Question
What do the scholars and muftis of the noble Shari’ah say regarding the following matter; some people say that fasting means to stop/refrain. Is this correct and what is its definition? Questioner: Abdullah from England
Answer
بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم
الجواب بعون الملک الوھاب اللھم ھدایۃ الحق والصواب
Yes! The literal meaning of صوم is:
الْاِمْسَاکُ وَالْکَفُ عَن الشَیئِ
To abstain and to restrain from something. The technical meaning is:
الامساکُ نَھَاراعَنِ الْمُفَطِّرَاتِ بِنِیَّۃٍ مِنْ اَھْلِہ مِنْ طُلُوْعِ الْفَجْرِ اِلٰی غُرُوْبِ الشَّمْس
In Shari’ah, صوم is referred to as refraining from all those things from which the fast breaks, from the rising of the sun to its setting. This applies to the who is able to make an intention of fasting. This state is known as fasting.
(اللُباب 162)
واللہ تعالی اعلم ورسولہ اعلم صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم
کتبہ ابو الحسن محمد قاسم ضیاء قادری
Answered by Mufti Qasim Zia al-Qadri
Translated by Dawud Hanif
Read the original answer in Urdu here – [Q-ID0471] What is the actual meaning of Sawm (Fasting)?
Published by the Dar-ul-Ifta of Akhuwat-e-Islami as Q-ID0471. Read it on Akhuwat-e-Islami