RAMADAN 1437: 1 – ON CHILDREN’S FASTING

Welcome to Ramadan, the blessed month of Allah. Until early July, in sha Allah, Muslims would be at their most pious. Whatever a Muslim’s faults (and don’t we all have them), there is the promise of the abundance of Allah’s ‘afwa’ and ‘rahma’ (forgiveness and mercy) during this month. Ramadan is a month of intense […]

Welcome to Ramadan, the blessed month of Allah. Until early July, in sha Allah, Muslims would be at their most pious. Whatever a Muslim’s faults (and don’t we all have them), there is the promise of the abundance of Allah’s ‘afwa’ and ‘rahma’ (forgiveness and mercy) during this month. Ramadan is a month of intense celebration of our culture and heritage which transcend borders. It is a heritage beyond any one nationality, any one nation. It is a symbol of Islam International.
The Prophet of Islam Muhammad, upon whom be peace, in a Hadith narrated by Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) and recorded by Bukhari (may Allah forgive him), has said: ‘Whoever observes fasts during the month of Ramadan out of sincere faith, and hoping to attain Allah’s reward, then all his past sins will be forgiven.’ May Allah forgive our sins, amin!
This week, we shall discuss a topic many parents would be interested in – the fasting of children. There is this extensive exposition on this topic on islam21c.comwhere an alim Shaikh Abu Haneefah (an educationist and guide) discusses the issue from the perspective of children and parents living in the Western world. However, a significant portion of the thesis may useful for the general audience. (For the full article, go to. The following are excerpts:
Islam has a very different perspective on young people and their potential. The lives of the Companions are rich with examples of young people assuming great positions of leadership and achieving remarkable feats. The first male to accept Islam was a child: Ali accepted Islam at the tender age of ten and would accompany the Prophet (upon whom be peace) to pray in secret. His bravest act was when he took the place of the Prophet (upon whom be peace) in his bed during the night of the Hijrah knowing full well that a group of assassins were camped outside with their swords waiting to attack.
Usama bin Zayd was only 17 when, just after the demise of the Prophet (upon whom be peace) led an army of senior Companions to fight the Romans. He was victorious, becoming the first Muslim general to defeat the Romans and pave the way for the conquest of Syria and Egypt. Similarly also, we always recount the story of the Companions of the Cave who escaped persecution, seeking to preserve their religion. Allah described them as having Iman in Allah, and Allah increasing them in guidance; but their very first quality is that they were ‘youths’: …indeed they were youths who believed in their Lord, and We increased them in guidance. (Sura Kahf, The Cave, 13)
The role of a parent is a thankless task. The Qur’an has powerful verses exhorting children to be dutiful to their parents with rudeness to parents classified as a major sin, but there are relatively few verses exhorting parents to be dutiful to their children. One of the reasons for this may be that a parent needs no encouragement to be dutiful to their child – it is instinctive. The child however takes for granted the immense blessing of the parent and needs to be constantly reminded. The compensation is contained in what the Prophet (upon whom be peace) said: ‘When a son of Adam dies, his deeds cease apart from three: a righteous child who will pray for him, knowledge from which others may benefit after him, or on-going charity.
The stage of youth can be the most critical stage in a person’s life where habits and mind-sets are formed which endure for the rest of the person’s life. It is a stage of unlimited energy and ambition. It is the duty of Muslim parents to cultivate this potential and encourage it to grow and flourish. When a child reaches the age of puberty the Islamic injunctions become obligatory on them which include fasting in Ramaḍan. There is no better place to start the journey to adulthood than Ramaḍan and ensuring young people who have reached the age of puberty fulfil the commandment to fast every day without fail.
Fasting trains the young person to be cognisant of Allah and not to feel the need to display deeds in front of people. Parents need to pepper this Ramadan lesson with a healthy dose of realism. Many relationships between Muslim parents and their children are strained to breaking point by the unrealistically high expectations of their parents. Often their children become a vehicle for the lost ambitions of the parent who demands the child memorise the Qur’ān, excel in their academic studies and develop a refined character.
The order to fast in the Qur’an already has sufficient concessions to take account of the inherent difficulties in fasting for young people. The concession for the ill not to fast and make up the days after Ramaan covers the spectrum of situations where a child may not be able to fast through ill health or dehydration. Where there is a prospect of genuine harm to health on a particular day, the fast could be broken and made up later. That is why it is important that Muslim parents talk through this concession with their children, and children know their own limits. A tummy ache brought about by the pangs of hunger are expected, but a young person who is genuinely feeling ill to the extent of feeling faint or physically unwell needs to break their fast.
Of course the preparation for fasting Ramaḍan should begin months before its arrival. The Prophet (upon whom be peace) would fast Mondays and Thursdays and the three middle days of the month known as the ‘white days’, and would also fast consistently in Sha’ban, giving the ideal physical and spiritual conditioning needed for Ramadan. It can be too much of a shock to the system for a young person not to have fasted the entire year then dive into fasting thirty consecutive long hot summer days.
For a young person to cope with fasting and the feelings of hunger and thirst and the sense of isolation of not being able to sit with friends for lunch or breaks at school, the iftar (breaking the fast) and suhur (pre-dawn meal) times should be an enjoyable family experience. Suhur gives vital nutrition to the fasting person and is the distinguishing feature of fasting in Islam compared to other religions. For iftar especially, the whole family should participate in preparing food and laying the table so the child associates fasting with fond memories of quality time for the whole family spent together.
An effort should be made for home-cooked food with fresh ingredients; take-aways or eating out should be a treat, not the norm. Parents should visit the mosque regularly in Ramadan with their children so they feel the enthusiasm and high spirits in the community which rejuvenates their own intention. May Allah make it easy.
AND FAREWELL, MUHAMMAD ALI: A great man has passed. The Janaza of Muhammad Ali, student of AbdulMalik Shabazz (Malcolm X) my favourite African-American Muslim leader, took place yesterday. May Allah forgive Muhammad Ali and AbdulMalik Shabazz and us all.