Complete Guide to Ramadan Fasting (Shafi Fiqh) – Rules, Conditions & Practical Explanation

Ramadan is not only a sacred month of worship. It is a month of discipline, purification, and moral reform.

To worship correctly, however, sincerity alone is not sufficient — clarity in rulings is equally essential.

This guide presents a structured and simplified explanation of Ramadan fasting according to the Shafi‘i madhhab, extracted from two classical authorities:

  • ‘Umdat al-Salik wa ‘Uddat al-Nasik
  • Fath al-Mu‘in bi Sharh Qurrat al-‘Ayn

These works are foundational texts studied in traditional Shafi‘i institutions and represent well-established fiqh principles.

The purpose of this guide is not academic debate, but practical clarity.

📚 About This Guide

  • Primarily based on ‘Umdat al-Salik
  • Organized for easier reading
  • Focused on practical application
  • Written in accessible English
  • Intended for students, teachers, and practicing Muslims

If any errors are found, kindly inform us. Your sincere du‘a is appreciated.

— Abdu Shaheed Azhary
moralstudy.com

📖 Major Contents in the book:

1. Understanding Ramadan

  • What is Ramadan?
  • Meaning of Sawm (Fasting)
  • Establishing the month
  • Moon sighting and difficulties

2. Who Is Obliged to Fast?

  • Conditions of obligation
  • Children
  • Travelers
  • Sick individuals
  • Breastfeeding women
  • Extreme hunger or thirst

3. When Fasting Is Not Permissible

  • Prohibited days
  • Days of doubt
  • Special cases

4. Conditions and Invalidators of Fasting

  • Conditions (Shurūt)
  • Intention (Niyyah)
  • Full wording of intention
  • Night of doubt
  • Difference between end of Sha‘ban and Ramadan
  • Actions that do not break the fast
  • Invalidators (Mubṭilāt)

5. If the Fast Becomes Invalid

  • What to do
  • Making up (Qaḍā)
  • Expiation (Kaffārah)
  • Mud (feeding)
  • Special rulings

6. What Is Recommended and Discouraged

  • Sunnah practices
  • Haram acts
  • Makruh actions
  • Permissible matters

7. I‘tikaf, Tarawih & Laylat al-Qadr

  • Rules of I‘tikaf
  • Conditions
  • Vows
  • Laylat al-Qadr timing and signs
  • Tarawih rulings

🎯 Why This Matters

Fasting without knowledge can lead to:

  • Unnecessary hardship
  • Invalid worship
  • Doubt and confusion
  • Cultural practices mistaken for religious rulings

The Shafi‘i school provides structured clarity in these matters.

This guide aims to make those rulings accessible and understandable.

📌 How to Use This Guide

  • Read the sections relevant to your situation.
  • Verify intention before Ramadan begins.
  • Review invalidators carefully.
  • Study expiation rulings seriously.
  • Teach your family clearly.

📥 Access the Full Structured Content

The complete detailed rulings are organized below in separate sections for ease of reading:

📘 About the Author

Abdu Shaheed Azhary
Teacher, researcher, and writer focused on moral clarity and Islamic guidance rooted in classical scholarship.

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