1570. If a child becomes bÁligh before the adhÁn of fajr in the month of Ramadan, he must observe the fast of that day. If however he becomes bÁligh after the adhÁn of fajr, the fast of that day is not obligatory on him. Recommended precaution dictates that if he becomes bÁligh before zuhr and has made the intention to observe the fast, he should complete the fast of that day. In fact, even if he has not made the intention, and has not indulged in the acts that invalidate the fast, he should form his intention to fast and fast on that day.
1571. If a person has been hired to repay the fasts of a deceased, and he fasts a recommended fast, there is no harm in it. However, one who has to observe the qaÃÁ of his own fasts of the month of Ramadan, cannot fast a recommended fast. The same will apply, based on obligatory precaution, if he has to observe another obligatory fast. If he forgets about it and observes a recommended fast, then in the event that he recollects prior to zuhr, his recommended fast will be invalid. In this case he may change his intention to a non date-specific obligatory fast, as changing the intention to a date-specific obligatory fast is problematic.
However, if he recollects after zuhr, he cannot change his intention to an obligatory fast, albeit one that is not date-specific. In the case of the fast of the qaÃÁ of the month of Ramadan, this ruling will be based on precaution from after mid-day until maghrib.
If however he recollects after maghrib, his fast will be in order.
1572. If a specific fast other than the fast of the month of Ramadan is obligatory on a person—for example, if one has made a nadhr (vow) to fast on a particular day—and he deliberately fails to make the intention to fast until the adhÁn of fajr, his fast will be void. The same will apply, based on precaution, if he does not know that the fast of that day is obligatory on him, or forgets about it, but recollects before zuhr and has not performed any act which invalidates the fast.
1573. If a person deliberately fails to make his intention until close to the time of zuhr, for an obligatory fast which is not date-specific, like the fast for a kaffÁrah, there is no harm in it. In fact, if he had decided before making his intention that he would not fast, or was undecided on whether to fast or not, but had not performed any act which invalidates the fast, and he forms his intention to fast prior to zuhr, his fast is in order.
1574. If a kÁfir converts to Islam during the month of Ramadan prior to the time of Ûuhr, his fast (for that day) will not be valid even if he had not committed any of the acts which invalidate a fast from the adhÁn of fajr to that time.
1575. If a person who is sick recovers from his sickness close to midday, be it before Ûuhr or after it, it will not make the fast of that day obligatory upon him even if he had not, to that point, committed an act that invalidates a fast.
1576. If a person doubts whether a particular day is the last day of Sha‘bÁn or the first day of the month of Ramadan, it will not be obligatory on him to fast that day. However, should he want to fast on that day, he will not be able to fast with the intention of the fast of the month of Ramadan, nor with the intention that it be the fast of the month of Ramadan should that day be the first day of Ramadan, and a qaÃÁ or similar fast should it not; rather, he should make the intention of fasting another obligatory fast, like a qaÃÁ fast, or a recommended fast. Then, if he later comes to know that it was in fact the first of the month of Ramadan, his fast will count as a fast of the month of Ramadan.
If he fasts with the intention of fulfilling that which he is charged with, and later comes to realize that it was indeed the first of the month of Ramadan, it will suffice.
1577. On a day when a person is not certain whether it is the last day of Sha‘bÁn or the first day of the month of Ramadan, if he fasts with the intention of fasting a qaÃÁ or similar fast, or fasting a recommended fast, and realizes during the day that it is the first of the month of Ramadan, he should change his intention to the fast of the month of Ramadan.
919. It is forbidden to sell the door, window or other items of a mosque. In the case of a demolished mosque, such items should be utilized to repair the same mosque. However if the items are not useful for that mosque, they should be utilized for another mosque. If they are not useful for any mosque, and are not considered a part of the mosque but have been dedicated to that mosque, they can be sold with the permission of a shar‘Ð guardian. The money obtained from the sale of the item(s) should be used for repairing the same mosque if possible. If not, it should be used for repairing another mosque. If even that it not possible, it should be used for any good cause.
1578. If a person, in a specified obligatory fasting such as fasting of Ramadan, reneges on his intention to abstain (from the acts that invalidate a fast) for the sake of God, or wavers in his decision to renege, or intends to commit an act from the acts that invalidate a fast, or wavers in doing so, his fast will be rendered invalid, even if reverts from the decision he made, seeks forgiveness for it, and does not commit an act which invalidates the fast.
920. To build or to repair a mosque is recommended. If a mosque is ruined in such a manner that its repair is not possible, it is permissible to demolish it and rebuild it. In fact, it is permissible to demolish a mosque that is not ruined, and increase its size to meet the needs of those who pray there.
1579. The precept elaborated in the previous article does not invalidate the obligatory fasts which are not day-specific—such as a fast of kaffÁrah or a non-specific nadhr—as it does to obligatory fasts which are day-specific. Hence, if a person reverts to his original intention (to fast) prior to Ûuhr, his fast will be in order.
921. To clean and illuminate a mosque is recommended. It is also recommended for one who wishes to visit a mosque to apply perfume, wear clean and valuable clothing, check the sole of his shoes for najÁsah, enter the mosque with his right foot, exit the mosque with his left foot, be the first to enter the mosque and the last to leave it.
922. It is recommended for one who enters a mosque to offer a two rak‘ah prayer with the intention of venerating and respecting the mosque. In fact, it is sufficient to offer any other obligatory or recommended prayer.
923. It is makrÙh to sleep in a mosque unless one is compelled to do so. It is also makrÙh for one to speak of worldly matters, to occupy himself with handicraft, or recite a poem that does not contain admonishment or similar content in a mosque. It is similarly makrÙh to spit out one’s saliva, mucus or phlegm in a mosque, seek out one’s lost property, or raise one’s voice. However there is no harm in raising one’s
1580. Committing any one of the following nine acts will invalidate a fast, albeit in some cases it is dictated by obligatory precaution:
1. Eating and drinking
2. Engaging in sexual intercourse
3. Masturbation, wherein a person stimulates himself or is stimulated by another person, through an act other than intercourse, causing semen to be ejaculated
4. Ascribing lies to God, the prophet (Peace be upon him and his progeny) or the Infallible Imams (Peace be upon them all)
5. Causing dust to reach the throat, based on obligatory precaution
6. Immersing the entire head under water
7. Remaining in the state of janÁbah, Îayà or nifÁs until the adhÁn of fajr
8. Getting a liquid enema
9. Vomiting
The precepts related to these acts will be elaborated in the subsequent articles.
924. It is makrÙh to allow a child or an insane person to enter a mosque. It is also makrÙh for one to enter a mosque with malodorous breath, caused by consuming onion, garlic or their like, that would annoy people.
1581. If a person who is fasting intentionally eats or drinks something, being well aware that he is fasting, his fast will be rendered void, regardless of whether it is something that is usually consumed, such as bread and water, or not usually consumed, such as sand and tree sap, and regardless of whether it is a significant amount or not. In fact, if a person expels a fluid from his mouth and then puts it back into his mouth, eventually swallowing it, his fast will be void, unless the fluid dissolves in his saliva in a manner that it is no longer considered to be external fluid.
925. It is recommended for men and women to recite the adhÁn and iqÁmah before the daily obligatory prayers. They are not however prescribed for other obligatory or recommended prayers. Although, it is recommended to proclaim al-ÒalÁt three times prior to the ‘Ðd al-fiÔr and ‘Ðd al-qurbÁn prayer, if they are offered in congregation. It may also be proclaimed for other than these two prayers, such as the prayer for signs, with the intention of rajÁÞ.
1582. If a person realizes that it has dawned whilst he is eating, he must remove the morsel from his mouth. If he intentionally swallows it, it will void his fast, and in accordance with the instructions that will follow, the kaffÁrah will also become obligatory on him.
926. It is recommended to recite the adhÁn in the right ear and the iqÁmah in the left ear of a new born child. It is better that this be done on the first day of the baby’s birth.
1583. If a person who is fasting eats or drinks something inadvertently, his fast does not become void.
1584. There is no harm in infusing medicine into the body through injection, or anesthetizing a part of the body using the same process. The recommended precaution is that a person who is fasting should avoid injections which are given in lieu of food or water
927. The adhÁn consists of the following eighteen sentences:
Statements No. of times
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ
Allahu akbar
Four
أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّه
Ash'hadu an la ilaaha ill'Allah
Two
أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً رَسُولُ اللَّهِ
Ash'hadu anna Muhammadar Rasul'Allah
Two
حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلَاةِ
Hayya alas salaat
Two
حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلَاح
Hayya alal falaah
Two
حَيَّ عَلَى خَيْرِ الْعَمَل
Hayya ala khairil amal
Two
اللَّهُ أَكْبَر
Allahu akbar
Two
لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّه
La ilaaha ill'Allah
Two
The iqÁmah consists of the following seventeen sentences:
Statements No. of times
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ
Allahu akbar
Two
أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّه
Ash'hadu an la ilaaha ill'Allah
Two
أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً رَسُولُ اللَّهِ
Ash'hadu anna Muhammadar Rasul'Allah
Two
حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلَاةِ
Hayya alas salaat
Two
حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلَاح
Hayya alal falaah
Two
حَيَّ عَلَى خَيْرِ الْعَمَل
Hayya ala khairil amal
Two
قَدْ قَامَتِ الصَّلَاة
Qad qaamatis salaat
Two
اللَّهُ أَكْبَر
Allahu akbar
Two
لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّه
La ilaaha ill'Allah
One
1585. If a person who is fasting, intentionally swallows the food that has remained between his teeth, well aware that he is fasting, his fast will be rendered void.
1586. A person who intends to fast does not have to floss his teeth prior to the adhÁn of fajr. However, if he is certain or satisfied that the food leftover between his teeth will be swallowed through the course of the day, yet fails to floss his teeth, and later a part of it is swallowed, his fast will be deemed void.
928. The statement اَشْهَدُ انَّ عَلِيًّا وَلِيُ اللَّهِ (Ash'hadu anna Aliyyan wali'ullah) ({^“I bear witness that Ali (Peace be upon him) is the vicegerent of God”.^}) is not a part of the adhÁn, nor the iqÁmah. However, since the guardianship of Amir al-Mu’menin (Peace be upon him) is the completion of the religion, to recite it in any state, including after the statement اَشْهَدُ انَّ مُحَمَّدً رَسُولُ اللَّه “I bear witness that Muhammad (Peace be upon him and his progeny) is the messenger of God” is the best means of attaining Divine proximity.
1587. Swallowing one’s saliva does not invalidate the fast, even if its secretion is a result of imagining sweet or sour foods.
1588. There is no harm in swallowing one’s nasal mucus or respiratory phlegm, as long as it has not entered the mouth. If it has, obligatory precaution dictates that one should not swallow it.
1589. If a person who is fasting experiences thirst to a degree that he fears for his life, it is obligatory on him to drink an amount of water that is just enough to save his life. His fast however will become void. Should this occur in the month of Ramadan, he should avoid committing any of the acts that invalidate a fast for the rest of the day. Similarly, if he fears that by not drinking water, he will be afflicted with a significant harm, or doing so will entail a hardship that is conventionally not bearable, he may drink water in both these cases to the extent that the fear of the harm or hardship is lifted.
