['Aalim Network QR] Missing Salaat in the Holy month of Ramadhan

["Akil M. Karim" <amk@io.org>]

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|       In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the All-Merciful       |\
|  Greeting of Allah be upon Muhammad and the pure members of his House |\
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Salamun `Alaykum

The following question was kindly answered by Shaykh Hamid.


Fee Amaanillah,

Akil Karim
Acting Moderator for ABDG-A

---------- Forwarded message ----------

                                Bismihi Ta'ala

QUESTION:

I realize that one's fast is not acceptable if a prayer during that day
has been missed. However, when one makes up this prayer, must the fast
also be made up? That is, during Ramadan, if one missed a prayer during
one of those days, must that day be re-fasted? 

I need the ruling from Ayt. Seestani.


ANSWER:

For the fast to be valid, one has to refrain from committing certain acts
from fajr to maghrib like eating, drinking, intentionally attributing a
false report to God, Prophet (S) or Imams (a.s.), engaging in intimate
relationship, etc.  However, observing the obligatory ritual prayers is
not one of them.  Therefore, neglecting to perform the wajib prayers
would constitute a sin but it would NOT render the fast void. 

But let me add that the ritual of fasting, like other acts of worship,
has an exterior shell and an inner essence.  There are hadiths from the
Prophet and the Imams (a.s.) to the effect that there are many who attain
no benefit from fasting except the pangs of hunger and thirst.  That is
to say, one may fulfill the legal requirements of fasting but violate the
spirit of the same and as a result may not be entitled to any spiritual
reward. 

Another vivid example where the legal requirement and the spirit of
fasting clash applies to a traveller (musafir) who undertakes a journey
for the commission of a sin.  Under normal circumstances, a musafir is
not allowed to fast, however, in the case of one whose journey is for a
sinful purpose he/she is obligated to fast.  This certainly would be
violating the Qur'anic spirit that fasting was enjoined in order to
cultivate the qualities of God-consciousness and piety, however,
according to our jurists the legal injunction for such a musafir is to
fast. 

wa bi-l-laahi-t-tawfiq,

Hamid Mavani