How was the Fasting of the People Before the Prophet Muhammad?

Towards or entering the holy month of Ramadan, we hear this verse quite often:

 يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُُُُُُُُُُُُُُُُُْ

It means: "O you who believe, are required of you to fast as required of those before you so that you will be cautious," (Q.S. al-Baqarah [2]: 183). Almost every preacher and preacher begins his description or muqaddimah with this verse. Various matters relating to fasting have also been thoroughly discussed by them. Starting from the legal basis, the rules of jurisprudence, wisdom, to sundries, has become a series of topics presented before the congregation. However, there is one topic that does not seem to have been raised much, namely how fast people were before us, as revealed in the above verse fragment, "as required of those before you." Citing the opinion of Abu Ja'far, al-Tabari (d. 310) in his Tafsīr (Jeddah: Muassasah al-Risalah, Prints I, 2000, Volume 3, p. 410) 

states that the scholars of the interpretations themselves disagree about the meaning of " as required of those before you, "above. Some have stated, the emphasis of tasybîh or parables there is the obligation of fasting. While others emphasize those who are devoted. Nevertheless, these two differences still boils down to the intentions of the previous people and their ways, time, and length of fasting. If the emphasis is on fasting people who are the same as us, obviously the intention is Christians. Because, they are required to fast Ramadan in which time and duration are the same as fasting which is revealed to us.

That was quoted by al-Tabari from Musa ibn Harun, from ‘Amr ibn Hammad, from Asbath, from al-Suddi. He stated, "The intention of the people before us is the Christians. Because, they are required to fast Ramadan. They may not eat or drink after sleeping (from evening time to evening time), nor should husband and wife get along. Apparently, it was quite burdensome for Christians (including for Muslims at the beginning of Ramadan fasting). Seeing this condition, the Christians finally agreed to move their fasting time according to the season, until they diverted it to mid-summer and winter. They say, "To make up for what we do, we will increase our fasting by twenty days." That way, their fasting becomes 50 days. The Christian tradition also (not eating and drinking and not associating husband and wife) is still being carried out by Muslims, including by Abu Qais ibn Shirmah and Umar ibn al-Khathab. So God also allowed them to eat, drink, and get along with husband and wife, until dawn. " There are also those who argue that the intentions of the previous people there were the People of the Book, in this case the Jews, as in the history of Mujahid and Qatadah. 

In his narration, Qatadah revealed, "Ramadan fasting has been obliged to all people, as required of those before them. Before decreasing the obligation of Ramadan, Allah decreases the obligation of fasting three days every month. " However, the obligatory three days of fasting was rejected by other friends. According to them, the three-day fast that was carried out by the Messenger of Allah ‘alayhi wasallam was not obligatory, but sunnah. The reason is, there is no strong history used as evidence that there is a compulsory fast before Ramadan fasting given to Muslims. Although there is a fast that is required before Ramadan, then it has been removed (mansukh) with the obligation to fast Ramadan. Thus as stated in Tafsir al-Tabari. In another narrative, besides fasting three days a month, the Prophet also fasted ‘Ashura, which is the fast which is usually done by Jews at 10 Muharram. In fact, in connection with this fast ‘Ashura, Ibn‘ Abbas narrated, "When he came to Medina, the Messenger of Allah found the Jews fasting on the day of‘ Ashura. He asked, 'What day is this?' They answered, 'This is a great day when Allah saved Moses and sank the army of Pharaohs. Then the Jews fasted as a form of gratitude. "He then said," I am of course more important to Moses and more right to run the fast than you. "So he fasted and ordered his friends to fast that day."

This was later emphasized by Ibn Abi Hatim (d. 327) in his Tafsîr (Jeddah: Maktabah Nazar Musthafa al-Baz, Prints III, 2000, Volume 1, p. 303) based on the history of al-Dhahak, Ibn Abbas, and Ibnu Mas'ud. He stated that fasting three days every month is also commonly done by Noah a.s., also by the prophets afterwards, then followed by the Prophet Muhammad and his friends. Their fasting is carried out for three days each month and breaking the fast at evening. In fact, in Tafsir al-Tsa‘labi, (Beirut: Daru Ihya al-Turats, Prints I, 2002, Volume 2, p. 62) it is mentioned that the Prophet Adam ‘alaihis salam had once held a fast for three days. It is reported, when descended from heaven to the face of the earth, the Prophet Adam burned his skin by the sun, so that his body turned black. Then he fasted on the third day, the fifteenth. Then, he was visited by the angel Gabriel and asked, "O Adam, will your body turn white again?" The Prophet Adam replied, "Of course." Angel Gabriel continued, "Fast on the 13th, 14th and 15th." He also fasted. On the first day, bleed a third of his body. On the second day, whitened two-thirds of his body. On the third day, his whole body was white. Then this fast is called "ayyamul bidl" or "white days" fasting. In addition, in Tafsîr al-Tabari again stated, fasting ‘Ashura was also carried out by the Prophet Noah‘ alaihis salam while safely disembarked from the ship he was on. It is said, at the beginning of the month of Rajab, the Prophet Noah ‘alaihis salam began to board his ship. 

At that time, he and other passengers fasted. The ship sailed for up to six months. In the month of Muharram, the ship anchored at Mount Judi, right on ‘Ashura. So he fasted, not forgetting to command other passengers, including his innate animals, to participate in fasting as a form of gratitude to God. Furthermore, the fasting of the earlier people can also be traced from the words of the Prophet himself when asked by a man, "What do you think of people who fast one day and break one day?" He replied, "That is the fast of my brother, Dawud a.s." Even in other hadiths, he stated: أَفْضَلُ الصَّوْمِ صَوْمُ أَخِي دَاوُدَ ، كَانَ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا As good as you are fasting, fasting is fasting. He fasted one day and broke one day, (H.R. Ahmad). Based on the hadith above, the Prophet Dawud ‘alayhi salam also had the habit of fasting every day. The fast was later revealed by the Prophet to his people. Likewise fasting ‘Ashura and fasting" ayyamul bidl ". From the above description, two big conclusions can be drawn regarding the interpretation of the verse fragment "as required of those before you." Some say, the purpose of the verse is the similarity of the obligation of fasting between the previous Ummah and the Muslims. Whereas the time, method, and duration of course differ, such as fasting of Dawud, fasting ‘Ashura for the Jewish people, fasting" ayyamul bidl "which is usually carried out by Noah, Adam, and Rasulullah before the Ramadan fasting.

There are others who interpret the similarity of the obligation of fasting, both time and duration, such as Ramadan fasting for Christians. They are obliged to run it on Ramadan for 30 days, but due to objections then they divert it to mid-summer and cold with the addition of days. Allah knows best. 

Ustadz M. Tatam Wijaya, Caregiver of the Taklim Assembly "Syubbanul Muttaqin", Jayagiri Village, Sukanagara-Cianjur, West Java.

Source: https://islam.nu.or.id/

Share this post