Book of Fasting
Fasting (al-siyam) in the language means abstinence. It is said: "The day has fasted" (sama al-nahar) when the movement of the sun stops. Allah the Almighty said, informing us about Maryam: "Indeed, I have vowed a fast (sawman) to the Most Merciful" (1), meaning silence (2); because it is an abstinence from speech. A poet (3) said:
Horses that are fasting and horses that are not fasting Under the dust, and others that are chewing their bits
He means by "fasting": those that abstain from neighing. Fasting in the Sacred Law (Shar') is an expression for abstaining from specific things, at a specific time, the explanation of which will come, if Allah the Almighty wills. Fasting in Ramadan is obligatory, and the basis for its obligation is the Book (Quran), the Sunnah, and consensus (Ijma'). As for the Book, it is the saying of Allah the Almighty: "O you who have believed, fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you" up to His saying: "So whoever among you witnesses the month, let him fast it" (4). As for the Sunnah, it is the saying of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace): "Islam is built upon five." He mentioned fasting Ramadan among them. From Talha ibn 'Ubayd Allah, a bedouin (5) came to the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) with disheveled hair and said: "O Messenger of Allah, inform me what Allah has obligated upon me regarding fasting?" He said: "The month of Ramadan." He said: "Is there any other upon me?" He said: "No, unless you perform something voluntarily." He said: "Then inform me what Allah has obligated upon me regarding Zakat?" The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) then informed him of the laws
(1) Surah Maryam 26. (2) In (M): "samtaha" (its silence). (3) He is al-Nabigha al-Dhubyani. His Diwan (edited by Ibn al-Sikkit) 212. (4) Surah al-Baqarah 183-185. (5) In (M): "a man".
كتابُ الصِّيامِ
الصِّيَامُ في اللُّغَةِ: الإِمْسَاكُ، يُقالُ: صَامَ النَّهَارُ. إذا وَقَفَ سَيْرُ الشَّمْسِ. قال اللهُ تعالى إخْبَارًا عن مَرْيَم: {إِنِّي نَذَرْتُ لِلرَّحْمَنِ صَوْمًا} (١). أى صَمْتًا (٢)؛ لأنَّه إمْسَاكٌ عن الكلامِ، وقال الشاعر (٣):
خَيْلٌ صِيَامٌ وخَيْلٌ غيرُ صَائِمَةٍ ... تَحْتَ العَجَاجِ وأُخْرَى تَعْلُكُ اللُّجُمَا
يَعْنِى بالصَّائِمَةِ: المُمْسِكَةَ عن الصَّهِيلِ. والصَّوْمُ في الشَّرْعِ: عِبارَةٌ عن الإِمْساكِ عن أشْياءَ مَخْصُوصَةٍ، في وَقْتٍ مَخْصُوصٍ، يَأْتِى بَيَانُه إن شاءَ اللهُ تعالى. وصَوْمُ رَمَضَانَ وَاجِبٌ، والأصْلُ في وُجُوبِه الكِتابُ، والسُّنَّةُ، والإِجْماعُ؛ أمَّا الكِتابُ فقَوْلُ اللهِ تعالى: {يَاأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ} إلى قولِه: {فَمَنْ شَهِدَ مِنْكُمُ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ} (٤). وأمَّا السُّنَّةُ، فقَوْلُ النَّبِيِّ -صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ-: "بُنِىَ الإِسْلَامُ على خَمْسٍ". ذَكَرَ منها صَوْمَ رمضانَ، وعن طَلْحَةَ بن عُبَيْدِ اللهِ، أنَّ أعْرابِيًّا (٥) جاءَ إلى النَّبِىِّ -صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ- ثائِرَ الرَّأْسِ، فقال: يا رسولَ اللهِ أخْبِرْنِى ماذا فَرَضَ اللهُ عَلَىَّ من الصِّيَامِ؟ قال: "شَهْرَ رمضانَ". قال: هل عَلَىَّ غَيْرُه؟ قال: "لَا، إلَّا أنْ تَطَوَّعَ شَيْئًا". قال: فأخْبِرْنِى ماذا فَرَضَ اللَّه عَلَىَّ من الزَّكَاةِ؟ فأخْبَرَهُ رسولُ اللهِ -صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ- بِشَرَائِع
(١) سورة مريم ٢٦.(٢) في م: "صمتها".(٣) هو النابغة الذبيانى. ديوانه (صنعة ابن السكيت) ٢١٢.(٤) سورة البقرة ١٨٣ - ١٨٥.(٥) في م: "رجلا".
