Ramadan

﷽

The word Ramadan derives from the Arabic root R-M-Ḍ (ر-م-ض) "scorching heat", which is the Classical Arabic verb "ramiḍa (رَمِضَ)" meaning "become intensely hot – become burning; become scorching; be blazing; be glowing".

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar and lasts either 29 or 30 days, depending on when the new crescent moon is, or should be, visible.

Fasting (Siyām in Arabic) is the fourth pillar of Islam and Allah obligated fasting on this Ummah just as he obligated it on the previous nations. He (the Most High) stated:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ

“O you who believe, observing the fast is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become pious.”

Al-Baqarah 2:183

So, fasting was obligated upon the people in the second year after the Hijrah and the Prophet (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) fasted nine Ramadāns before he passed away (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam).

Siyām in the Arabic language means to withhold from something, such as speech, walking, etc. In religious terminology, siyām is to withhold with intention (niyyah) from that which would break one’s fast through action or spiritual violation, beginning from the time of the true dawn (Fajr) until the sun sets (Maghrib).

If a person merely withholds from eating and drinking, etc, without intending that for Allah, then that is not to be called siyām in the religious sense even though linguistically it is siyām. This is due to saying of Allah’s Messenger (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam):

إنَّمَا الْأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ وَإِنَّمَا لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مَا نَوَى فَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ إلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ فَهِجْرَتُهُ إلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ لِدُنْيَا يُصِيبُهَا أَوْ امْرَأَةٍ يَنْكِحُهَا فَهِجْرَتُهُ إلَى مَا هَاجَرَ إلَيْهِ

“Actions are based on intentions and each person will be rewarded according to what he intended. So, whoever’s migration was for Allah and His Messenger, his migration was for Allah and His Messenger. But whoever’s migration was for a worldly gain or for a woman he wishes to marry, his migration is for whatever he migrated for.”

Bukhāri, no. 1, Muslim, no. 1907

So, a person who withheld from food and drinks from the onset of true dawn (Fajr) till sunset (Maghrib), but did not intend to fast that day is not considered to be fasting according to the Sharī’ah, and he will not be rewarded for it, even though he withheld from eating and drinking.

Likewise, can be said for the person who withholds from food and drink for the purpose of losing weight without intending to fast religiously. However, the one who fasts for the sake of Allah as an act of worship, and also hopes to lose weight as a consequence and to improve their health, then such a person has fasted correctly and is rewarded for their fast.