The Salaf In Ramadaan

The Salaf In Ramadaan

The first generation of Muslims, the pious Salaf, were undoubtedly the best of generations. Their character and way of life stand witness to this fact and is further confirmed by the statement of Allaah's Messenger, :



'The best of generations are my generation, then those which follow them, then those which follow them.' (Reported by Muslim)



They were indeed, the best amongst those who implemented the teachings of our beloved Prophet Muhammad. So naturally it is their example that one must follow in all matters and Ramadaan is no exception. The Salaf were frugal with their own iftaar meals but generous hosts towards others.



'Abdullaah ibn 'Umar, for example, would prefer to eat his iftaar meal with the poor. Whenever he broke his fast at home, he never ate his fill, so that if a needy person visited, 'Abdullaah could give him his iftaar meal. Thus he would end up virtually "fasting" that whole night too! He used to give away sweets in charity saying, 'I am aware of Allaah's saying; "you shall not attain piety until you spend out of that which is beloved to you" [Ali 'Imraan: 92] and Allaah knows that I love sweets.'



Once when Al-Imaam Ahmad had prepared some bread for iftaar, a needy person called on him. Without hesitating he gave away all his bread, and went hungry.Ibn-ul Mubaarak used to prepare sweets for his brothers, despite the fact that he was fasting.



Al-Imaam Ash-Shaafi'ee, once said, 'It is beloved to me to see one increasing his acts of generosity during the month of Ramadaan, following the example of Allaah's Messenger, and for one's own good. There are many who become over-occupied with fasting and Prayers, forgetting the other benefits of the month of Ramadaan [i.e. forgetting about the benefits and rewards for being generous towards others].' (Lataa'if-ul Maaarif)



The Prophet, said, 'The best of deeds is that of keeping your believing brother happy, or that of paying off a debt of his, or that of feeding him.' (Ad-daylamee, 1/1/123, AsSilsilah As-Saheehah/Al-Albaanee, 1494) The most beloved of people to Allaah are those who are of most benefit [to others]. The most of beloved actions to Allaah, 'azza wa jalla, is when you make another Muslim happy, removing a hardship that has befallen him, paying off a debt of his or rid him of hunger. It is more beloved to me indeed that I walk with my Muslim brother to see to a need of his than performing i'tikaaf (secluding oneself) in a Masjid for a monthâ?¦' (At-Tabaraanee/Al-kabeer, 3/209/2, As-Silsilah As-Saheehah, 906) 'The best of people is the one who is of most benefit to them' (As-Silsilah As-Saheehah, 426) 'The likeness [i.e. in terms of rewards] of the one who comes to [the aid of] a widow and [the aid of] a destitute is like that of a mujaahid (striver) in the cause of Allaah or that of someone who spends the night in prayers and the day in fasting. (Al-Mishkaat, 4951) 'Abdullaah ibn 'Amro ibn Al 'Aas, narrated that a man once asked Allaah's Messenger, , 'Which is the best [of actions] in Islaam?' He [] replied, 'Feeding [others] and extending the Salaam to those who you know and those you do not.' (At-Targeeb - Saheeh) The Prophet, also said, 'Once there was a dog wondering around, dying of thirst, when a prostitute saw it. She then took off her shoe and used it to give the dog water [out of a well]. She was granted forgiveness [i.e. for her sins for being a prostitute, when she repented].' (Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim)



If this huge reward was granted to a woman because of kindness to a dog, even though she was involved in major sin, can we imagine the rewards for kindness to an obedient, fasting Muslim?! Our Prophet, told us, 'Allaah, ta'aala, has singled out certain people with abundance for the benefit of His other servants and He shall let it run [i.e. their wealth] as long as they are persistent [in benefiting others with it]. If they cease to do so then He shall take it away from them and redirect it to others.' (At-Tabaraanee/Al-Awsat, 5295,As-Silsilah As-Saheehah, 1692).



We should be most active in spending our wealth to help those less fortunate.This Ramadaan, let us remember too, the saying of 'Ubaid Ibn 'Umair, rahimahu Allaah, 'On the Day of Judgement people will be gathered as hungry as they have ever been and as thirsty as they have ever been and as naked as they have ever been. Then, he who has fed [others] for the sake of Allaah, 'azza wajalla,Allaah will feed him till he is full. He who has given to water to others, for the sake of Allaah, 'azza wajalla, Allaah will give him water and he who has clothed others for the sake of Allaah, 'azza wajalla, Allaah will clothe him.'



Ash-Sha'bee, once said, 'He who does not consider himself in greater need of the reward for giving sadaqah,as compared to the need of the destitute for that sadaqah, will have corrupted his act of charity and have it flung in his face [on the Day of Judgement].'



Brothers and sisters! We shouldn't shy away from performing even the smallest of good deeds, for Allaah the Most Merciful's rewards can be greater than Mount Uhud in size! Let us not forget that, 'The Messenger of Allaah, was the most generous of people and he used to be most generous in Ramadaan'(Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim)

The next time we come across a call to help our needy fellow Muslims, let us respond with vigour and joy! Maybe this act could be the one through which Allaah bestows His pardon and everlasting bliss!

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Reaping the opportunities in Ramadan

In the name of Allah, the source of Mercy, the Mercy-giving
Reaping the opportunities in Ramadan

The Prophet's (may Allah send His blessing and peace upon him) companions used to say, "Let not the day that you fast and the day that you do not fast be equal." It is important that one's behaviour, attitude and outlook should not be the same on the day that one is fasting and when one is not fasting. There should be a change, as one is trying to worship Allah more, so one's fasting should have an effect.
Lesson 1: Gaining taqwa (fear of Allah)

Allah legislated fasting for gaining taqwa, "O you who believe fasting has been prescribed upon you as it has been prescribed upon those before you, so that you may attain taqwa." (meaning of Sooratul Baqarah (2):138) Tawqa in this case means, to make a shield between oneself and Allah's anger and hellfire. So we should ask ourselves, when we break our fasts, 'Has this fasting day made us fear Allah more ? Has it resulted that we want to protect ourselves from the hellfire ?'

Lesson 2: Drawing us closer to Allah

This is achieved by reciting and reflecting on Al-Qur'an during the night and the day, attending the taraweh prayers, remembering Allah, sitting in circles of knowledge and for those who can, making umrah. The Prophet (may Allah send His blessing and peace upon him) said,"An umrah in the month of Ramadan is equal (in reward) to performing a hajj." (Ahmad & Ibn Majah). Also for those who can, making itikaf (seclusion) in the last ten days of Ramadan, so to leave all worldly pursuits and seclude oneself in a masjid just thinking of Allah, this brings us closer to Allah. When one sins, one feels distant from Allah. That is why one might find it hard to read and reflect on the Qur'an and come to the masjid. However, the obedient worshipper feels closer to Allah and wants to worship Allah more, because Allah forgives and is merciful.

Lesson 3: Acquiring patience and strong will

Allah has mentioned patience more than seventy times in the Qur'an and has commanded patience in more than sixteen ways in His Book. So when one fasts, and gives up one's food and drink, and one's marital sexual relations for those hours, one learns restraint and patience. This ummah needs men and women that are strong willed, who can stand upon the Sunnah and the Book of Allah and not waver in front of the enemies of Allah. We do not need emotional people, who raise slogans and shout, but when the time comes to stand upon something firm, they cannot do so, they waver.

Lesson 4: Striving for ihsan (righteousness & sincerity) and staying away from riyaa’ (showing off)

Ihsan means to worship Allah as if one sees Him, for if one does not see Him, He sees all. Hasan al-basri said,"By Allah in the last twenty years, I have not said a word or taken something with my hand or refrained to take something with my hand or stepped forward or stepped back, except that I have thought before I have done any action,'Does Allah love this action ? Is Allah pleased with this action ?' " So when one is fasting, one should gain this quality of watching oneself and also staying away from riyah (showing off). That is why Allah said in a qudsi hadith, "..Fasting is for Me and I will reward it.." (Bukhari) Allah singles out fasting from all other types of worship saying, "..Fasting is for Me..", because no one knows whether you are fasting or not, except Allah. For example, when one is praying or giving charity or making tawwaf, one can be seen by the people, so one might do the action seeking the praise of the people. Sufian at-thawri used to spend the nights and the days crying and the people used to ask him, "Why do you cry, is it due to the fear of Allah ?", he said,'No.', they said,"Is it due to the fear of the hell-fire ?", he said, 'No. It is not the fear of Allah that makes me cry, what makes me cry is that I have been worshipping Allah all these years and doing scholarly teaching, but I am not certain that my intentions are purely for Allah.'

Lesson 5: Refinement of manners, especially those related to truthfulness and discharging trusts.

The Prophet (may Allah send His blessing and peace upon him) said,"Whoever does not abandon falsehood in word and action, then Allah, the Mighty and the Majestic has no need that he should leave his food and drink." (Bukhari) And the Prophet (may Allah send His blessing and peace upon him) said,"It may be that a fasting person attains nothing but hunger and thirst from his fast." (Ibn Majah) What we learn from this, is that we must pay attention to the purification of our manners. The Prophet (may Allah send His blessing and peace upon him) said,"I was sent to perfect good manners." (Muwatta) So we must check ourselves, are we following the behaviour of the Prophet (may Allah send His blessing and peace upon him). For example, Do we give salam to those we don't know and those we do know? Do we follow the manners of Islam, by telling the truth and only telling the truth? Are we merciful to the creation?

Lesson 6: Recognising that one can change for the better

The Prophet (may Allah send His blessing and peace upon him) said,"Every son of Adam sins and the best of the sinners are those who repent." (Ibn Majah) Allah provides many opportunities to repent to Him and seek His forgiveness. If one was disobedient they can become obedient.

Lesson 7: Being more charitable

Ibn Abbas said,"The Prophet (may Allah send His blessing and peace upon him) was the most charitable amongst the people, and he used to be more so in the month of Ramadan when Gibreel used to meet him on every night of Ramadan till the end of the month. The Prophet (may Allah send His blessing and peace upon him) used to recite the Holy Qur'an to Gibreel." (Bukhari) The Prophet (may Allah send His blessing and peace upon him) said, "He who gives food for a fasting person to break his fast, he will receive the same reward as him, without nothing being reduced from the fasting person's reward." (Tirmidhi )

Lesson 8: Sensing the unity of the Muslims

The Prophet (may Allah send His blessing and peace upon him) said, "...Those of you who will live after me, will see many differences. Then you must cling on to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly guided khalifah. Hold fast to it and stick to it.." (Abu Dawud) It is possible for Muslims to be a single body, but this will only be achieved when obedience is only to Allah and His Messenger. One senses unity, because the Muslims pray and fast together.

Lesson 9: Learning discipline

The Prophet (may Allah send His blessing and peace upon him) said, "Bilal makes the adhan, while it is still night; therefore, eat and drink until Ibn Umm Maktum makes the adhan." (Bukhari) The Prophet (may Allah send His blessing and peace upon him) made us adhere to this strictness. Similarly one cannot knowingly break the fast before the sunset, as this will not be accepted by Allah. Muslims should learn to be very strict in their lives, because they are people of an important message, which they mould their lives around.

Lesson 10: Teaching the young to worship Allah

It was the practice of the people of Madinah, that during the fast of Ashura (which is now a recommended fast of one day) to get their children to fast with them. When the children would cry of hunger and thirst, their parents would distract their attention by giving them some sort of toy to play with. The children would break their fast with their parents. (mentioned in Bukhari) So the young should be brought to the masjid and they should pray with their parents, so that they are able to get into the habit of becoming worshippers of Allah. If one does not encourage children to fast when they are young, they will find it very difficult to fast for thirty days at the age of puberty. This is why the Prophet (may Allah send His blessing and peace upon him) said, "Command your children to pray at the age of seven and beat them at the age of ten (if they do not pray)" (Hakim)

Lesson 11: Caring for one's health

Fasting teaches Muslims to take care of their health and to build strong bodies. The Prophet (may Allah send his blessing and peace upon him) said,"A strong believer is better and is more beloved to Allah than a weak believer, and there is good in everyone." (Muslim)

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The Meaning of Ramadan

Fasting during Ramadan was ordained during the second year of Hijrah. Why not earlier? In Makkah the economic conditions of the Muslims were bad. They were being persecuted. Often days would go by before they had anything to eat. It is easy to skip meals if you don?t have any. Obviously fasting would have been easier under the circumstances. So why not then?

The answer may be that Ramadan is not only about skipping meals. While fasting is an integral and paramount part of it, Ramadan offers a comprehensive program for our spiritual overhaul. The entire program required the peace and security that was offered by Madinah.

Yes, Ramadan is the most important month of the year. It is the month that the believers await with eagerness. At the beginning of Rajab --- two full months before Ramadan --- the Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, used to supplicate thus: "O Allah! Bless us during Rajab and Sha?ban, and let us reach Ramadan (in good health)."

During Ramadan the believers get busy seeking Allah?s mercy, forgiveness, and protection from Hellfire. This is the month for renewing our commitment and re-establishing our relationship with our Creator. It is the spring season for goodness and virtues when righteousness blossoms throughout the Muslim communities. "If we combine all the blessings of the other eleven months, they would not add up to the blessings of Ramadan," said the great scholar and reformer Shaikh Ahmed Farooqi (Mujaddad Alif Thani). It offers every Muslim an opportunity to strengthen his Iman, purify his heart and soul, and to remove the evil effects of the sins committed by him.

"Anyone who fasts during this month with purity of belief and with expectation of a good reward (from his Creator), will have his previous sins forgiven," said Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam. "Anyone who stands in prayers during its nights with purity of belief and expectation of a reward, will have his previous sins forgiven." As other ahadith tell us, the rewards for good deeds are multiplied manifold during Ramadan.

Along with the possibility of a great reward, there is the risk of a terrible loss. If we let any other month pass by carelessly, we just lost a month. If we do the same during Ramadan, we have lost everything. The person who misses just one day?s fast without a legitimate reason, cannot really make up for it even if he were to fast everyday for the rest of his life. And of the three persons that Prophet, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam cursed, one is the unfortunate Muslim who finds Ramadan in good health but does not use the opportunity to seek Allah?s mercy.

One who does not fast is obviously in this category, but so also is the person who fasts and prays but makes no effort to stay away from sins or attain purity of the heart through the numerous opportunities offered by Ramadan. The Prophet, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, warned us: "There are those who get nothing from their fast but hunger and thirst. There are those who get nothing from their nightly prayers but loss of sleep."

Those who understood this, for them Ramadan was indeed a very special month. In addition to fasting, mandatory Salat, and extra Travih Salat, they spent the whole month in acts of worship like voluntary Salat, Tilawa (recitation of Qur?an), Dhikr etc. After mentioning that this has been the tradition of the pious people of this Ummah throughout the centuries, Abul Hasan Ali Nadvi notes: " I have seen with my own eyes such ulema and mashaikh who used to finish recitation of the entire Qur?an everyday during Ramadan. They spent almost the entire night in prayers. They used to eat so little that one wondered how they could endure all this. These greats valued every moment of Ramadan and would not waste any of it in any other pursuit?Watching them made one believe the astounding stories of Ibada and devotion of our elders recorded by history."

This emphasis on these acts of worship may sound strange --- even misplaced --- to some. It requires some explanation. We know that the term Ibada (worship and obedience) in Islam applies not only to the formal acts of worship and devotion like Salat , Tilawa, and Dhikr, but it also applies to worldly acts when performed in obedience to Shariah and with the intention of pleasing Allah. Thus a believer going to work is performing Ibada when he seeks Halal income to discharge his responsibility as a bread-winner for the family. However a distinction must be made between the two. The first category consists of direct Ibada, acts that are required for their own sake. The second category consists of indirect Ibada --- worldly acts that become Ibada through proper intention and observation of Shariah. While the second category is important for it extends the idea of Ibada to our entire life, there is also a danger because by their very nature these acts can camouflage other motives. (Is my going to work really Ibada or am I actually in the rat race?). Here the direct Ibada comes to the rescue. Through them we can purify our motives, and re-establish our relationship with Allah.

Islam does not approve of monasticism. It does not ask us to permanently isolate ourselves from this world, since our test is in living here according to the Commands of our Creator. But it does ask us to take periodic breaks from it. The mandatory Salat (five daily prayers) is one example. For a few minutes every so many hours throughout the day, we leave the affairs of this world and appear before Allah to remind ourselves that none but He is worthy of worship and of our unfaltering obedience. Ramadan takes this to the next higher plane, providing intense training for a whole month.

This spirit is captured in I?tikaf, a unique Ibada associated with Ramadan, in which a person gives up all his normal activities and enters a mosque for a specific period. There is great merit in it and every Muslim community is encouraged to provide at least one person who will perform I?tikaf for the last ten days of Ramadan. But even those who cannot spare ten days are encouraged to spend as much time in the mosque as possible.

Through direct Ibada we "charge our batteries"; the indirect ones allow us to use the power so accumulated in driving the vehicle of our life. Ramadan is the month for rebuilding our spiritual strength. How much we benefit from it is up to us.

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Ramadan: The Month of Mercy to Muslims

Mercy is a favour from Allah which He places in the hearts of whomsoever He wills. Verily, Allah will have mercy on His servants who are merciful. Allah is the Most Compassionate the Most Merciful. He loves the merciful and calls to mercy. He orders His servants to enjoin patience and mercy. A person may lack mercy for any number of reasons, among them, an abundance of sins and disobedience. They stain their hearts so much so that they ultimately blind them until their hearts become harder than stones. Allah says of the Children of Israel: 'And yet, after all this, your hearts hardened and became like rocks, or even harder' (2:74).

Allah also says about them when they opposed and rebelled against the divine law: 'Then, for having broken their solemn pledge, We rejected them and caused their hearts to harden' (5:13).

Among the things that cause a loss of mercy is arrogance with wealth and pride with riches. Allah says: 'Nay, verily, man becomes grossly overweening whenever he believes himself to be self-sufficient' (96:6-7).

The day the heart is disciplined with faith and good deeds it fills with mercy and kindness.

Another reason for the weakness of mercy is an abundance of gluttony and saturation. They give rise to contempt and recklessness. Hence the month of fasting was prescribed to crush this unruliness and ill discipline. The fasting person is naturally among the most merciful people. That is because he has tasted hunger, experienced thirst and endured hardship. His soul is, therefore, enveloped with mercy, care and gentleness for Muslims.

Mercy is something which every Muslim is required to render to his brother Muslim. It is a requirement from every responsible custodian toward those under his care. He should feel sorry for them and be lenient toward them. Prophet Muhammad sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam said: 'O Allah! Whoever was entrusted with authority over any affair of the Muslims and made it difficult for them, please make it difficult for him. And whoever was entrusted over any affair of the Muslims and was kind toward them, then be kind toward him.'

In a related hadith Allah's Messenger also said: 'Whoever oversees an affair for my nation and disappeared or abandoned them without fulfilling their needs while impoverishing them, Allah will debar him from his needs and impoverish him on the Day of Judgement.'

Mercy demands that the scholar and teacher should be gentle toward his students and lead them to the easiest and best ways to love him and benefit from his teachings. If he does this Allah will decree for him the most excellent and abounding reward. Listen to the manner in which Allah praises His Prophet sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam : 'And it was by God's grace that thou [O Prophet] didst deal gently with thy followers: for if thou hadst been harsh and hard of heart, they would indeed have broken away from thee' (3:159).

Mercy further requires from the imam that he should not make worship difficult for his followers or cause them harm. On the contrary, he should be merciful, kind and wise. The Prophet sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam said: 'Whoever from you leads the people in prayer must make it easy because among them are the old, the sick, the young and the needy.' It was narrated that when Mu'adh once extended the prayer the Prophet sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam said to him: 'Are you a troublemaker O Mu'adh? Are you a troublemaker O Mu'adh? Are you a troublemaker O Mu'adh?'

In the same manner, when Uthman ibn Abi al As al Thaqafi requested: 'O Messenger of Allah, make me an imam of my people.' The Prophet sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam said: 'You are their imam so lead the prayer according to the weakest of them and take a caller to prayer who would seek no payment for doing so.'

Mercy dictates that the one who calls to Islam must advise
those whom he is inviting with tenderness. That he should, moreover, clarify issues to them with concern. He should not hurt, defame people or even revile the disobedient in public. Allah advised Moses and Aaron to employ the following methods in their call to the tyrant Pharaoh: 'But speak unto him in a mild manner, so that he might bethink himself or [at least] be filled with apprehension' (20:44).

He also says: 'Call thou [all mankind] unto thy Sustainer's path with wisdom and goodly exhortation, and argue with them in the most kindly manner' (16:125).

The eminent jurist and Islamic scholar, Imam al Shafe'e wrote:

Support me with your advice in private, and avoid advising me in public.

Surely giving advice among the people is a kind of reproach, which I would rather not listen to.

If you disobey and ignore my wish, don't be saddened if you are not obeyed.

Mercy is required from a father to his children. This matter was previously discussed in the lesson (No. 18) on how we train our children. The mercy of the father or mother toward her children has the greatest effect on their integrity, well-being and obedience. Self-praise and harshness only open the door to despair. The Prophet sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam said: 'Kindness was never bestowed upon something except that it beautified it, and it was never removed from that thing except that it made it ugly.'

O you who fast and cause hunger to your stomach, there are thousands of stomachs more awaiting a meal. Will there not arise from among you those who would feed them? O you who fast and cause thirst to your liver, there are thousands more who await a mouthful of water. Will there not arise from among you those who would quench their thirst? O you who fast and wear the finest garments, there are naked people out there awaiting only a piece of cloth to cover their bodies. Will there not then come forth from among you those who would clothe them?

O Allah! We implore your extended mercy that will forgive our sins and erase our misdeeds and errors.

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Excellence of fasting in Ramadan

* Forgiveness of sins

THE Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) urged that one fasts in Ramadan,
explaining its excellence and high station, such that if the fasting
person had sins as many as the foam upon the sea, then they would be
forgiven for him through this pure and blessed act of worship. From Abu
Hurairah, radiyallaahu anhu, from the Prophet who said: He who fasts
Ramadan, due to eemaan and hoping for reward (from Allah) then his
previous sins are forgiven.

From Abu Hurairah, radiyallaahu anhu, that the Prophet climbed upon the
mimbar (pulpit) and said: Aameen [O Allah grant it], aameen, aameen. So it
was said, O Messenger of Allah, you climbed upon the mimbar and said,
aameen, aameen, aameen? So he said: Indeed Jibraaeel, alayhis salaam, came
to me and said, Whoever reaches the month of Ramadan and does not have
[his sins] forgiven and so enters the Fire, then may Allah distance him,
say aameen So I said: aameen ...

* That supplication (duaa) is answered and freedom from the Fire is
granted

He (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) said: There are in the month of Ramadan
in every day and night those to whom Allah grants freedom from the Fire,
and there is for every Muslim a supplication which he can make and will be
granted .

* He will be amongst the true followers of the prophets and the martyrs

From Amr ibn Murrah al-Juhanee, radiyallaahu anhu, who said: A man came to
the Prophet and said: O Messenger of Allah what if I testify that none has
the right to be worshipped but Allah and that you are the Messenger of
Allah, and I observe the five daily prayers, and I pay the Zakat, and I
fast and stand in prayer in Ramadan, then amongst whom shall I be? He
said: Amongst the true followers of the prophets and the martyrs.

* Warning Against Failing to Fast in Ramadan

Abu Umaamah al-Baahilee, radiyallaahu anhu, said: I heard Allahs Messenger
say: Whilst I was sleeping two men came to me and took hold of my arms and
brought me to a steep mountain and said: climb so I said: I am not able
to. So they said: We will make it easy for you. So I climbed until came to
the summit of the mountain where I heard terrible cries, so I said: what
are these cries? They said: That is the howling of the people of the Fire.
Then they took me further on until came to a people who were strung up by
their hamstrings, with their jawbones torn and flowing with blood, so I
said: who are these. He said: Those who break their fast before the time
at which they may do so.

As for what is reported that the Prophet said: He who deliberately fails
to fast a day of Ramadan even if he were to fast forever it would not
make up for it.

[This hadith is weak (daeef), not authentic.]

* The Intention (An-Niyyah)

The obligation to have intention for the obligatory fast before the
appearance of the true dawn

When it is confirmed that the month of Ramadan has commenced, then it is
obligatory upon every Muslim upon whom the Shariah rulings are binding to
intend to fast until the night, as the Prophet said: He who does not
resolve to fast before it is Fajr, then there is no fast for him.

He also said: He who does not intend during the night to fast, then there
is no fast for him.

The place for the intention is the heart, to pronounce it upon the tongue
is an innovation (bidah) and misguidance - even if the people think it to
be good. The necessity of having intention from the night is particular to
obligatory fasts since the Messenger used to come to Aaisha, radiyallaahu
anhaa, at times other than Ramadan and say, Do you have any food? If not,
then I am fasting.

The like of this is reported from the practice of the Companion:
Abud-Dardaa, Abu Talhah, Abu Hurairah, Ibn Abbaas and Hudaifah ibn
al-Yamaan, radiyallaahu anhum, and may Allah raise us up amongst them
beneath the flag of the nobles of the children of Aadam.

So this refers to the optional fast and shows that the obligation of
having intention before the appearance of the true drawn is for the
obligatory fast - and Allah the Most High knows best.

TIME FOR BEGINNING AND ENDING THE FAST

When the Companions of the unlettered Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhe
wa sallam) fasted and the time for breaking the fast came, then they would
eat, drink and cohabit with their wives as long as they didnt fall asleep.
If one of them fell asleep before eating the evening meal then it was not
permissible to do any of that until the next evening. Then the Mercy of
their Lord, the All-Powerful, the Bestower, enveloped them and allowance
was made for them, and they were overjoyed this is explained in the
following hadith:

From al-Baraa, radiyallaahu anhu, who said: When the companions of the
Prophet fasted and it became time to break the fast, if one of them slept
before eating, then he would not eat that night, nor the next day until
evening. Once Qays ibn Sirmah al-Ansaaree was fasting, so when it was time
to break the fast he came to his wife and said to her, Do you have any
food? She said: No, but I will go and seek some for you. He used to work
during the day so sleep overtook him, then his wife came and when she saw
him she said, You have missed it. Then in the middle of the next day he
fainted, and that was mentioned to the Prophet, so this Aayah was sent
down (which means):

It is made lawful for you to have sexual relations with your wives on the
night of the fasts.

So they were overjoyed, and,

And eat and drink until the white thread (light) of dawn appears to you
distinct from the black thread (darkness of night).

was also sent down.

This is the cherishing mercy which the Most Kind and Most Merciful gives
abundantly to His humble servants who say: We hear and we obey, we ask for
Your forgiveness our Lord, and to you we return.

The fast has a specified time - with specified beginning and end and is
from the appearance of Fajr until the daytime ends, the night begins and
the suns disc is hidden by the horizon.

* The white thread and the black thread

When the aforementioned Aayah was sent down, some of the Companions of the
Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) took black camel tethers and white
ones and placed them beneath their pillows, or (one) tied them to his foot
and would continue eating and drinking until he could distinguish them.

From Adiyy ibn Haatim, radiyallaahu anhu, who said: When,

Until the white thread appears to you distinct from the black thread.

was sent down I took a black and a white camel tether and placed them
beneath my pillow, and during the night I would look to see but they didnt
appear any different to each other, so in the morning I went to the
Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) and informed him, so he said: Rather
it is the blackness of night and the whiteness of dawn.

[Reported by al-Bukhaaree (4/113) and Muslim (no 1090). The narration
apparently shows that Adiyy was present when this Aayah was sent down,
which means that he was a Muslim at the time. However, this is not the
case, since fasting was made obligatory in the second year after the
Hijrah, and Adiyy accepted Islam in the ninth or tenth year as occurs in
al-Isaabah (2/468). So either we say that the Aayah was sent down very
much later on and this is very unlikely, or that explain the saying of
Adiyy: When it was sent down, to mean When I accepted Islam and this Aayah
was recited to me. And this is what is correct due to the narration of
Ahmad in his Musnad (4/377): Allahs Messenger taught me the prayer and
fasting, he said: Pray such and such, and fast and when the sun sets then
eat and drink until the white thread is clear to you from the black
thread, and fast for 30 days unless you see the new moon before that so I
took two threads of wool, one black and one white ... (the hadith).
abridged from Fathul-Baaree (4/132-133).]

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