Ramadan moon controversy

[amal 4]

This may sound strange but I want to thank you for being a donor! My son had an illness (aplastic anemia) about 4 years ago and had to have platelet transfusions every day, red blood cell transfusions about 5 times, and there were a couple others he had to have (i can't remember which kind they were). He was critical for a long time and it was generous people as yourself that helped to save his life.

A BIG BIG THANK YOU TO YOU .... If I could hug you, I would!

amal

Amal,

How is your son's health now? How old is he? I hope he is doing great.

Rebecca

He is doing well..He's 7 now and has been off of all of the medications for about 2 years. thank god!! He's definitely a very lucky (and special) little boy.

[UmmSqueakster 54]

Now what about pregnant women? Are they obligated to fast during Ramadan?

The general answer is no, but on occasion a woman will want to fast and at point she needs to consult with her doctor to make sure that she can do it safely. IfThe same goes for women who are nursing.

Do Pregnant and Nursing women have to fast?

The Prophet Muhammad (saws) said:

“Allah has lifted fasting and half the prayer from the traveller, and the fast from pregnant and nursing women.” [Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, and Nasa’i]

[iceyspots 0]

Fasting during Ramadan is a fard, a religious obligation. Giving blood/plasma is not. If you have to choose between fasting and giving blood, fasting during Ramadan will trump it.

As Bosco alluded to, the majority opinion held by the ulama is that women do not have to fast during "that time of month." So, schedule your donation during that time of month, or put it off until after Ramadan. The baraka for fasting is huuuuuuuuuge, and even if you make up the day after Ramadan, you'll never get that blessing back.

One shouldn't miss a day of fasting in Ramadan unless there is a compelling reason. One should check with what their madhab specifically says. This is a ruling from the hanafi madhab, and to the best of my knowledge, is the same among the 4 sunni madhabs.

PEOPLE EXEMPTED FROM FASTING IN RAMADAN

Sick people when their health is likely to be badly affected by fasting. (F: This needs to be established by reasonable surety of one’s actual or effective inability through manifest signs, relevant past experience, or the medical advice of a qualified and upright Muslim doctor.) They should make up the loss, a day for a day, when they recover after Ramadan.

A traveller (one who is undertaking a journey of more than 77 kms (48 miles) and does not intend staying more than 14 days at his destination). However, it is better for him to fast in Ramadan than to fast later, provided the journey is not a demanding one.

If it is feared that hunger or thirst will lead (F: during the fast) to death (F: or harm, by reasonable surety, as described above), it is permitted to break one’s fast.

It is necessary (wajib) to makeup of a nafl fast that was broken before completing it.

whoa whoa... never said that giving blood is a religious obligation. I do give regularly but every now and then they will call me up and say a specific person needs A- platelets (cancer patients most of the time).. I would donate during that time of the month if I could, but, when I lose blood my iron drops really low.. so cant give during that time of the month.. hmm.. Still thinking.

If I wanted to be really technical I could have considered myself exempt from ramadan all together because I have low blood sugar, but I dont want to use that as a cop-out.

This may sound strange but I want to thank you for being a donor! My son had an illness (aplastic anemia) about 4 years ago and had to have platelet transfusions every day, red blood cell transfusions about 5 times, and there were a couple others he had to have (i can't remember which kind they were). He was critical for a long time and it was generous people as yourself that helped to save his life.

A BIG BIG THANK YOU TO YOU .... If I could hug you, I would!

amal

*hugs* it doesnt sound strange... I am A- and there is a big shortage of A and B type platelet donors in our area. That's why I go as often as I can... since platelets regenerate in 3 days (max 24x per year) .. I gave one unit every 3 days for 12 days for one specific 8 year old girl who was undergoing chemotherapy.. we were a really compatible HLA match. Wish I could've met the girl but they keep that info anonymous

[amal 4]

This may sound strange but I want to thank you for being a donor! My son had an illness (aplastic anemia) about 4 years ago and had to have platelet transfusions every day, red blood cell transfusions about 5 times, and there were a couple others he had to have (i can't remember which kind they were). He was critical for a long time and it was generous people as yourself that helped to save his life.

A BIG BIG THANK YOU TO YOU .... If I could hug you, I would!

amal

*hugs* it doesnt sound strange... I am A- and there is a big shortage of A and B type platelet donors in our area. That's why I go as often as I can... since platelets regenerate in 3 days (max 24x per year) .. I gave one unit every 3 days for 12 days for one specific 8 year old girl who was undergoing chemotherapy.. we were a really compatible HLA match. Wish I could've met the girl but they keep that info anonymous

if in 2002 you gave emergency platelets to a 3yr old boy in missouri...it was probably my son..I believe he is an A....

Edited August 12, 2006 by amal

[iceyspots 0]

This may sound strange but I want to thank you for being a donor! My son had an illness (aplastic anemia) about 4 years ago and had to have platelet transfusions every day, red blood cell transfusions about 5 times, and there were a couple others he had to have (i can't remember which kind they were). He was critical for a long time and it was generous people as yourself that helped to save his life.

A BIG BIG THANK YOU TO YOU .... If I could hug you, I would!

amal

*hugs* it doesnt sound strange... I am A- and there is a big shortage of A and B type platelet donors in our area. That's why I go as often as I can... since platelets regenerate in 3 days (max 24x per year) .. I gave one unit every 3 days for 12 days for one specific 8 year old girl who was undergoing chemotherapy.. we were a really compatible HLA match. Wish I could've met the girl but they keep that info anonymous

if in 2002 you gave emergency platelets to a 3yr old boy in missouri...it was probably my son..I believe he is an A....

No... 2002 was just around the time I started giving platelets, and it wasn't in Missouri... But close enough hey lol

[StupidJourney 0]

Make up the day after Ramadan? Women normally have to make up a few days anyway....and it could work out that your donation time is the same as that time.

My husband went to donate blood... first time no problem. Second time he was told his Moroccan blood was no good for the United States

Wow -- if I may ask -- you dont have to answer -- What reason did they give him ?

Malaria... not that he has it but that Morocco is on their map as a country that has malaria. The first time, the woman looked up Morocco and said his city was exempt, but the second time around the woman it applied to all of Morocco.

That's pretty strange. As far as I knew, there was only one province in Morocco known to have Malaria (Khenifra, fyi). I was in this province in the Peace Corps and WASN'T required to take anti-malarial medication, leading me to believe that the threat was low.

Another question, around what time is Ramadan supposed to be starting this year? (month wise?) While I do not plan on fasting this year (but will when he gets here), I do want to give moral support, or something!

[~Jackie~ 30]

Sept 23 inshallah but we start when Jordan does.

Jackie

[iceyspots 0]

yup.. september 23rd... mark your calendars...

[Veiled Princess 1]

DETERMINING THE BEGINNING OF RAMADAAN

[Q]: Is it permissible to rely upon astronomical calculations in determining the start of Ramadhaan?

[A]: "The Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) ordered the Muslims saying:

"Do not fast until you see the new moon, and do not stop fasting until you see it, and if it is concealed by clouds them count out (the thirty days of Sha’baan ) for it. "[1]

And he (’alayhis-salaatu was-salaam) said:

"We are an illiterate nation that neither writes nor calculates (i.e. using astronomical calculations). The month is either like this, or this. Meaning: Sometimes it is of twenty nine days, and sometimes it is of thirty." [2]

And it is established in the Saheeh (no.1909) of al-Bukhaaree from Aboo Hurayrah (radiyallaahu ’anhu) that the Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi was sallam) said:

"Fast when it (the moon) is seen, and cease fasting when it is seen, so if is concealed by clouds then complete thirty days of Sha’baan. " And he (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) also said:

"Do not fast until you have seen the moon, and if it is concealed by clouds then complete thirty days. " [3]

There are plenty of ahaadeeth in this connection, and all of them point towards the obligation of actually sighting the moon, or if unable, then to complete the number of days in the absence of observing it. These narrations also point towards the impermisibility of using astronomical calculations in this regard. And Shaykhul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah has actually stated an ijmaa’ (consensus) from the People of Knowledge about the impermisibility of relying upon astronomical calculations in this regard – and this is the truth about which there is no doubt. [4] And with Allaah alone is the ability." [5]

Questions on Ramadan

I know most here don't trust the salafi scholars but for those who do...

[Veiled Princess 1]

Permissible Excuses for Breaking the Fast

Question:

What are the permissible excuses for breaking the fast?

Answer:

The permissible excuses for breaking the fast are: illness and travel, as mentioned in the Qur’aan. Among other excuses is that a women is pregnant and she fears for herself or her child. Another excuse is that a woman is breast-feeding and she fears for herself or her breast-fed child if she fasts. Another excuse is that a person needs to break his fast in order to save the life of someone. For example, he finds a drowning person in the sea, or someone who is surrounded on all sides by fire, and he needs to break his fast in order to save him – in that case, he may break his fast and save him. Another such case would be if a person needed to break his fast in order to strengthen himself for jihad in Allaah’s Cause, that would also be a permissible cause for him to break his fast, because the Prophet sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said to his Companions, may Allaah be pleased with them:

إنََكم مصبحو عدِّوكم، والفطر اقوى لكم فأَفطروا

“You will meet the enemy tomorrow morning, so breaking the fast will be stronger for you, so break your fast.” [1]

So, if there is a permissible excuse for breaking the fast, and a person breaks his fast due to it, it is not necessary for him to fast for the remainder of that day. Therefore, if it transpired that a person had broken his fast in order to save a person’s life, he should continue to eat and drink, even after saving him. This is because he broke his fast due to a reason that permits him to break his fast, so it is not necessary for him to fast in that case, because the prohibition of breaking fast on that day has been removed due to the permissible cause for breaking the fast.

For this reason, we support the most authoritative opinion in this matter, which is that if a sick person became well during the day and he was not fasting, it is not necessary for him to fast, and if a traveller arrived during the day at his hometown and he was not fasting, it is not necessary for him to fast and if a menstruating women became clean during the day, it is not necessary for her to fast. This is because all of these people broke their fasts for legitimate reasons, and so on that day, there was no obligation upon them to fast, due to the lawful permissible for breaking it at that time, so it is not necessary for them to fast.

This is as oppose to the case where it is confirmed that the month of Ramadan has begun during the day in that case, it is necessary to fast. The difference between the two cases is clear, because if the evidence appears (that Ramadan has begun) during the day, it has been confirmed that fasting on that day is obligatory for them, but they are excused for the time before the evidence became clear to them due to their ignorance of it. This is why, if they knew that this day was a day of Ramadan, it is obligatory for them to fast. But as for those other people whom we have described, it is permissible for them to break their fast, even though they are aware (that it is Ramadan) and the difference between them is clear.

__________________________________________

[1] Reported by Muslim in the Book of Fasting, in the Chapter: The Reward of One Who Breaks His Fast on a Journey if He Undertakes a Task (1120).

Shaykh Muhammad bin Saalih al-`Uthaymeen

Islamic Verdicts on The Pillars of Islaam, vol.2, page.632

FatwaIslam.com

Breast-Feeding & Breaking the Fast

Question:

Is it permissible for a breast-feeding woman to break her fast? And when should she make up for it? And may she feed (poor people instead of fasting)?

Answer:

If the breast-feeding woman fears that the fasting will harm her child by reducing the milk, then she may break her fast, but she must make up for it later, because she is similar to a sick person, about whom Allaah says:

وَمَن كَانَ مَرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَى سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ يُرِيدُ اللّهُ بِكُمُ الْيُسْرَ وَلاَ يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ الْعُسْرَ

...and whoever is ill or on a journey, the same number [of days which one did not observe Saum (fasts) must be made up] from other days. Allaah intends for you ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you. [al-Baqarah 2:185]

Then once the danger is past, she may make it up for, either during the winter, when the days are shorter and the weather is cooler, or, if she is unable to do it in the winter, then in the following year. But as for feeding (poor people), it is not permissible except in a situation where the thing which prevents her from fasting or the excuse for not fasting is continues, and it is not expected that it will be removed, in these circumstances, she may feed (poor people) instead of fasting.

Shaykh Muhammad bin Saalih al-`Uthaymeen

Fatawa Arkaanul-Islaam, DARUSSALAM, vol.2, page.643

FatwaIslam.com

From my understanding pregnancy and breast feeding are the same as far as rulings like this are concerned which would mean it's ok to break the fast if you fear for your or your baby's health but if you're healthy enough to fast while pregnant (check with your doctor) then it's better.... also note if you break the fast it is one that needs to be made up before the next Ramadan inshallah.

[UmmSqueakster 54]

Umm Zaid aka Sunni Sister has an awesome website called Iprofess that has a ton of great articles for muslim newbies.

One of these articles is Getting Ready for Ramadan - A guide to your first Ramadan.

[~Jackie~ 30]

Rahma thank you for posting the above links. The 'Getting Ready for Ramadan' article is full of great ideas. This is my 5th Ramadan, alhamdulillah, and every year I learn more.

Jackie

[LebaneseMama 1]

So will I fast this year ?

I really want to ... but who knows if I am going to be able to. If my morning sickness stays the same or gets worse I probably won't be able to It's gonna SUCK having to make those days up all by myself when I get better.

Please Allah give me the strength and help me fast Ramadan this year.

[UmmSqueakster 54]

So will I fast this year ?

I really want to ... but who knows if I am going to be able to. If my morning sickness stays the same or gets worse I probably won't be able to It's gonna SUCK having to make those days up all by myself when I get better.

Please Allah give me the strength and help me fast Ramadan this year.

Gently prod husband to fast with you My husband is always happy to make up the days I missed, although that's just a week and not the whole month I suppose.

[amal 4]