Fast all Ramadan or just few days therein?
Email with question:
Salam, we read in 2:183 that fasting is decreed on us, then in 2:184 we are told that it is for a few days only (Ayyaman Ma’doodath). Does this mean we do not have to fast the whole month of Ramadan but only few days? Otherwise, why would such a long range (29 or 30 days) be referred to as ‘few days’? thank you.
Reply:
1- First, a month is made up of days, so it is no problem to speak of a month as “a month” or of “days”. Consider the following example:
A man was married 30 years to the woman he loved, then after 30 years she dies. One day he is talking to a friend of his and he says:
“We were so much in love, I spent the best days of my life with her”
Now this man has spent 30 years with his wife till she died, but he speaks of the 30 years as “days”! Does this mean that this man did not spend years with his wife but only days?
The rule is that we can speak of a month (or a year) by saying “month” (or “year”) but we can also speak of a month by using the components of the month which are “days” or speak of a year by using the components of a year which are “month”.
2- Now let me return to your question:
<<<why would such a long range (29 or 30 days) be referred to as ‘few days’?>>>>
Let me ask you: which is longer, one month or eternity?
I am sure you will agree that eternity is much longer than one month.
However, we read in the Quran how God speaks of eternity with the word “day”:
.
“Enter it (heaven) in peace; this is the Day of Eternity.” 50:34
If God speaks of eternity by using the word “day” should we really reject the fact that God is speaking about the month of Ramadan by using the word “days”?
3- But more important, when we examine 2:185 we have clear indication that God commands us to fast the whole month of Ramadan and not just few days in it.
For this we must use the literal translation of 2:185 which is:
“Ramadan is the month during which the Quran was revealed, providing guidance for the people, clear teachings, and the statute book. Those of you who witness this month “fal’yasom’hu” (shall fast it)” ….
the key word here is “fal’yasom’hu “, this word is made up of 3 Arabic words joined and they are:
fal = and so they shall
yasum = fast
hu = it
The word “hu” (which means it) refers to the month of Ramadan.
In other words, God is commanding us to fast the month of Ramadan.
I am aware that some translations of 2:185 used the word “therein” (i.e. they shall fast therein), but this translation is not accurate. The translation of “therein” would indeed give the mistaken meaning of (they shall fast therein, or some days within the month only).
This translation would have been correct if the Arabic words were: “fal yasumu fihi” …. the word fihi means : in it, or therein.
But the Arabic words are : “fal yasum hu” … and “hu” means it and not in it.
Thus the command in 2:185 is: “they shall fast it (Ramadan).”
If God is commanding us to fast the month of Ramadan, this obviously means the whole month and not only part of it.