Surah Al-Baqarah 2:184

The Order to Fast

In an address to the believers of this Ummah, Allah ordered them to fast, that is, to abstain from food, drink and sexual activity with the intention of doing so sincerely for Allah the Exalted alone. This is because fasting purifies the souls and cleanses them from the evil that might mix with them and their ill behavior. Allah mentioned that He has ordained fasting for Muslims just as He ordained it for those before them, they being an example for them in that, so they should vigorously perform this obligation more obediently than the previous nations. Similarly, Allah said:

(To each among you, We have prescribed a law and a clear way. If Allah had willed, He would have made you one nation, but that (He) may test you in what He has given you; so compete in good deeds.) (5:48)

Allah said in this Ayah:

(O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may have Taqwa).) since the fast cleanses the body and narrows the paths of Shaytan. In the Sahihayn the following Hadith was recorded:

.(O young people! Whoever amongst you can afford marriage, let him marry. Whoever cannot afford it, let him fast, for it will be a shield for him.)

Allah then states that the fast occurs during a fixed number of days, so that it does not become hard on the hearts, thereby weakening their resolve and endurance.)

The various Stages of Fasting

Al-Bukhari and Muslim recorded that `A'ishah said, "(The day of) `Ashura' was a day of fasting. When the obligation to fast Ramadan was revealed, those who wished fasted, and those who wished did not." Al-Bukhari recorded the same from Ibn `Umar and Ibn Mas`ud.

Allah said:

(...those who can fast with difficulty, (e.g., an old man), they have (a choice either to fast or) to feed a Miskin (poor person) (for every day).)

Mu`adh commented, "In the beginning, those who wished, fasted and those who wished, did not fast and fed a poor person for each day." Al- Bukhari recorded Salamah bin Al-Akwa` saying that when the Ayah:

(...those who can fast with difficulty, (e.g., an old man), they have (a choice either to fast or) to feed a Miskin (poor person) (for every day).) was revealed, those who did not wish to fast, used to pay the Fidyah (feeding a poor person for each day they did not fast) until the following Ayah (2:185) was revealed abrogating the previous Ayah. It was also reported from `Ubaydullah from Nafi` that Ibn `Umar said; "It was abrogated." As-Suddi reported that Murrah narrated that `Abdullah said about this Ayah:

(those who can fast with difficulty, (e.g., an old man), they have (a choice either to fast or) to feed a Miskin (poor person) (for every day).) "It means `those who find it difficult (to fast).' Formerly, those who wished, fasted and those who wished, did not but fed a poor person instead." Allah then said:

(But whoever does good of his own accord) meaning whoever fed an extra poor person,

(it is better for him. And that you fast is better for you) Later the Ayah:

(So whoever of you sights (the crescent on the first night of) the month (of Ramadan, i.e., is present at his home), he must observe Sawm (fasting) that month) (2:185) was revealed and this abrogated the previous Ayah (2:184).

The Fidyah (Expiation) for breaking the Fast is for the Old and the Ailing

Al-Bukhari reported that `Ata heard Ibn `Abbas recite:

(And as for those who can fast with difficulty, (e.g., an old man), they have (a choice either to fast or) to feed a Miskin (poor person) (for every day).)

Ibn `Abbas then commented, "(This Ayah) was not abrogated, it is for the old man and the old woman who are able to fast with difficulty, but choose instead to feed a poor person for every day (they do not fast)." Others reported that Sa`id bin Jubayr mentioned this from Ibn `Abbas. So the abrogation here applies to the healthy person, who is not traveling and who has to fast, as Allah said:

(So whoever of you sights (the crescent on the first night of) the month (of Ramadan, i.e., is present at his home), he must observe Sawm (fasting) that month.) (2:185)

As for the old man (and woman) who cannot fast, he is allowed to abstain from fasting and does not have to fast another day instead, because he is not likely to improve and be able to fast other days. So he is required to pay a Fidyah for every day missed. This is the opinion of Ibn `Abbas and several others among the Salaf who read the Ayah:

(And as for those who can fast with difficulty, (e.g., an old man)) to mean those who find it difficult to fast as Ibn Mas`ud stated. This is also the opinion of Al-Bukhari who said, "As for the old man (person) who cannot fast, (he should do like) Anas who, for one or two years after he became old fed some bread and meat to a poor person for each day he did not fast."

This point, which Al-Bukhari attributed to Anas without a chain of narrators, was collected with a continuous chain of narrators by Abu Ya`la Mawsuli in his Musnad, that Ayyub bin Abu Tamimah said; "Anas could no longer fast. So he made a plate of Tharid (broth, bread and meat) and invited thirty poor persons and fed them." The same ruling applies for the pregnant and breast-feeding women if they fear for themselves or their children or fetuses. In this case, they pay the Fidyah and do not have to fast other days in place of the days that they missed.

Ayat 184 dan permulaan ayat 185, menerangkan bahwa puasa yang diwajibkan ada beberapa hari yaitu pada bulan Ramadan menurut jumlah hari bulan Ramadan (29 atau 30 hari). Nabi Besar Muhammad saw semenjak turunnya perintah puasa sampai wafatnya, beliau selalu berpuasa di bulan Ramadan selama 29 hari, kecuali satu kali saja bulan Ramadan genap 30 hari.

Sekalipun Allah telah mewajibkan puasa pada bulan Ramadan kepada semua orang yang beriman, namun Allah yang Mahabijaksana memberikan keringanan kepada orang-orang yang sakit dan musafir, untuk tidak berpuasa pada bulan Ramadan dan menggantinya pada hari-hari lain di luar bulan tersebut. Pada ayat tersebut tidak dirinci jenis/sifat batasan dan kadar sakit dan musafir itu, sehingga para ulama memberikan hasil ijtihadnya masing-masing antara lain sebagai berikut:

1.Dibolehkan tidak berpuasa bagi orang yang sakit atau musafir tanpa membedakan sakitnya itu berat atau ringan, demikian pula perjalanannya jauh atau dekat, sesuai dengan bunyi ayat ini. Pendapat ini dipelopori oleh Ibnu Sirin dan Dawud az-Zahiri.

2.Dibolehkan tidak berpuasa bagi setiap orang yang sakit yang benar-benar merasa kesukaran berpuasa, karena sakitnya. Ukuran kesukaran itu diserahkan kepada rasa tanggung jawab dan keimanan masing-masing. Pendapat ini dipelopori oleh sebagian ulama tafsir.

3.Dibolehkan tidak berpuasa bagi orang yang sakit atau musafir dengan ketentuan-ketentuan, apabila sakit itu berat dan akan mempengaruhi keselamatan jiwa atau keselamatan sebagian anggota tubuhnya atau menambah sakitnya bila ia berpuasa. Juga bagi orang-orang yang musafir, apabila perjalanannya itu dalam jarak jauh, yang ukurannya paling sedikit 16 farsakh (kurang lebih 80 km).

4.Tidak ada perbedaan pendapat mengenai perjalanan musafir, apakah dengan berjalan kaki, atau dengan apa saja, asalkan tidak untuk mengerjakan perbuatan maksiat. Sesudah itu Allah menerangkan pada pertengahan ayat 184 yang terjemahannya, "Dan wajib bagi orang yang berat menjalankannya (jika mereka tidak berpuasa) membayar fidyah, (yaitu) memberi makan orang miskin."

Menurut ayat itu (184), siapa yang benar-benar merasa berat menjalankan puasa, ia boleh menggantinya dengan fidyah, walaupun ia tidak sakit dan tidak musafir.

Termasuk orang-orang yang berat mengerjakan puasa itu ialah:

a.Orang tua yang tidak mampu berpuasa, bila ia tidak berpuasa diganti dengan fidyah.

b.Wanita hamil dan yang sedang menyusui. Menurut Imam Syafi'i dan Ahmad, bila wanita hamil dan wanita yang sedang menyusui khawatir akan terganggu kesehatan janin/bayinya, lalu mereka tidak puasa, maka wajib atas keduanya mengqada puasa yang ditinggalkannya, dan membayar fidyah. Bila mereka khawatir atas kesehatan diri mereka saja yang terganggu dan tidak khawatir atas kesehatan janin/bayinya, atau mereka khawatir atas kesehatan dirinya dan janin/bayinya, lalu mereka tidak puasa, maka wajib atas mereka diqada puasa saja. Sedangkan menurut Abu Hanifah, ibu hamil dan yang sedang menyusui dalam semua hal yang disebutkan di atas, cukup mengqada puasa saja.

c.Orang-orang sakit yang tidak sanggup berpuasa dan penyakitnya tidak ada harapan akan sembuh, hanya diwajibkan membayar fidyah.

d.Mengenai buruh dan petani yang penghidupannya hanya dari hasil kerja keras dan membanting tulang setiap hari, dalam hal ini ulama fikih mengemukakan pendapat sebagai berikut:

1)Ibnu Hajar dan Imam al-Azra'i telah memberi fatwa, "Sesungguhnya wajib bagi orang-orang pengetam padi dan sebagainya dan yang serupa dengan mereka, berniat puasa setiap malam Ramadan. Apabila pada siang harinya ia ternyata mengalami kesukaran atau penderitaan yang berat, maka ia boleh berbuka puasa. Kalau tidak demikian, ia tidak boleh berbuka. )

2)Kalau seseorang yang pencariannya tergantung kepada suatu pekerjaan berat untuk menutupi kebutuhan hidupnya atau kebutuhan hidup orang-orang yang harus dibiayainya dimana ia tidak tahan berpuasa maka ia boleh berbuka pada waktu itu," (dengan arti ia harus berpuasa sejak pagi).

Akhir ayat 184 menjelaskan orang yang dengan rela hati mengerjakan kebajikan dengan membayar fidyah lebih dari ukurannya atau memberi makan lebih dari seorang miskin, maka perbuatan itu baik baginya. Sesudah itu Allah menutup ayat ini dengan menekankan bahwa berpuasa lebih baik daripada tidak berpuasa.