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If one of the major reason of fasting is to feel with the poor as most religious men argue, then why do poor people fast?
Is it really a religious requirement on the poor like praying?
If not, how poor a person should be in able to get this deal.
and if yes, why do we ask to add more suffering to their lives?
Fasting is not meant to cause suffereing. Fasting the month of Ramadan is one of the Pillars or Islam. It is a way of worshiping Allah. The reason behind fasting is not to feel with the poor, it is a duty upon us, something we are required to do because Allah has told us to. Read sorit al-Bakarah and you will see why people have to fast. It’s not about whether you are poor or not, and no one is exempted from this obligation except for those mentioned in the Quran.Hope that answered ur questions
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oberver, it’s a misconception that the primary (or major) reason we fast is to feel how the poor live although that’s stated as a benefit. Fasting is an act of worship and brings you closer to God, you’re removed from the need of material possessions and are stripped down to the humble state of needing bare necessity such as food and water and thus you just can’t thank God enough! As Deemco suggested feel free to do your own research, although I fully understand why I fast I don’t feel completely comfortable teaching you, someone with above par intelligence, the importance of fasting because I’m not a teacher or specialist on the subject and I’m not sure if my words will get the right message across. There’s alot of great publications on the importance of fasting and I can’t reference any off the top of my head but if you’re really interested and can’t find them I can email some people and find out.
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I think fasting a good way to strengthen your will, to challenge your desires and cool down your lusts. It helps you control your body rather than your body controlling you. As for the poor who don’t have money to eat, many of them are naturally fasting all year through
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In my opinion, the aim is not to “feel as the poor do” and it’s not that “it brings you closer to god”, whatever that means.I see it as self-disciplines. Some can, some can’t. Those who can know they are superior to those who can’t or those who pretend to be able to but end up nervous and miserable and pathetic and loathsome.It’s not only “Islamic”, you know. It’s in many spiritual paths.
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Deemco, yes, I realize that fasting is a pillar in Islam and that Allah requested it, but I know as well that religious people do reason why Allah request certain behaviours from people. Like for instance forbading alcohol and ham because it is harmful. So some people reason the benefits of fasting as well, and they usually give to feel with people as their primary argument. If that isn’t true, then I am gladly stand corrected.Amma15, I am not asking you why do you fast. I am just wondering why it is a requirement on the poor people to suffer even more than they do (unless you are a poor).Do you if there is any script in the Quran or the hadih that links fasting with feeling with the poor? I am just asking to understand (if you may help)hareega, exactly, I am sure poor people have enough will to control their desires, otherwise they wouldnt survive! so the question is, why it is a requirement for them to fast?Alf, sure, fasting exists in most religions and cultures, and it does have some benefits, including self-dicipline, but here i wonder why it is a requirement on the poor. They sure have learnt much self-dicipline from their poverty, why have to suffer more?
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Thanks for the nice reply, you rock too 🙂
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يقول سبحانه و تعالى في الحديث القدسي : “كل عمل ابن ادم له ، إلا الصوم فإنه لي ، و أنا أجزي به”analyze it and conclude that we will never understand why we fast …
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<>They sure have learnt much self-dicipline from their poverty, why have to suffer more?<>“No, being forced not to eat because you don’t have anything to eat is not self discipline.Being able to do, and then refraining is.Then again, fasting, when you already don’t eat much anyway is a challenge because, as you said, a poor man might say “why should I fast when I don’t eat much anyway”
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< HREF="http://tunisdivagation.blogspot.com/2007/09/paix-sur-les-fils-dabraham.html" REL="nofollow">Paix sur les Fils d’Abraham<>
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Observer, like amma said, it is a misconception.The argument that we are to feel for the poor and stuff is to appeal to our compassion.The benefits of Ramadan are not so narrow as to starve everyone to feel what it is like to have no food or water. The poor do fast, and there is a hadith (I don’t recall the exact text) where a group of the underprivileged went to the prophet and asked him on what they are to do for sadaqa, since they don’t have money and little food to begin with. He said that the fasting of the poor has a greater ajr than those of the privileged and that their tasbee7 is by itself a sadaqa.And like Isam said, especially when it comes to fasting, it is for Allah and He is to reward and redeem us in whatever way and no one know what or how.
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Moey, you are welcome :), thanks as well 🙂Isam abu salheieh, thx for the hadith. It clears things out.Alf, I disagre with you. Poor people learn how to deal with their hunger. It is kind of discipline to their bodies. Téméraire V5.0, thx but I dont understand french 😦KJ, so now I got it, the answer is YES poor have to fast as well. It is another discussion whether it is fair or not and it would depend on each one’s belief, but I can see that it is clear now in Islam that fasting is a requirement on the poor as well.
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Observer, regarding it being fair or not, don’t forget that the system should supposedly divert money from the rich to the poor. The poor are required by Islamic law to be funded by charity groups and other organizations who should be responsible for them. Other than Zaka, we pay sadaqa every now and then, donations in the forms of food or clothing, and the organizations are funded by the governments as well and it is their job to ensure that the poor are supplied with food, water and clothing.Also regarding fairness, you should know the difference in Islam between the poor, al miskeen and ibn al sabeel. So your definition of poor may differ from the Islamic definition of poor, miskeen and ibn el sabeel. You should google them up and research on them.
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KJ, but that is the ideal case where under a complete Islamic system no poor should feel hunger. It doesn’t really happen at this time, while poor feel hunger, we also add to their suffering by asking them to fast. This is our problem, we take the suitable chunk of religion and hold others to it!
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