Fasting in Ramadan: the cards as text

Fiqh. Draft written with AI help: awaiting scholar review.

1. Card 1

   A whole month. Dawn to sunset. For awareness of God.

2. Card 2

   An old practice with one stated purpose

   The Qur'an says fasting was prescribed for earlier communities too, so that you may gain taqwa: an awareness of God that guards how you live. Hunger is the teacher. The point is the heart.

3. Card 3

   Qur'an 2:183

   يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ كُتِبَ عَلَيۡكُمُ ٱلصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِكُمۡ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَتَّقُونَ ۝١٨٣

   ¹⁸³ O you who believe, fasting is prescribed upon you as it was prescribed upon those who were before you, so that you may become righteous.

4. Card 4

   Lesson: The aim of the hunger is awareness.

5. Card 5

   Who fasts, and who is excused

   Every adult Muslim of sound mind who is able must fast. The sick, travellers, the very old, and women who are menstruating, pregnant or nursing are excused, and most make up missed days later.

6. Card 6

   Qur'an 2:185

   شَهۡرُ رَمَضَانَ ٱلَّذِيٓ أُنزِلَ فِيهِ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانُ هُدࣱى لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَٰتࣲ مِّنَ ٱلۡهُدَىٰ وَٱلۡفُرۡقَانِۚ فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُمُ ٱلشَّهۡرَ فَلۡيَصُمۡهُۖ وَمَن كَانَ مَرِيضًا أَوۡ عَلَىٰ سَفَرࣲ فَعِدَّةࣰ مِّنۡ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَۗ يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ بِكُمُ ٱلۡيُسۡرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ ٱلۡعُسۡرَ وَلِتُكۡمِلُواْ ٱلۡعِدَّةَ وَلِتُكَبِّرُواْ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا هَدَىٰكُمۡ وَلَعَلَّكُمۡ تَشۡكُرُونَ ۝١٨٥

   ¹⁸⁵ Ramadān is a month in which the Qur’an was sent down as a guidance for mankind and as clear signs that show the right way and distinguish between right and wrong. So whoever of you witnesses this month, should fast. But if anyone is ill or on a journey, he should make up for those days. Allah wants ease for you and does not want hardship for you, so that you may complete the prescribed number of days, and proclaim the greatness of Allah for having guided you, and so that you may be grateful.

7. Card 7

   Lesson: No one is asked for more than they can bear.

8. Card 8

   What breaks a fast, and what does not

   Deliberately eating, drinking or intimacy breaks a fast. Eating or drinking by genuine forgetfulness does not: the Prophet said whoever forgets should complete the fast, for God fed them.

9. Card 9

   Lesson: Forgetting is forgiven. Choosing is not.

10. Card 10

    A day in Ramadan

    The day starts before dawn with suhur, a pre-dawn meal. Then comes the fast, kept by the tongue as well as the stomach. At sunset it is broken, often with dates and water. Then comes the Maghrib prayer.

11. Card 11

    Qur'an 2:187

    أُحِلَّ لَكُمۡ لَيۡلَةَ ٱلصِّيَامِ ٱلرَّفَثُ إِلَىٰ نِسَآئِكُمۡۚ هُنَّ لِبَاسࣰ لَّكُمۡ وَأَنتُمۡ لِبَاسࣰ لَّهُنَّۗ عَلِمَ ٱللَّهُ أَنَّكُمۡ كُنتُمۡ تَخۡتَانُونَ أَنفُسَكُمۡ فَتَابَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ وَعَفَا عَنكُمۡۖ فَٱلۡـَٰٔنَ بَٰشِرُوهُنَّ وَٱبۡتَغُواْ مَا كَتَبَ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمۡۚ وَكُلُواْ وَٱشۡرَبُواْ حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ ٱلۡخَيۡطُ ٱلۡأَبۡيَضُ مِنَ ٱلۡخَيۡطِ ٱلۡأَسۡوَدِ مِنَ ٱلۡفَجۡرِۖ ثُمَّ أَتِمُّواْ ٱلصِّيَامَ إِلَى ٱلَّيۡلِۚ وَلَا تُبَٰشِرُوهُنَّ وَأَنتُمۡ عَٰكِفُونَ فِي ٱلۡمَسَٰجِدِۗ تِلۡكَ حُدُودُ ٱللَّهِ فَلَا تَقۡرَبُوهَاۗ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ ءَايَٰتِهِۦ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَتَّقُونَ ۝١٨٧

    ¹⁸⁷ It has been made permissible for you to be intimate with your wives on the nights of the fast. They are a garment for you just as you are a garment for them. Allah knows that you used to deceive yourselves, so He accepted your repentance and pardoned you. So now you may have intimacy with them and seek what Allah has destined for you. And eat and drink until you see the light of dawn distinct from the darkness of night, then complete the fast until nightfall. However, should you be in a devotional retreat in the mosques then do not be intimate with them. These are the limits set by Allah, so do not even come near to them. This is how Allah makes His verses clear to people, so that they may become righteous.

12. Card 12

    Lesson: A fast includes the tongue as well as the stomach.

13. Card 13

    The last ten nights, and Eid

    The last ten nights hold Laylat al-Qadr, the Night of Decree, better than a thousand months. The month ends with Eid al-Fitr, after paying zakat al-fitr so the poor can celebrate too.

14. Card 14

    Qur'an 97:1-3

    إِنَّآ أَنزَلۡنَٰهُ فِي لَيۡلَةِ ٱلۡقَدۡرِ ۝١ وَمَآ أَدۡرَىٰكَ مَا لَيۡلَةُ ٱلۡقَدۡرِ ۝٢ لَيۡلَةُ ٱلۡقَدۡرِ خَيۡرࣰ مِّنۡ أَلۡفِ شَهۡرࣲ ۝٣

    ¹ Indeed, We sent this [Qur’an] down on the Night of Decree. ² How do you know what the Night of Decree is? ³ The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months.

15. Card 15

    Lesson: Eid begins by making sure the poor can celebrate.

16. Card 16

    Reflect: What happens if a fasting person eats by genuine mistake?

    Answer: They complete the fast; it still counts. They carry on. The Prophet said it was God who fed them: forgetting does not break the fast.

17. Card 17

    The end of Fasting in Ramadan.

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