etcetera. So, it's a very unique chapter in this book and it's actually one of my favorite chapters in this book. We were discussing last week the days that the prophet would fast or encourage fasting. We've mentioned that Fasting, anytime is permissible. There certain days which are not permissible to fast on their own There are certain days which are not permissible to fast at all and the rest is open season. A person can fast anytime they like. To begin, we'd to discuss the days that he encouraged a person fast. The day of Ashura, which is the tenth day of the first month of the Islamic calendar we discussed that in detail last week. Also, he fasted and encouraged fasting the day of Arafa which is the ninth day of the 12th month of the Islamic calendar. That is the ninth day. Of the so, it's the day before Eid, right? That day, the day of Arufa, the prophet was asked about the reward of a person who fasts the day of Ashhura and the day of Arafah. He said, the day of Arafah, it will expiate sin of a year previous and a year to come and as for the day of Ashura, it will expiate the sins of a year past, right? So, we understand and we surmise from this that fasting the day of Arafa is superior to fasting the day of Ashhura. We discuss this in detail. wise, the prophet was narrated to a fasted Mondays and Thursdays. This was a common practice and very rarely did he ever not fast these two days of the week. Likewise, he encouraged fasting three days a week, three days a month, excuse me. So, he encouraged just in general, fast three days a month, any 3 days. And it's preferable that of these three days, it'd be the thirteenth, the 14th, and the fifteenth of the Islamic Lunar Calendar. Likewise, it is permissible to fast any day but it is not permissible to fast every day If a person fasts every single day, this is not permissible for a person to do. As the prophet has mentioned, Mansa whoever fasts all the time, then they have neither fasted nor have broken their fast. So, this is not something which is of the prophet practice and as a matter of fact, ad monished his companions. Abdullah used to fast every day and he prohibited him from doing this. Likewise, likewise, is the issue of fasting on Saturday alone. Just choosing Saturday by itself to fast. This is not permissible. Ibn He says here and.

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Cathy Ibn al Kaim, you know, scholars that are known for their for their in the science of Hadith. If they say, it has been narrated, usually that means that the narration is weak. The difference between saying and it and the prophet said or or saying he said or he authentically said or in indeed he said something that but when it's in this way it's been narrated that he said that means it's usually weak Here says and it's been narrated that the prophet used to fast on Saturdays and Sundays often. This narration is collected by Imam Ahmed and it's an inauthentic narration. It's a weak narration. It's not narrated that he used to, it's not authentic that he would fast on Saturdays. As a matter of fact, Ibn ul Kaim says, this narration is weak. Never. And it's also been narrated that the prophet prohibited fasting on Saturdays, okay? This narration is different upon amongst the scholars of Hadith. Some scholars view this narration to be authentic. Meaning that he prohibited a person fast on Saturday. However, there are other narrations that articulate that it's permissible to fast on Saturday. As long as you fast a day before or a day after. So, you can't fast it alone by itself. There's a narration in a Sunan which is authentic that the prophet said, do not fast on Friday alone unless you fast a day before it or day after it. So, if I wanted to fast Friday and fast the day after, I'd be fasting on Saturday and that's permissible. So, fasting it together with Friday or Sunday is permissible. Fasting Saturday alone by itself is impermissible. Likewise, Friday, fasting alone by itself. This is not permissible. A person must fast Thursday or Saturday along with it. So, those are two days of the week that a person should can fast under the condition that they fast the day before it or a day after it. This is not Speaking, these narrations are not speaking about fasting days which are obligatory. What do I mean by that? Let's say a person has days of Ramadan that they missed. Can they fast one day to make up for Ramadan on Friday or on Saturday? Yes. Because that's an obligatory fast, right? Let's say a person has an expiation. They have to fast 3 days, right? do they can they fast Friday on its own or Saturday on its own? Yes, because it's an obligatory fast. But if it is a fast, that is not obligatory, right? It's just, it's just extra voluntary, then you have to fast the day before or after. Friday and Saturday only. Now, what if a person just fast Saturday or just fast Sunday or Friday? Is there fast acceptable? what appears is that the fast itself is acceptable but the person is not followed the sunnah, right? It's also impermissible for a person to fast on the day of Eid. It's not permissible to fast on the first day of Shawwal. It's not permissible to fast on. The tenth day of the okay? So the Eid we have two Eids, right? The first Eid is the first day of Shawwal. Right? Ramadan's over. The first day of Shawwal. That's the day of Eid. Right? The second Eid, the major Eid is the tenth day of the Hajjjah, the after, the day after Yom Arafa, right? That tenth day of the 12th month, that is the day of Eid. It's not permissible to fast that day. Also, in the correct opinion, it is impermissible to fast during the days of Tashiriak. I am a Teshiriak. What are the days of they are the eleventh, 12th, and 13th days of the of the 12th month. That's the day after Eid, the three days that come after Eid alpa. These days are called right? The prophet said, he said these days, meaning the days of Tashriach, 11th, 12th, and 13th of the they are days of eating and drinking and remembrance of Allah. And this is why days are considered part of the Eid, right? A person can slaughter anyone of these days. If you want to slaughter for you can slaughter on the tenth, 11th, 12th, or 13th day. All of that is considered part of the Eid. So, really the days of Tashrik are an extension of the day of Eid. Eid al Abha. So, it's not permissible to fast during the days of Teshiriq, right? Another time when it is in permissible to fast is Yomashek the day of doubt. Why is it referred to as the day of doubt? Well, on the 29th day of Shabben, right? The 29th day of Shaben. We're looking around for the moon. We're not sure if today is the first day of Ramadan or if tomorrow is the first day of Ramadan. So, just to be safe, I'm going to fast that day. That is not permissible. It is impermissible to fast on the day. The of doubt. It's referred to as the day of doubt because we doubt. We're doubting whether it's or is it Ramadan, right? This is referred to as the day of doubt. So, a person says, well, I just want to cover my bases and be safe? No. Person cannot fast that day on his own just to be safe. Because Ramadan only starts when the moon has been sited and people have acknowledged its siding. Pay attention to the wording I'm using. When the moon is sited, and people have acknowledged its sighting, right? What does that mean? Why why this kind of wording? This wording is important. because the month doesn't officially begin until it becomes acknowledged by everybody that the month has begun. So, the moon itself is not the month of Ramadan or the any month. The moon is an indication of the month. There is a very detailed issue here. What does this mean? So, let's say it's Chaben and I see the crescent for Ramadan, right? and so, I go and I I inform the powers that be or what have you and they say, no, it's it's not Ramadan. You didn't see it. It's not acknowledged. Do I fast that day alone? Or do I not fast? Remember the wording we used? The crescent is not the month. The crescent is an indication of the month. The month is only the month when it becomes acknowledged by the majority of people. Right? So there's no instance where I'm fasting Ramadan and noone else is fasting. So, even if I happen to see the moon but nobody fasts because they do not acknowledge that the month of Ramadan has begun because they think that I didn't see it properly or what have you. I would not fast that day on my own. I would not fast and I would begin fasting when the people fast. Because the prophet said, in he said, to the is fasting is when you all fast and breaking your fast is when you all break your fast and the day of slaughtering is when you all is when you all slaughter, right? So, acknowledgement of the month, this is what commences the month. Not necessarily the crescent itself. and so, you know, when it's kind of calculated that the crescent can't really be seen by the naked eye, but it's essentially there, and we can see it with telescopes and so forth, that is not the month of Ramadan. That is not the month yet, because people haven't seen it. People haven't acknowledged its, it's its commencement, right? So, this is referred to as the day of doubt. Is impermissible to fast. It's not permissible to fast just to cover your bases before the day of Ramadan. Rather, we fast when people fast. When our community begins to fast, that's when we fast. The more, what is the point of the the moon then? The crescent is an indication of when that should start. When that should end, but it's not the only factor that is into consideration when people fast or break their fast. Is that clear? Right? So we see this mistake often especially for Ramadan, especially for Eid. You've got some people over here fasting and other people over here not fasting. This this shouldn't ever happen. Because fasting, breaking our fast, the day of Eid. This is a communitative thing. It's something that happens altogether. It's not just an issue of dry facts. The moon was there, wasn't there, or that's not exactly the point of it, right? He says he says and these narrations that he would fast on Saturday and Sunday and and other narrations he prohibited fasting on Saturday. He said if we were to harmonize between these narrations, one narration we have him doing it and another he we have him prohibiting it. Then, the prohibition means for a person to fast Saturday on its own. However, if you fast the day before or a day after, it is, it is permissible. Another issue of brings up is the issue of what is when a person when a person vows to remain in the Masjid or a particular amount of time under certain circumstances, under very particular circumstances. So, when a person makes a decaf, there are things which are permissible, things that are impermissible for the person to do. Person vows at the calf for 10 days or of the last ten nights of Ramadan for instance, Then, a person, for instance, cannot leave the masjid, right? For, for, for anything aside from that which is absolutely necessary, such as eating or drinking, or relieving oneself, or something of that nature. Likewise, when a person makes a decaf, it is not permissible for a person to engage in any sexual conduct while making anti calf in the masjid. Now, the scholars differ on Gaticaf widely differ on it. Some scholars mention that anti calf is only permissible in three right? Only permissible in Mecca, Medina, and Al Aqsa. Those are the only places that takes place. Can take place in regular misagent. This is the opinion of however, this is not the opinion of the majority of the companions of the prophet the there is a narration that some scholars view as authentic that is not to be done except in three masjid, right? Meaning, Mecca, Medina, and Al Aqsa. This narration is different upon amongst the scholars and whether it's authentic or not. however this narration doesn't mean that in general is absolutely impermissible outside of these three because we have companions that make Atikaf in regular massages and Honestly, the majority of the scholars, the scholarship of Islam, view that is permissible in any masjid. In any masjid, but they say there is a condition. As long as it is masjid in Jannah. What is Masjid Jama? Major Masjid, meaning a masjid that has jummah that is done in it. It's not just the it's not just a masjid where they pray but they don't do jummah. That's just a minor masjid. That's just a masjid that people use to a major masjid is this masjid where we have right where we have President Imam that leads salah and gives and so forth. This is the only kind of masjid that a person can make at the cafen. Another issue with regards to is the timing. When can a person make at decaf and how long can they're at decaf be? The correct opinion without delving too deeply into the topic. Is that is permissible anytime of the year. Day or night and for any amount of time. It doesn't have to be necessarily in Ramadan. And it doesn't necessarily have to be when a person is fasting. Right the prophet made a in Shawwal. the month after Ramadan. One year he didn't make a in the last ten nights. And so he made a in 10 days of Shawet. Also does a person have to be fasting when they make a decaf. Is it a condition of anti calf? This is also a difference of opinion. Ibn's opinion is that a person must be fasting. And he says there's never been an aeration that authentically clearly states that he ever made the while he was not fasting. Meaning, every time he made a calf, he was fasting. It was during Ramadan or however, a very strong opinion and this is the opinion that is adopted by Allah and his book Al Min Hajj is that is permissible when a person is fasting and when he's not fasting because he came to the prophet and said, I vowed I would make a or a single night in Mecca the of Mecca, right? And so the prophet said, fulfill your vow. Fulfill your vow. So, he's going to be there during the night time, right? He's going to be making at night. Do we fast at night? No, fasting is daytime activity. Therefore, it is based on this narration. It is permissible for a person to make a decaf while they are fasting or not during the Ramadan or outside of Ramadan as long as the conditions are fulfilled and there's no specific timeline set. doesn't have to be ten whole days. It could be less or more. Fight. Now, we are going to get into a very unique chapter of this book, Zad il Maad. The chapter regarding the issue of names and words, and nicknames, and language that is permissible, and language that is impermissible. With regards to the sun of the prophet. So first, we'll start with naming. How do we name our children? What are the best names to name them? What names are impermissible or haram for a person to to give another person? Ibn says.

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Tilling and Hamam is someone who is constantly brooding or thinking, right? These are very befitting names for the human being. Human being is constantly had it, constantly at work, doing something, even if they're doing nothing, then they're doing nothing, right? Or a person is constantly hemme. They're constantly thinking and stressing and and calculating and contemplating He says and the worst names are Harb, which means literally war or mora, which means very sour. Now, the Arabs in the time of pre-Islamic era, they would name their children names like this. hoping that these children would turn out to be as their name states. So, for instance, they would name their children. They would name their son for instance, Harb. Harub means war. Hoping that their child would grow up to be war, upon their enemies, right? Likewise, they may name their children right? Which means extremely sour. Hoping that they would be this way towards their enemies, right? However, these names are impermissible in Islam because they articulate about the person, something that should not be of his characteristic and prophet has indicated that a name has an effect on a person. and a person has an effect on their name. As mentions. If you refer to a person by a good name, this will instill a good nature in that person. And if you refer to a person with a bad name or terrible name or a difficult name, etcetera. This will instill. Difficulty in that person. It's been indicated in the sunnah that person's name has an effect on how they will be right? And it's also been narrated that he said at every person who is named with a name will end up having a portion of the meaning of that name actualized in his life. A person should avoid bad names for their children. They should choose names for their children that will cause their children to aspire to good things. And honestly, it's kind of a little bit a little bit disheartening when we see Muslims using names that are not essentially Muslim names. Naming names that naming their children with names that are unique and exotic and are not traditionally names. The prophet encouraged that we name our children with the names of the prophets that we name our children with the names. Of the prophet Muhammad that we name our children with names that are found in the Quran that are found in the Sunnah. And some of these other names that are being used often. And some of them are even specific to non Muslims. This is something which is upon deeply in Islam. Also, the prophet said in one narration that which translates to to do not name your son Yasar. Yasar means left. Rather, we ache. the right side is a good omen, not the left side. Likewise, or or why? These are names that mean he has succeeded, he has he says because someone may come and say, Naji there or there Is anyone named Efla in your home? Anyone named Efla meaning succeeded? And they'll say no, there's nobody here who has succeeded. No, there's nobody here in this house that has succeeded or that has won or that has etcetera. goes into the meanings here He mentions some particular names which are impermiss which are impermissible or that the prophet changed, right? He says, a woman's name, Asia, which which means disobedient. Now, why would a person name his child disobedient, right? This is the name of a female. And the answer is that what they meant is disobedient to their enemies, right? This is an impermissible name to name your child disobedience. The meaning, I don't see it, right? Likewise, Barra, Barra, which means and and these are different names which have foul meanings basically. means the father of the all wise. He Al Hechem is not a permissible name to have.

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Abu Abu Abdullah, Abu Abdul Rahman, Abu of nickname, right? Likewise, Abdullah, Abdul Rahman, right? This is called a Kunya and it has father or mother in front of it. This is called the Kunya. Usually, the prophet would give the Kunya based on a person's eldest son. The first son, that's where they would get their kunya from. So, if you have a a son, your first son, his name is Muhammad, you're going to be called Abu Muhammad, right? Usually and the female as well but that's not always. There are exceptions to that. For instance, the prophet gave a to a child that didn't have any children, right? He also gave Aquinia to Alib and Abitalib. Of course, Alib and Abhi Talib is his son-in-law. Married to his daughter, Fatima, Amir And his first son was at Hessan. Right? So, his al Hasan. However, one day, the Ali Radi Allah got into a spat with his wife Fatima basically said, you know what? I don't need this. I'm going to the Masjid. So, he just went to sleep at the Masjid at night. So, the prophet came looking for him at the Masjid and of course, the Masjid, the the ground, it wasn't carpet this. It's just dirt ground, right? So, he found him laying in the masjid and he said, right? So, he referred to him as Abu Tarab, meaning father of the dirt. So, it's just something that happen right? Something that an incident that occurred, they may get acuna from that, right? This is permissible but the kunya cannot be something that over exalts a person that puts down a person or that describes a person to something that is, that is undesirable, right? This is part of the respect of Alcuna. Do we have Kunyas in the Quran? Is there a Kunya mentioned in the Quran? Can you think of one? Abu Lahab. Abu Lahab is a Kunya, right? What is Lehab? What does Lahab mean? No, no, no, just the, just the word, what does it mean? Fire, right? Lehab is is fire, flames, you know. And the scholars differ on why he was referred to as Abu Lahab. what's most mentioned by the scholars of is that he was referred to as Abu Lahab because he had very fair skin. Very fair skin. So, his face was very red usually. Wasn't tanned. Usually people that live in the desert, their skin is going to become leather and very dark and brown, right? But Abu Lahab was a very rich man. He was part of the nobility of Quraish. He doesn't go out in the sun, right? He's always in shade. So, he had very fair skin and when he'd get angry, his his face would become very red and he's referred to as Abu Lahab. This is Acuna, right? So, Abu Hakam is a Kunya. That's not a permissible Kunya. Who was called and referred to as Abu Hakam? Abu Jahal. Abu Jahal's what does Jahal mean? Ignorance, right? He is referred to as Abu Jahal. Father of ignorance. That's not his. His original Kunya was Abul Hakam, the father of wisdom. Immense wisdom. However, the prophet prohibited that a person be referred to as Abul Hakam. He said in All Allah is the hackam. It's not permissible to have a of because that's one of the names of Allah. Subhanahu wa ta'ala. Also, that was not a befitting kunya for Abu Jahal. and this man that disbelieved in the prophet and carried this vendetta against him and fought against him and hindered people from the path of Allah would we call him Abu Abu Hacham the father of immense wisdom Obviously not. This is not befitting. So the prophet coined him as Abu Jahal. Another name that is impermissible is Hazen. Hazen. Hazen is an obstruction in your path. have a barrier or something that's obstructing your path that's called the say this path is very hazen meaning that it's a path that has a lot of obstructions in it this is not a permissible name Also, which we discussed and is a person who is laying down laying down. It's not a very productive name, right? The Now the now he's discussing names of places. Right? Now, he's discussing names of places One of these names is Sherbil Balala, the valley of misguidance. It's not a good name to give a valley. The valley of misguidance. Also, Yathad was a name that he later prohibited. This is the original name of Medina. Do we see a pattern here? We see a pattern, right? That is that any name that articulates something foul or articulate something that is not the value of the Muslims. This is considered a name which is impermissible. Or a name which is overly overly virtuous. Right? Or a name that is the name of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. The names of Allah divided into two categories in this respect. You have a category that is impermissible to give to any other person. Allah, Rahman, right? Al Khalaq. These are names which are specific to Allah. Nobody can be named with these names. there are other names which can, which which can restrictively be used for other people, such as, such as, right? Allah's name is Al Mutman. So, can you name Muttman? Another name is Rahim. Allah's name is Al Rahim. The most merciful. However, you can name Rahim. Rahim without the elephant, the lamb, right? This is a restrictive use of the names of Allah and it is permissible. Oftentimes, when someone is named Abdul Rahim, for instance, people will refer to him as Rahim or his name is Abdul Kareem. They will refer to him as Kareem. However, sometimes a person's name is Abdul Rahman. Can we call him Rahman? No, it's a restrictive name of Allah, right? Abdul Khalik, can we call him Khalek? No, this is a restrictive name of Allah. What about Abdul Raza.

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And he disliked going to places that had bad names or ominous names He disliked even passing through those areas if he could at all help it. Then Abdul Kaim Rahim mentions a narration collected by mentioned by in his book that the prophet was on a journey going to or from a battle and he came upon two mountains that he wanted to pass between them in the valley of these two mountains. He asked what these mountains were named, what they're called. So, they told him these mountains are named Falda and Mukhi. All Bahmin someone who exposes another person, right? Exposes something bad about that person and means someone who puts another to shame. So, the names of these mountains are father and very ominous names so the prophet did not go between these two mountains in that valley and he chose another path. We have this in names in English as well and I believe in every language, right? To have Devil's Creek or Hell's Kitchen or Hell's Gate, right? Or you'll have, you know, the valley of horrors or something that. These these oh there's a valley in the Nahani Valley. There's a mountain in the Nahani Valley in Canada which is referred to as the Valley of the Headless Men. Right? The Valley of the Headless Men. Cuz people would go there and camp and people would find them later deceased with their heads missing. It's actually a true story. The point is is that when areas or places have this kind of name prophet would avoid these places. Why? Because names have an effect on their on their place and the place has an effect on the name. A person is usually given a nickname or a place is given a name or coined with a nickname because of something that happened there or something that does happen or something that is ominous about that place. And so he would avoid these places if at all possible. Al with the.

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Is, whatever you choose for your children's name. That's the name that everyone is going to see and hear on the day of resurrection. And that's the person is going to be called forth for their judgments based you know and they're going to be introduced by that name. So, we should make it a point to choose best names. The.

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Ad name your children with my name but do not give a with my was Abu Qasim, right? So, he encouraged the companions to name their children by his name, Muhammad. But then noone was allowed to have the Kunya Abu Qam except for him. Why is this? This is something that is specific. To the era of the prophet A person has the today of Abu Qasim, that's fine. But in the time of the prophet this was avoided. Why? Because the companions they would address the prophet by his they would not address him by his name. That they would not refer to him as, you know, oh Muhammad. They wouldn't call to him like that. They wouldn't address him with his first name. That was, that's very bad manners. They would address by his kunya. It would say messenger of Allah, prophet of Allah, they would say and so if if other people had this of Abu Kasim, right? Other people had this of Abul Qasim. then it might happen a person will be placed in a position where they may say Abu Kasim intending someone else the prophet would answer and the person would be forced to say no I didn't want you. I wanted someone else. This is not appropriate speech with the prophet So, this was something that was impermissible during his lifetime. Ibn is of the view that it is impermissible to have the of Abul Qasim during his lifetime or after and we've discussed that topic. Another issue we'd to touch on with regards to names and changing names. When a person would accept Islam, become Muslim in the time of the prophet He would off and ask them what their name is and if they had a name these names that we've mentioned, he would change it for them, right? So, for instance, if a person's name was Hazen, which means very difficult road or path that is full of obstructions, he would change the person's name to sell. Which is the opposite, ease, easy road, unobstructed, right? Likewise, if a person's name was something that was haram, something that was particular to idolaters like Abdul Shems, right? Abdul Shems, the servant or slave of the sun because people worship the sun, right? He would change this name to Abdullah or Abdul Rahman, right? and This is something that people have misunderstood with regards to people accepting Islam. But for instance, here in America, we come from a predominantly Christian country for the most part. People are under the are under the oppression that if a person becomes Muslim, they have to change their name. Person becomes Muslim, they have to change their name to an Arabic name. That's not necessarily correct. As long as the name is not something bad, right? The person's name is onic or demon or something like that. That's not a permissible name too to have or the name is not specific to non Muslims. What do I mean by that? Like Paul. Paul is what what kind of name is that? He's a Christian name, right? There's only Christians use that name, Paul. It's a reference to Paul of the Bible, right? Which for some reason is revered. This name is not permissible for a Muslim to have because that's a name specific to non Muslims. Like Mark. Mark is a Christian name, right? Or Uzi. Uzi is a is a Jewish name, right? It means power in Hebrew. This is this is specific to non Muslims. Okay? We would not give these names a person who has this name would change their name. But if a person has a a just a regular name that's not specific to any particular religion. Right? person's name is John or a person's name is Alex or something that is just a general name for people in the English language, they don't have to change their name and they they actually shouldn't change their name in this case because it only further and only further distances people from Islam being assimilated into society. I mean, Islam is a religion that goes into all places and it adopts the best of that culture and purges the worst of that culture. This is what Islam does and so, when people become Muslim in America and they have names that are American names, this is fine. As long as it's not a name, that means something bad. Or as a name, that, is is specific to non Muslims.

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Let me send me Ahad.

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Enough for tonight.