2011

God rebuked the way you fast ebuked

By Ram Kampas 01-Aug-11

Beware, for those who practiced the religious fast might well be did not get anything except hunger (Ibn Maajah, 1/539; Saheeh al-Targheeb, 1/453).

s defined in our dictionary, generally we understand fasting as deliberately abstain from food and drink; a religious ritual. Nowadays fasting during Ramadan is not limited only as a part of Islamic religious obligation, but also has become cultural fashion. The Muslims are obliged to fast, as it is written in Sura Al-Baqara 183, O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint Many Muslims only read this revelation as an obligatory verse, automatically obey it as an obligation without questioning its truth or the person who commanded them to fast. Apparently, Muslims have failed to self examine whether this verse is indeed also includes Gods command to the Jews and Christians, as stated. Had God really prescribed the Jews and Christians also to fast in the same way as the Muslims did? Obviously, this claim is far from the truth! Sadly, this so-called revelation dragged the third party into a form of fasting unfamiliar to them, because it is commonly known that the Islamic fast does not have any similarity with Biblical fasting! Muhammad had proclaimed a revelation that has no accuracy at all! First, the Christians never were obliged to fast the same way Muhammad commanded his followers to fast. For the Muslims, fasting is a religious duty with certain rules to be exercised in order to receive abundant blessing. Failed to fulfill it will put one under curse and considered has done a terrible sin. Biblical fasting must be done to seek the presence of God in order to have a deep relationship with the Creator; it must be done for God and not for self gained righteousness. Second, basically what is called fasting in Islam is not fasting at all, but merely CHANGING MEAL TIME! When the Muslims fast, they actually dont lost anything because they only change their meal time, i.e they dont eat from morning until noon but only after the sun sets until dawn they will eat many stuffs of delicious food! The quality and quantity of food they eat when they fast is not affected at all. It is also the same with their sex activity; they dont really abstain from it, but only change the time to do it! Frankly during Ramadan, the month for fasting, they eat even more delicious food than any other month in lunar year. When a Muslim says I have fast for 30 days full, the non Muslims, especially the Christians will understand it as total abstinence for 30 days and 30 nights! Yet actually he fast for 30 days (in daytime) only and for 30 nights he indulged himself with plenty of food! He didnt really abstain from food, but only change his meal time.

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Third, Islamic fasting put more emphasize on physical activities, namely called as jasadiyyah worship, that is making sacrifice by abandoning, limitating dan abstain from lust (especially stomach and genital, wishing to receive blessing and reward from Allah SWT. Fasting is considered as a struggle and a heavy sacrifice, while ending the fast is considered as a victory at the end of the struggle. Everything is physical in winning over Satan and human lust, yet food and drink certanly are not satanic, as lust/human desire (a healthy and legal one) should not be fought and treated as an enemy! And the person who won the struggle is he who perseveres. He will receive rewards plentifully. This is very different from Biblical fasting which basically rooted in mourning condition, a deep concern, a cry from the bottom of the heart to seek Gods hands and His presence with a humble attitude. We will discuss this further. FAIL TO AIM AT THE ENEMY The real enemy of the Muslim actually does not come from the things he avoid from, but rather from the various excess of his own perception whilst fasting. For many times after a Muslim feels that he has making sacrifices while fasting, he will consider himself righteous and secretly demands other people to respect him. We could find a lot of persecution and attrocities committed by the Muslim during Ramadan towards the infidel who happens to be around him unfasting; and he is accused for showing disrespect to the Muslim who fast. There is a silence demand, echoing within him, Look, I fast with obedience. You should give me a bit of respect. Therefore, big and small restaurants are asked to be closed (even forced) or to close their windows with curtains. They believe that the non Muslim should respect their fasting Muslim neighbours because the Muslim are making holy

sacrifices.at that time. But on the contrary, the Muslims are insensitive and ignorant towards restaurants that run their bussiness as usual. Those restaurants owners dont do anything wrong to anybody nor planning to harm other people. They just simply trying to meet their daily needs, which is just a mandate (amanah) to strive for their daily living, while serving other people who also need to eat. Sick people, children, women having their menstrual period, people who are travelling, the non Muslim, people who are too busy to cook their own meal on those days, they all need the services provided by big and small restaurants! It is unappropriate for you to feel that you are making sacrifices when you

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fast, but at the same time you oppress other people who dont fast, who struggle to meet their basic living. There is no reward whatsoever for you! Could you say that you have a clear consciense, worthy to receive reward from God because you have made sacrifices and have won the temptation to corrupt any fund, if you dont have any chance to corrupt some money? Likewise, you are also not suppose to claim that you have successfully fulfilled your obligation to fast when you have forced people to hide the food from your sight! But so many times we could easily see, anywhere in this planet, the Muslims snap or beat other people who accidentally happens to eat in front of them. The Muslims do this because they felt that their ego has been abused. They are unfamiliar with self denial, they just have put their ego over the top in the name of fasting!

Two Aceh women are beaten in public under Syariah law in Aceh because they opened their small food stall during Ramadan last year. In Aljazair, two Christian workers were accused offending Islam for having their lunch in Ramadan. The prosecutor charged them with 3 years in prison! Last month the Police Official in Dubai issued a warning that the non Muslim will be arrested if they were caught having their meal during Ramadan, see: www.jihadwatch.org/2011/07/dubaifines-british-expatriate-800-for-insulting-ramadan.html Penalties towards people accused of giving no respect to Islamic fast has become Islamic chauvinism that is far from validity and justice. Another big enemy or false practise in the Islamic fast is the absence of fasting from money (eliminating the desire or love for money)! The Muslims failed to see that the lust for money is the core of crime, which is very dangerous than any other lust

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combined together! It is very dangerous that it can destroy people, communities, and nations. However, Allah fail to detect it, and therefore He did not PRESCRIBE fasting from money in the same obligation package to fast from food and sex? Here we could see a gap and a loop hole within the law of Allah. Restaurant owners who try to make clean money are punished for selling food during Ramadan, but corruptors, people who involved in money laundry, etc, can walk freely. Even worse, they use dirty money to give alms, zakat, pilgrimage to Mecca (hajj), to redeem their sins!

DIFFERENT UNDERSTANDING IN FASTING Muhammad always claimed that the Jews, Christians and the Muslims shared the same Allah, the angels, the prophets, and Allahs Books. He claimed, My God and your God is one. Islam then is considered as the extension of the previous religions and faiths. Therefore, there shouldnt be any difference between these faiths concerning doctrine and religious practices, at least the form of worship and ritual sould show similarities. But it does not happen in reality. The claim that all religions originated from Islam is only a misleading Islamic rhetoric which fools everybody. Judaism and Christianity absolutely never introduced, tought, nor urged their followers to practise all aspects in the Hajj ritual (pilgrimage to Mecca), including kissing the black stone, performing tawaf seven times, throwing stones at Satan (throwing jumroh), pray 5 times daily in Arabic with all its rules and regulations. (Historically, no Arabic was ever spoken by God to Israels prophets). Therefore, by whose authority suddenly Muhammad felt the need to rearrange a worship ritual that has no foundation in Allahs words? Why Allah never said anything concerning such a very principal matter? This is a mystery and also a challenge. Let us take a closer look at the origin of the obligation to fast during Ramadan. Was it really ordained by Allah? Sura Al-Baqarah 183 says, O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint. But who has prescribed it? Nothing is mentioned specifically. Rather, we can use Islamic credible sources. The concept of fasting was not founded by Muhammad alone through heavenly revelation from Allah, rather from the practices originated in Jewish and Quraish tradition since the pre-islamic era. Muhammad incorporated them as a central part of Islamic doctrine, and made it as one of the 5 pillars of Islam. (The same thing also can be found within the many Islamic stories and

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practices, especially the Hajj ritual mentioned earlier). These following hadiths speak about the origin of fasting as prescribed by Muhammad without heavenly authority, but applied SUDDENLY on the very same day he got the inspiration, eventhough his followers have had their meal on that day! (Yusuf Qardhawi, Tirulah Puasa Nabi! p.213). Muhammad did this by imitating the Jewish Ashura fast just because he also wanted to be recognized as an heir of Moses! We can see it clearly from this following hadith:
** The Prophet came to Medina and saw the Jews fasting on the day of Ashura. He asked them about that. They replied, "This is a good day, the day on which Allah rescued Bani Israel from their enemy. So, Moses fasted this day." The Prophet said, "We have more claim over Moses than you." So, the Prophet fasted on that day and ordered (the Muslims) to fast (on that day). (Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 31, No. 222). **The day of 'Ashura' was considered as 'Id day by the Jews. So the Prophet ordered, "I recommend you (Muslims) to fast on this day." (Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 31, No. 223).

**I never saw the Prophet seeking to fast on a day more (preferable to him) than this day, the day of 'Ashura', or this month, i.e. the month of Ramadan. (Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 31, No. 224). **Narrated 'Aisha: (The tribe of) Quraish used to fast on the day of Ashura' in the Pre-lslamic period, and then Allah's Apostle ordered (Muslims) to fast on it till the fasting in the month of Ramadan was prescribed; whereupon the Prophet said, "He who wants to fast (on 'Ashura') may fast, and he who does not want to fast may not fast."
(Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 31, No. 117).

Eventually we learn that Muhammad no longer prescribed the Ashura fast as a mandatory to his followers, but they are allowed not to perform it (sunnah). Instead, fasting during Ramadan became an obligation. Slowly and systematically Muhammad eliminated the weight and role of the Ashura fast as shown by Qardawi: Abu Qatadah narrated that Rasulullah pbuh said, Fast one day on the day of Arafah (day 9th Zul-Hijjah) is granted of (sin) elimination for a year before and after it, while fasting a day on Ashura (day 10th Muharram) eliminates (sin) for a year (HR AlJamaah, Al-Bukhari and Al-Tirmidzi, Nail AlAuthar (4/323). Since the Prophet (pbuh) was very concerned about having Islamic personal characteristics in every aspect, so that the Muslims will have their own independence which differentiated them from other people, he suggested them to fast on the ninth day

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 so that they all will fast together on the tenth day to differentiated their fasting with the kind of fasting performed by The People Of The Book. (p.213) So, where is the validity of the Muhammads claim that he and his followers has more right than the Jews to perform the Ashura fast, while later he changed it to the ninth day and turned the Ashura fast from a religious obligation ordained by Moses into a sunnah (non-obligatory)? He even then replaced it with an obligatory fast during Ramadan by setting that Ramadan fast equals to 10 months fasting (Musnad Ahmad, 5/280; Saheeh al-Targheeb, 1/421) Indeed, there are too many man-made-rules in the name of God. Therefore in the Bible we can always see how God from time to time asked and rebuked the way we fast. We have to heed Gods word! GOD REBUKED FALSE WAY OF FASTING Probably Muhammad did not know, but through the Prophet Zechariah, God rebuked the false way of fasting that has been performed by His people for 70 years. Without exception, God also rebuked the priests: Did you fast for ME, or just for your own interest? Ask all the people of the land and the priests, 'When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months for the past seventy years, was it really for me that you fasted? And when you were eating and drinking, were you not just feasting for yourselves? (Zechariah 7:5-6) As mentioned previously, the Biblical fasting basically rooted in mourning condition, weeping or a serious concern, to seek Gods hands and presence with a humble heart. A Christian who fasts focusing his mind on Gods mercy, realizing he is not worthy to present himself in front of the holy God because of his sins. He seeks to be close to God through prayer and abstaining from food and/or drink for a period of time. Self denial in contrast with Gods authority; the fasting Christian laid down his self interest in front of Gods will. The presence of God is the central for everything. Thus Biblical fasting NEVER INCLUDE a sense of physical fighting, sacrifice, nor to gain reward; all of those are the characteristics of SELF ORIENTATION. Also there isnt any feeling of winningor successfully defeated the enemy; for the stomach and genital are not the real enemy! Since the origin of the Islamic fast as shown previously - was a result of Muhammad imitating the cultural sort of fasting performed by the Jews and Quraysh, it went as Muhammad has no proper understanding concerning the kind of fasting God wanted

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His people to exercise. Probably Muhammad once over heard from the People Of The Book that Moses and Jesus fast for 40 days and 40 nights, absolutely without food or drink! (Matthew 4:2, Luke 4:2)! Thus if Islam considered itself as an extension of the revelation in the Torah and the Gospel, then Muhammad who considered as the greatest and the final Prophet should also fast no less than 40x24 hours, just like Moses and Jesus. He should do it to support his own claim that he has the same position as Moses and Isa (Jesus); and also received Allahs holy books! 1. He claimed that he has yet even more right over Moses than anybody else, and thus to command his followers to perform the Ashura fast as Moses did, "We have more claim over Moses than you." But actually Jesus had thus warned the Pharisees and now the same warning applied to Muhammad: The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat (Matthew 23:2) 2. Muhammad claimed that he has a close relationship with Isa Son of Maryam. I am the one closest to Isa son of Maryam here on earth and hereafter. (Shahih Bukhari 1501). Just as Jesus rebuked the Scribes and the Pharisees, and now Jesus also rebuked Muhammad: '...I am the Son of God'' (John 10:36), not Isa the son of Maryam! It is very unappropriate for Muhammad to claim that he has better position to prescribe the Ashura fast as Moses did ti his peopl, yet he himself did not perform the fast of Moses and Jesus!! There is no reason for Allah to discriminate him alone from this noble matter, unless Muhammad status as a prophet was ordained by another source, so that he did not have the ability to fast for 40 days full, including abstaining from having sexual relationship with his wives. Indeed, he admitted his own disability to exercise such heavy fast and this was recorded in Hadith Muslim no. 2603 which we are going to discuss. ALLAH FAVOURED DAVIDS FAST? In Hadith Muslim no.2603 we can read once Muhammad was very angry at the beginning of fasting. He was asked about the way he fast. People asked him could he fast for 2 full days and stop fasting on the third day. Apparently he could not do it. He said, Who has the strength to do it? Then they asked him again if he could do it the other way around, that is fasting for only one day. He said to them, May Allah gives us the strength to do it. But Abdullah b. Amr gave an interesting statement to Muhammad that he could fast for 4 days unceasingly! Then Muhammad rushed to response his statement, assuring him that the best fast in the sight of Allah is Davids fast; he usually fast for one day and he took a break the next day!?

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Huge question is: had any witness that David or any other prophet in this world ever practiced the Davids fast? Which Torah, Zabur (Psalm), Gospel, and Quran he used to prove his claim? This kind of fasting which is the best in Allah sight surely will be guarded and delivered as a noble heritage from generation to generation, and surely not even one Jew will have or feel the need to corrupt it! Even Allah undoubtedly will protect it so it will not easily eliminated by anybody from the Jewish culture, and dissapeared without a trace. So, WHERE and BY WHOM Davids fast ever been said, written or practised before Muhammad did it on his own? And what is the background and purpose of Davids fast according to Muhammad? David never had any reason to fast in such a galloping way: fasting for one day and take a break the next day. The Bible informed us that David took time to fast because he was so overwhelmed by full sorrow and regret for committing a terrible sin before YAHWEH. God sent Nathan, His Prophet, to rebuke David for committing a grave sin. David committed adultery with Batsyeba bint Eliam, Uriahs wife, and planned to have him killed in battle (2 Samuel 11). Guilty and regret for committing such evil sin haunted David, and he mourned, and took a time to fast. Therefore his fast was a MOURNING FAST! Definitely it was none of a fast as praised by Muhammad. It was a deep thematic fast, which driven by a troubled heart, confession and repentance from sin. David cried all night long, asking Gods mercy and forgiveness with a broken heart (Psalm/Zabur 51). David laid down on the ground for a whole week, untill he received the news that his baby from Uriahs wife has died! (2 Samuel 12:15-20). This Biblical account has a huge difference from Islamic empty tales! CLOSING REFLECTION Once again we have learnt and witnessed how Muhammad talked as he pleased on behalf of Allah and His Prophets: 1. Muhammad did not want to be left behind, so he prescribed and joined the ritual of fasting in Islam. He considered himself has more right to sit at the seat of Moses, and obliged his followers to perform the Ashura fast. He instantly ordered them to practise it as an obligatory fast. 2. Later, after he found out that the seat of Moses is not well suiting with the supremacy of Islam, he made the Ashura fast as sunnah (non-obligatory), without any reason, while he himself could not perform the 40 days fast Moses did.

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3. Davids fast is a myth. Even David himself, and his offspring (down to Jesus), not even one of them knew that so-called the fast of David which praised by Muhammad

as the best fast in Allah sight. Muhammad was the only person who knew and boasted about it, not Allah. 4. If this is the best fast, surely Allah would give it a special place in Islamic law and a high reward for those who perform it. Yet nowhere one could find it even among the 5 pillars of Islam. 5. The name of Allah was not even mentioned when Muhammad said: O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint (Al-Baqarah 183). But we can be sure that not even one of the Prophets in Israel were obliged to perform the Islamic fast, which is only a false practice that only changing meal time. 6. After investigating the origin of Islamic fast, now the Muslims must think critically: Who really ordered them to fast? Is it Muhammad or Allah? Adopted from Heaven or Earth? 7. Jesus the Messiah never established the time to fast. While He was still walking on this earth, when His disciples were criticized being not fasting, Jesus said to defend them: "How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them. But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast. (Mark 2:19, 20). Jesus taught the kind of fast based on a humble and pure heart. It is personal and focusing on building a closer relationship with God the Father, not showing off, nor demanding respect and acknowledgement from other people. It is not physical (jasadiyyah), but spiritual. It is the kind of fast pleasing to God the Father, which He will be delighted to shower His mercy: "When you fast (not just changing meal time), do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting (so other people will respect and honor them). I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen (a humble heart, undemanding); and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. Matthew 6:16-18

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