[For The Love Of Giraffe]

I was talking to my Muslim friend the other day and he told me that both him and his brother did some charity work last year which overlapped with Ramadan, however his brother had to quit after one week because he was too exhausted as fasting obviously would reduce the amount of energy he had. Now I know that doing charity work is a very important aspect to being a Muslim and that’s great, so this story really confused me.

Surely if charity work is such a vital part of being a good Muslim, it would be better for him to have eaten and then be able to have continued the charity work rather than keep the fast and not help out? I mean, surely your God would approve more of him doing work for charity and would then forgive the lack of fasting if that is what it takes to be able to help those less fortunate?

Talking to my friend, he told me that fasting is a test and that you’re meant to prove that you will continue through the struggle, just like poorer people have to, so it’s to understand what the starving are going through (and therefore sympathise and understand the importance and need of charity). He also said that it’s meant to show how strong a person you are if you can get through hardship (i.e. the fasting) and still maintain being a good Muslim. So in this case, is my friend’s brother just being a bad Muslim for not really getting through the test, or is it okay that he struggled and instead, he should have given up the fasting and done the more important thing, which was continuing the charity work?

I know that a lot of the Islam threads on here are bashing and I’m genuinely not trying to do that – I’m just interested in what would have been the best response in my friend’s brother’s position as I thought it was rather depressing that he stopped doing charity work to maintain a fast which he seemed to fail at, as he couldn’t keep up his good deeds during it. Or am I mistaken and is fasting more important to do than the charity work? Again, I’m not criticising – I’m just curious about this topic and I hope I get decent and informative responses.

[amerzeb]

(Original post by For The Love Of Giraffe)
I was talking to my Muslim friend the other day and he told me that both him and his brother did some charity work last year which overlapped with Ramadan, however his brother had to quit after one week because he was too exhausted as fasting obviously would reduce the amount of energy he had. Now I know that doing charity work is a very important aspect to being a Muslim and that’s great, so this story really confused me.

Surely if charity work is such a vital part of being a good Muslim, it would be better for him to have eaten and then be able to have continued the charity work rather than keep the fast and not help out? I mean, surely your God would approve more of him doing work for charity and would then forgive the lack of fasting if that is what it takes to be able to help those less fortunate?

Talking to my friend, he told me that fasting is a test and that you’re meant to prove that you will continue through the struggle, just like poorer people have to, so it’s to understand what the starving are going through (and therefore sympathise and understand the importance and need of charity). He also said that it’s meant to show how strong a person you are if you can get through hardship (i.e. the fasting) and still maintain being a good Muslim. So in this case, is my friend’s brother just being a bad Muslim for not really getting through the test, or is it okay that he struggled and instead, he should have given up the fasting and done the more important thing, which was continuing the charity work?

I know that a lot of the Islam threads on here are bashing and I’m genuinely not trying to do that – I’m just interested in what would have been the best response in my friend’s brother’s position as I thought it was rather depressing that he stopped doing charity work to maintain a fast which he seemed to fail at, as he couldn’t keep up his good deeds during it. Or am I mistaken and is fasting more important to do than the charity work? Again, I’m not criticising – I’m just curious about this topic and I hope I get decent and informative responses.

I understand that the fast is very difficult but your friends brother needs to have his trust in God and understand that some people just dont have the opportunity to eat/drink.

As for me the fast has been very hard on me because I was too ill to fast last year but I am doing fine so it shouldnt be too hard for him.

[ash92:)]

Fasting isn't just about the test. Its a time where ones will power is polished up. Where Muslims aim ti improve their character. And Yes, doing charity work is a great thing, but one should only do so much as to not comprise health. Doing things for charity in Ramadan are optional, as in Islam each person who is obliged to do so must give a percentage of annual earnings to the poor - termed Zakah. The point I'm trying to make is that charity work can be done throughout the year, even during Ramadan. But at this time of year, fasting is prescribed for Muslims.

Hope that answers your question.
(Thanks for being considerate btw)

This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

[RALI_]

It is mentioned in the Qur'an (2:183), 'O you who have attained to faith, fasting has been decreed upon you, as it was decreed upon those before you, so that you may become righteous and God-conscious (i.e. muttaqun)"

'Why do Muslims Fast in Ramadan?'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63R1-gs2uM4

[Iqbal007]

(Original post by For The Love Of Giraffe)
I was talking to my Muslim friend the other day and he told me that both him and his brother did some charity work last year which overlapped with Ramadan, however his brother had to quit after one week because he was too exhausted as fasting obviously would reduce the amount of energy he had. Now I know that doing charity work is a very important aspect to being a Muslim and that’s great, so this story really confused me.

Surely if charity work is such a vital part of being a good Muslim, it would be better for him to have eaten and then be able to have continued the charity work rather than keep the fast and not help out? I mean, surely your God would approve more of him doing work for charity and would then forgive the lack of fasting if that is what it takes to be able to help those less fortunate?

Talking to my friend, he told me that fasting is a test and that you’re meant to prove that you will continue through the struggle, just like poorer people have to, so it’s to understand what the starving are going through (and therefore sympathise and understand the importance and need of charity). He also said that it’s meant to show how strong a person you are if you can get through hardship (i.e. the fasting) and still maintain being a good Muslim. So in this case, is my friend’s brother just being a bad Muslim for not really getting through the test, or is it okay that he struggled and instead, he should have given up the fasting and done the more important thing, which was continuing the charity work?

I know that a lot of the Islam threads on here are bashing and I’m genuinely not trying to do that – I’m just interested in what would have been the best response in my friend’s brother’s position as I thought it was rather depressing that he stopped doing charity work to maintain a fast which he seemed to fail at, as he couldn’t keep up his good deeds during it. Or am I mistaken and is fasting more important to do than the charity work? Again, I’m not criticising – I’m just curious about this topic and I hope I get decent and informative responses.

Your friends brother isn't a bad Muslim........................fa sting in Ramadan is compulsory with exceptions for those who can't.
The basic charity is Zakat which is money 2.5% of earnings but that's if your earning a certain amount including assets every year. Any other form of charity is Sadaqa which is extra charity you do on top....which doesn't necessarily mean money,but helping others in many forms.

The things you do during Ramadan are rewarded much more than they would at any other time of the year..........he should try his best to help out where he can, if he can't than it's up to him to make that decision. He can do many things which he can be rewarded for, like extra prayers, helping around at home more, etc.

[Perseveranze]

Fasting is one of the pillars of Islam, it's extremely important. In this case, if you can't do charity work during Ramadan and had to choose one, then fasting takes precedence over charitable work. Ramadan is only 30 days a year, you can do the charity work after and before.

Here are some of the reasons we fast;

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1 – Fasting is a means that makes us appreciate and give thanks for pleasures. For fasting means giving up eating, drinking and intercourse, which are among the greatest pleasures. By giving them up for a short time, we begin to appreciate their value. Because the blessings of Allaah are not recognized, but when you abstain from them, you begin to recognize them, so this motivates you to be grateful for them.

2 – Fasting is a means of giving up haraam things, because if a person can give up halaal things in order to please Allaah and for fear of His painful torment, then he will be more likely to refrain from haraam things. So fasting is a means of avoiding the things that Allaah has forbidden.

3 – Fasting enables us to control our desires, because when a person is full his desires grow, but if he is hungry then his desire becomes weak. Hence the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “O young men! Whoever among you can afford to get married, let him do so, for it is more effective in lowering the gaze and protecting one’s chastity. Whoever cannot do that, let him fast, for it will be a shield for him.”

4 – Fasting makes us feel compassion and empathy towards the poor, because when the fasting person tastes the pain of hunger for a while, he remembers those who are in this situation all the time, so he will hasten to do acts of kindness to them and show compassion towards them. So fasting is a means of feeling empathy with the poor.

5 – Fasting humiliates and weakens the Shaytaan; it weakens the effects of his whispers (waswaas) on a person and reduces his sins. That is because the Shaytaan “flows through the son of Adam like blood” as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, but fasting narrows the passages through which the Shaytaan flows, so his influence grows less.

Shaykh al-Islam said in Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 25/246

Undoubtedly blood is created from food and drink, so when a person eats and drinks, the passages through which the devils flow – which is the blood – become wide. But if a person fasts, the passages through which the devils flow become narrow, so hearts are motivated to do good deeds, and to give up evil deeds.

6 – The fasting person is training himself to remember that Allaah is always watching, so he gives up the things that he desires even though he is able to take them, because he knows that Allaah can see him.

7 – Fasting means developing an attitude of asceticism towards this world and its desires, and seeking that which is with Allaah.

8 – It makes the Muslim get used to doing a great deal of acts of worship, because the fasting person usually does more acts of worship and gets used to that.

http://islamqa.info/en/ref/26862

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[Venomilys]

basically fasting is compulsory. You only have to give 2.5% of earning each year, this can be done over a 12 month period; ramadan is only 1 month.

If he doesn't fast (without a valid reason) he will be tortured in the hell fire, he'll feel unimaginable pain so much so that his heart would explode, but in hell his merciful God will resurrect him again so he can torture him some more.

[tazarooni89]

Fasting and helping the poor are both obligatory in Islam. They are both as important as each other. Fasting is for a minimum of one month per year, and helping the poor is giving a minimum of 2.5% of of your savings per year. Of course you can do more than the minimum if you want, but that would be optional. And you can't sacrifice your compulsory duties for the sake of doing something which is only optional.

It would be like a student who has to write at least 1 page for his English homework, and one page for his History homework, but decides that instead he's going to write 2 pages for his English, and not do his History at all. Of course, this kind of thing would not be allowed. Both are important, and both must be completed. If he wants to do extra English homework, he must make sure it does not interfere with his History. He must prioritise his obligations first, and then his optional "extra credit" afterwards.