Meaning of Fasting of Body-Parts (1/2)

The fast of body-parts (e.g. preventing all the body-parts from committing sins) is necessary not only in the state of fast, but also throughout the life. This is possible only when we have fear of Allah in our hearts.

Ponder over the terrifying situation of the Judgement Day! Everyone will be worried about himself; the sun will be showering fire (scorching heat), tongues will be hanging out of mouths due to extreme thirst. Wife, mother and father will be avoiding husband, son and children. Sinners will be caught, their mouths will be sealed and their body-parts will testify to their sins. It is mentioned in Surah Yasin:

“Today, We shall set seal on their mouths and their hands will talk to us and their feet will bear witness of their doings.” (Kanz-ul-Iman [Translation of Qur’an]) (Part 23, Surah Yasin, 65)

O weak and feeble Islamic brothers! Fear from the troubles and tribulations of the Day of Judgement and make ardent efforts to prevent your body parts from indulging in sins. Here are details of the fasting of the body:

Fasting of Eyes

Dear Islamic brothers! We should make our eyes fast by looking at only permissible things such as Masajid, the Holy Qur’an, the tombs of saints, and scholars and pious people. If possible, we should see the Holy Ka’bah, the sacred streets, valleys and mountains of Makka-tul-Mukarramah, the walls and houses of Madinah-tul-Munawwarah, the green dome, minarets, deserts, gardens and the blessed Masjid of Madinah.

Dear Islamic brothers! Please do make your eyes fast. Everyone should make his eyes fast constantly. Never misuse this gift of Allah in watching what has been prohibited by Shari’ah such as films, dramas, Non-Mahram women, attractive boys with lust or any one’s private parts and even your own private parts unnecessarily. Similarly, do not watch games or amusements that make you heedless of Allah’s remembrance like the dance of monkeys and bears on streets (making monkey and bears dance and watching their dance are both impermissible).

Further, avoid watching cricket, wrestling, football, hockey, cards, chess, video games, table football, etc. (both watching and playing them is impermissible. The games that involve exposing one’s knees or thighs because of wearing shorts are even worse. Remember, exposing the body from navel up to (including) knees is not permissible and, any other person’s looking at these parts of body is also impermissible). Do not peep into another person’s house without his permission, nor look at someone else’s letter or notebook without his permission.

Remember! A hadith states, “Anyone who looks at his (fellow) brother’s letter without his permission looks at fire.” (Reported by Al-Mustadrak, pp. 384, vol. 5, hadith 7779)

Fasting of Ears

Fast of ears implies listening to only permissible voices and sounds such as recitation of the Holy Qur’an, Sunnah-Inspiring speeches, useful talking, the Azan and the Iqamat, reply to the Azan and the Iqamat etc. Never listen to drum-beating, music, songs, useless and indecent jokes, backbiting, telling tales and faults of other people etc. Do not eaves drop anyone’s private conversation.

The Prophet of Rahmah, the Intercessor of Ummah (Peace be upon him) has said: “If anyone listens secretly to the conversation of other people who resent it, on the Day of Judgement, molten lead will be poured into his ears.” (Reported in Mu’jam Kabir, pp. 198, vol. 11)

Fast of Tongue

Fast of the tongue implies uttering only permissible and good words such as recitation of the Holy Qur’an, Zikr, salat-‘Alan-Nabi, Na’at, Dars, Sunnah-Inspiring  speeches, call to righteousness, useful and helpful religious speech etc. Avoid useless talking. Beware! Never misuse your tongue in committing sins such as abusing, lying, telling tales etc. If a spoon becomes impure, it can be washed by pouring one or two glasses of water on it but if the tongue becomes impure due to indecent speech then the water of seven oceans will not be able to purify it.

Ill Effects of Tongue’s Misuse

According to the hadith narrated by Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) one day the beloved and blessed Prophet (Peace be upon him) ordered his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to fast and then said: “None of you is to do Iftar until I permit you.” So the people fasted. In the evening, the companions came individually to the Noble Prophet (Peace be upon him) and said, ‘Ya Rasulullah (Peace be upon him) I have fasted today, please give me permission to do Iftar’, the Noble Prophet (Peace be upon him) would allow them to do Iftar. One of the companions (may Allah be pleased with him) came and said: ‘Ya Rasulullah (Peace be upon him) In my house, there are two girls who have also fasted today, they feel shyness in coming here, please allow them to do Iftar.’ The Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him) turned his face away from him; he asked for the second time, but the blessed Rasul (Peace be upon him) turned his head away from him again. When he asked for the third time the Holy Prophet      (Peace be upon him) said revealing the news of Ghayb (unseen), “Those two girls have not fasted, how (can they say) they fasted? They have been eating the flesh of people all day long, go and tell them to vomit, if they have fasted.”

The companion went home and told them what the Noble Prophet (Peace be upon him) said. When they vomited, blood and pieces of flesh came out of their mouths. The companion returned to the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him) and told him about the girls’ condition. He (Peace be upon him) said, “I swear by the One in whose omnipotence my life is! If it had remained in their stomachs, fire would eat them. (Because they both backbited others).” (Reported by At-Targhib wat-Tarhib, pp. 328, vol. 3, hadith 15)

According to another hadith: When our beloved and blessed Prophet (Peace be upon him) turned his face away from the companion he came in front of the Noble Prophet (Peace be upon him) and said, ‘Ya Rasulullah they both have died’ or ‘they are about to die.’ The Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him) commanded him to bring the girls to him. When they came he had a pot brought and ordered one of them to vomit in it. She vomited until the pot was full of blood and pieces of flesh. He (Peace be upon him) then ordered the other one to vomit; she also vomited as much. The beloved Rasul of Allah  (Peace be upon him) said, “They fasted from the things that Allah declared Halal (i.e. eating, drinking etc.) but broke their fast with the things that Allah declared Haram. The thing is, they sat together and began to eat the flesh of people (by backbiting).” (Reported by At-Targhib wat-Tarhib, pp. 95, vol. 2, hadith 8)

(Continued)