Refuting the utilitarian interpretation of fasting
Praise belongs to God, Lord of the worlds. I bear witness that there is no deity but God alone, without partner, God of the first and last generations. I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and trustworthy Messenger. May God bless him and all his family and Companions and grant them peace.
Brothers and sisters,
Peace, God’s mercy and His blessings be upon you.
I wish to discuss an important matter that deserves attention and understanding whenever we welcome our dear guest, blessed Ramadan, the month of fasting, night prayer, Qur’anic recitation, goodness, blessings and mercy. It is correcting our intention, realising sincerity towards God in this worship and guarding against everything that corrupts intention or contradicts sincerity. Among these threats is the modern utilitarian view of fasting. We must therefore warn against it, refute it and explain its corruption.
Why did God prescribe fasting?
What is fasting’s reality, aim and purpose?
What is its utilitarian interpretation?
Is fasting a means to bodily, psychological and social health?
Or is it worship devoted exclusively to God?
Are claims of a scientific miracle in fasting through curing many diseases true?
I shall try to answer these questions, asking God to guide me to truth and correctness.
A distorted call has appeared in the community, corrupting worship’s realities and aims, including fasting. Every Ramadan, many preachers, religious teachers and intellectuals discuss fasting’s wisdom and purpose. Some prominent and influential figures describe it as treatment for disease, bodily health, training for the soul and a reminder of the hungry and poor.
This discourse appeals to many, until they believe these are fasting’s aim and purpose. They give this aspect great attention, involving exaggeration and even falsehood, as seen in media, especially websites and social networks.
They think this is a sound way to encourage Muslims to fast and invite non-Muslims by demonstrating scientific miracles in Islamic legislation. They present much information about fasting’s role in healing many diseases. Most is undocumented or exaggerated; some is fabricated.
Most speakers, recipients and people influenced by this discourse do not understand the true nature of this interpretation or the distorted thought and dangerous materialist call behind it.
It is therefore essential to explain this discourse and refute its foundations and dubious arguments.
First, this focus on fasting’s material, utilitarian aspects belongs to a thought, method and philosophy interpreting all religion politically, socially and utilitarianly. It regards religion as a means to human worldly interests, such as establishing justice, developing the earth and reforming society. We call this the political or utilitarian interpretation of Islam: do this because it benefits you; avoid that because it harms you. Religion is viewed through utility rather than fulfilment of servitude to God.
Its danger lies in distorting religion’s reality and purpose, worship. Worship becomes an instrument for worldly interests: prayer becomes exercise and training; fasting bodily health and psychological and social education; Hajj a political conference. It interprets every foundation and form of worship through possible worldly, material effects, results and fruits, exaggerating until these results, if valid and established, become the aim of worship, legislation and religion as a whole.
This political, social or utilitarian interpretation has philosophical and Sufi roots and is a prominent intellectual tendency in the West. I do not intend to discuss it in detail here; I have spoken and written about it on other occasions.
Here the purpose is to explain the danger of fasting’s utilitarian interpretation and establish its falsity.
I shall give one example. Many can be found in new preachers’ lectures and writings, but I shall quote only Shaykh Dr Mustafa al-Siba‘i, whose death year the source states as 1364 AH, a well-known author and former dean of Damascus University’s College of Islamic Law. We are not discussing an unqualified intruder into scholarship or a satellite-television preacher. Yet he interprets fasting utilitarianly, far from worship’s reality and aim.
In The Rulings and Philosophy of Fasting in the Light of the Book and Sunnah, Dr al-Siba‘i describes different attitudes: people who break Ramadan’s fast out of unbelief and denial; those who do so through laziness and negligence; and those who regard Ramadan as an annual season of tables laden with food and drink and an opportunity for entertainment lasting until dawn. He correctly explains that these three groups do not understand fasting’s reality or purpose. He then describes a fourth group, those supposedly understanding its reality, wisdom and purpose:
“Some, the few, see Ramadan as something other and greater than all this. They see a training course renewing in people’s souls noble character, beautiful selflessness, generous patience and great divine refinement.”
He elaborates these meanings at length, linking them to society and battle against enemies, making Ramadan a mobilisation of the psychological, spiritual and moral forces the community needs in life, and a means to attain rights, strength and freedom.
As an explanation of Ramadan’s reality and purpose, this is corrupt and false, spoiling worship’s meaning and nullifying its aim. We do not deny that sound fasting sincerely for God produces purification of the soul, upright conduct and refined morals. Fasting may also contribute to bodily and psychological health.
The point is to warn against making fruits and results the ultimate aims.
Many preachers, teachers and writers among movement-oriented Islamists and those influenced by them exaggerate fasting’s health, psychological and social benefits, elaborating excessively and citing physicians and Western reports on treatment through fasting.
Their discourse has had, and continues to have, the worst effect in weakening religiosity, devotion, faith and seeking divine reward in Muslims’ fasting. It occupies them with conjectural material outcomes, possible rather than necessary, instead of the obligatory, purely devotional aims, until those outcomes become the aim in most Muslims’ minds.
Their focus on utilitarian, material and social effects, exaggerated into a supreme aim, is part of their material, utilitarian and political interpretation of Islam, its truths and purposes.
It is unsurprising that some atheists on the other side then write about fasting’s disadvantages and harms, citing medical reports and making these a means of attacking religion.
We tell them: an unqualified claim that fasting is harmful is certainly false. Why? Because physicians agree that moderate fasting benefits healthy people and many patients. They treat patients with kinds of fasting without religious intent. This is known among all nations.
We also ask: who told you fasting cannot harm some healthy people or that it benefits every patient without qualification? If those Islamists’ discourse misled you into answering falsehood with falsehood and adding unbelief and atheism, God’s Book is before us, explicitly stating two clear matters:
First, fasting was prescribed for mindfulness and worship of God, with no mention of health, psychological or social benefit.
Second, the sick are permitted to break the fast.
Concerning the first, God explains why He imposed fasting upon us and earlier communities: “You who believe, fasting has been prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may become mindful of God.”
This is explicit, admitting neither reinterpretation nor distortion: fasting’s aim is mindfulness of God, nothing else. Scholars’ explanations here fall into only two meanings:
The first is avoidance of fasting’s prohibitions: food, drink and sexual intercourse. Fasting itself, adhering to its rulings and avoiding what invalidates it, is mindfulness because one obeys God and observes His judgement. This is the opinion of the leading commentator Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari.
The second explains the ultimate aim: mindfulness of God. He prescribed fasting to cause and assist mindfulness and awareness of Him. Fasting leads to mindfulness through overcoming and disciplining the self and abandoning appetites. Most commentators, such as al-Baghawi, Ibn al-Jawzi and Ibn Kathir, adopt this view, may God have mercy on them.
The second meaning is clearer and stronger, including the first and more.
Many texts confirm that fasting’s purpose is mindfulness by emphasising sincerity, truthful turning towards God and seeking His pleasure. Fasting is among the noblest acts in which these meanings are realised, and among Islam’s pillars. It involves humility and submission with love and sincerity, restraining oneself from food, drink and appetites, adhering to its prescribed rules and form, and being mindful of God in private and public. God therefore granted fasting a distinction not given to other acts, as the Prophet reports:
“God says: ‘Every deed of the son of Adam is for him except fasting. It is for Me, and I reward it.’”
Al-Bukhari narrates this in his Sahih, and in another wording: “He leaves his food, drink and desire for My sake. Fasting is for Me, and I reward it. A good deed receives ten times its like.”
Scholars examined why fasting receives this honourable attribution: “It is for Me, and I reward it.”
Some say it is singled out because it is not outwardly visible as an action, but something in the heart. Prayer, zakat and Hajj require movements, whereas fasting rests upon an intention hidden from people.
Other deeds can admit ostentation, so they are attributed to their performers. But someone abstaining because they are full appears outwardly like someone abstaining to draw near to God. The difference is intention and sincerity.
The other explanation is that God alone knows the extent of fasting’s reward and multiplication of good deeds. Other deeds’ rewards have been disclosed, multiplied ten to seven hundred times or as God wills. Fasting is rewarded without measure because it involves patience and restraint: “The patient will be given their reward without reckoning.”
Muslim’s narration supports this: “Every deed of the son of Adam is multiplied, a good deed ten to seven hundred times. God says: ‘Except fasting: it is for Me, and I reward it. He abandons his desire and food for My sake…’”
Reflect on the hadith heard every Ramadan: “Whoever fasts Ramadan with faith and seeking reward will have their previous sins forgiven.” Al-Bukhari and Muslim.
Pause over the condition: “with faith and seeking reward.”
Faith means affirming God’s obligation and law and His promised reward.
Seeking reward means seeking recompense from God, intending His countenance through fasting. The hadith clearly shows that righteous acts are neither purified nor accepted without seeking reward and sincere intention: “Actions are only by intentions, and each person has only what they intended.”
The point is that fasting has no meaning or aim apart from fulfilling servitude to God by obeying commands and avoiding prohibitions. Joined with truthfulness, sincerity and seeking reward, it increases faith, awareness of the Lord and reverence for His law, enabling true mindfulness, the highest degrees of servitude: “You who believe, be mindful of God as He deserves, and die only as Muslims.”
The noble Companion Abd Allah ibn Mas‘ud explains “as He deserves”: “That He be obeyed, not disobeyed; remembered, not forgotten; thanked, not denied gratitude.”
Brothers and sisters, may God enable us all to do righteous deeds:
The Book and Sunnah show that fasting is pure worship of God. He attributes it to Himself because it realises sincerity and truthfulness towards Him, and explains that its purpose is mindfulness. If fasting is a means to anything, it is a means to mindfulness. It has no aim beyond devotion and ascending the stages of servitude to their highest ranks: mindfulness of God.
The second matter, God’s permission for the sick to break the fast, also shows that fasting’s purpose is not a worldly benefit such as healing. Otherwise the sick would not be permitted to break it but required to continue intending treatment and recovery.
“Whoever among you is ill or travelling should fast an equal number of other days.”
This implicitly recognises possible harm to the sick. Otherwise they would be foremost among those commanded to fast to overcome illness.
It follows that fasting was prescribed neither to torment or harm oneself nor because of health, psychological or social benefits. Anyone claiming either purpose, or other material worldly objectives, fabricates gravely against God, contradicts explicit Qur’anic teaching, distorts Islam and departs from believers’ path.
God expressly permits the sick to break the fast so that neither of two groups can distort religion’s aims:
The first are extremists who see fasting’s purpose as tormenting and harming the body.
The second are those who belittle it, seeing fasting as a means to benefit human society by training and educating it in patience and virtues.
Moderate fasting undoubtedly has many health, psychological and social benefits established by experience and observation. But these are fruits and effects, not its purpose. They are possible, not necessary: they may occur or not. One person may fast and improve in health, overcoming many illnesses and pains, while another may fast and develop deadly illness.
There is also a difference between devotional and medical or health-related fasting:
First, intention. Fasting benefits a Muslim on the Day of Resurrection only with intention and sincerity. Medical fasting may benefit a person in this world simply through fasting.
Second, Islam. Devotional fasting is accepted only from a Muslim; health-related fasting can benefit Muslims and unbelievers.
Third, time. God established a time boundary whose observance is worship: “Eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct from the black thread, then complete the fast until night.” Breaking it a minute or two before sunset invalidates it, although this has no effect on health. Medical fasting’s timing, duration and number of days are left to physicians’ judgement.
Fourth, prohibitions. Devotional fasting requires complete abstention from food and drink. A person fasting for treatment may abstain from food but not drink, or only certain foods or drinks, according to medical advice.
Devotional fasting leaves no room for independent alteration, advancing or delaying, lengthening or shortening. It is valid and accepted only when a Muslim performs it as God prescribed, intending devotion. Someone experiencing hardship does not alter its duration or form, but breaks the fast without blame: “A limited number of days. Whoever among you is ill or travelling should fast an equal number of other days.”
Imam Ibn Qudamah says in al-Mughni: “Scholars agree on the general permissibility of breaking the fast for illness, and this verse is its foundation.”
The reason for this concession is that fasting aims at devotion through love, humility and drawing near to God. With unusual hardship, human weakness prevents fulfilment of this servitude. Fasting involves difficulty, fatigue and weakness. Explaining preservation of strength and other foundations of health, Ibn al-Qayyim says:
“Regarding preservation of strength, God commands travellers and the sick to break Ramadan’s fast to preserve their strength. Fasting increases the sick person’s weakness, while travellers need to conserve strength because of travel’s hardship, and fasting weakens it.”
This also reveals the falsity of utilitarian preachers’ connection between fasting and jihad. Al-Siba‘i, discussing fasting’s reality, says of Muslims at Badr after mentioning that it occurred in Ramadan:
“Do you think they could have achieved this victory had fasting not infused them with strength, support for truth and complete spiritual freedom, enabling them to enter battle strong and free?”
This is mistaken and contrary to religious and historical realities.
Ramadan certainly has immense merit and high standing: the month of fasting, night prayer and the Qur’an, containing the Night of Decree, better than a thousand months. It is unsurprising that God sends His believing servants mercy and blessings then, granting victory, support, relief, kindness and compassion.
But fasting does not suit fighting, since both entail hardship. What, then, when combined?
The great battle of Badr occurred in Ramadan, as did the conquest of Makkah. What did the Prophet do? He broke the fast and commanded his Companions to do likewise, as established in the two Sahih collections. On the road to Makkah he told them: “You have drawn near your enemy, and breaking the fast makes you stronger.” Then: “You will meet your enemy in the morning. Breaking the fast makes you stronger, so break it.” Sahih Muslim.
Muslim also narrates that the Prophet set out in Ramadan in the year of the conquest, fasting until Kura‘ al-Ghamim, a place between Makkah and Madinah, with the people fasting too. He then called for a cup of water, raised it where people could see and drank. Told afterwards that some continued fasting, he said: “Those are the disobedient.”
An authentic narration in Abu Dawud’s Sunan states that during the conquest journey he commanded people to break the fast: “Strengthen yourselves for your enemy.”
This is understandable, reasonable and observable through experience. Fasting tires people and weakens them for strenuous work, especially fighting in God’s cause. Thus, when the battle of Shaqhab occurred between Muslims and Tatars near Damascus in Ramadan 702 AH, Ibn Taymiyyah ruled that people should break the fast during fighting and did so himself. They were not travelling, but broke it for battle. He went among commanders and leaders eating food from his hand to show that breaking the fast to strengthen themselves was better, as Ibn Kathir relates.
The widely repeated hadith “Fast and become healthy” is rejected and not authentically attributed to the Messenger. Al-Iraqi and al-Albani judged its chain weak. Its meaning is invalid because it contradicts the Book and Sunnah, and it is a distortion of another weak narration, “Travel and become healthy.”
I therefore tell my Muslim brothers and sisters: do not fast to become healthy; fast to be mindful of God, obey Him and seek nearness to Him, attaining His pleasure and entering His mercy: “You who believe, fasting has been prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may become mindful of God.”
I ask God to enable us to fast Ramadan and pray its nights with faith, seeking reward and sincerity towards His noble countenance, and accept it through His favour, generosity and kindness. Praise belongs to God, Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings be upon the final prophet and messenger.