Virtue of Fasting

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that Allah Almighty says in the Qudsi Hadīth: Every righteous deed offered by the son of Adam is multiplied by ten up to seven hundred times, except for fasting, which is for Me, as it does not involve ostentation, and I give reward for it. So, none but Me knows how great its reward is and how many times it is multiplied. Then he said: (Fasting is a shield), protection, shelter, and a fortified fort against the Fire because it is all about abstaining from desires and committing sins, and the Fire is surrounded with desires. (When it is the day when any of you is fasting, let him not engage in obscenity) at all through sexual intercourse and foreplay or through any obscene speech. (And let him not speak in a loud voice) by quarreling and shouting. (If anyone insults him or fights with him) in Ramadan, let him say: I am a fasting person; perhaps this will deter him. However, if he insists on real fighting, he should expel him with the least violent means first. Then the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) swore by the One in Whose Hand that his soul is that the foul breath of the fasting person resulting from fasting is more pleasant than the smell of musk in the sight of Allah on the Day of Judgment and is a means of receiving a greater reward than that of the musk, which is recommended to be used on Fridays and during the Dhikr (remembrance of Allah) sessions. The fasting person will have two occasions to rejoice: when breaking his fast, he rejoices at breaking his fast that eliminates his hunger and thirst; and he rejoices at completing his fast and accomplishing his act of worship, at the alleviation from his act of worship to his Lord, and at the strength it provides him with for his future fasting. (And when he meets his Lord, he rejoices at his fast), i.e., at its recompense and reward.

1. The merit of fasting is that it protects the one who observes it from desires in this worldly life and from the punishment of the Fire in the Hereafter.
2. Abandoning obscene speech and idle talk, enduring people's offense patiently, and responding to their abuse with patience and kindness are among the manners of fasting.
3. When a fasting person or a worshipper rejoices for completing and finishing his act of worship, this does not diminish his reward in the Hereafter.
4. Ultimate happiness is achieved by meeting Allah Almighty when the patient and those who used to observe fast will be given their reward without measure.
5. Informing people of an act of obedience, in case of necessity and benefit, is not deemed ostentation when one says: "I am fasting."
6. The person whose fasting is perfect is he whose limbs abstain from sins, whose tongue abstains from lying, obscene speech, and words of falsehood, and whose stomach abstains from food and drink.
7. Emphasis on the prohibition of noise, quarreling, and shouting during the fast, as the non-fasting person is also prohibited from such things.
8. This Hadīth is part of what the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) narrates from his Lord, and it is called Qudsi or Divine Hadīth. Its wording and meaning are from Allah, yet it does not have the unique characteristics of the Qur'an, including reciting it as a form of worship, getting purified for it, presenting it as a challenge, its miraculousness, etc.

صحيح البخاري (3/ 26) (1904). صحيح مسلم (2/ 807) (1151). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (2/ 357). نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (2/ 866). كنوز رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (15/ 5). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (5/ 265).

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that one of the gates of Paradise is called Ar-Rayyān, through which those who fast will enter on the Day of Judgment. No one else will enter through it. A call will be made: Where are those who fast? They will rise and enter, and no one else will be allowed to pass through it. Once the last of them has entered, it will be closed, and no one will enter through it thereafter.

1. An-Nawawi said: This Hadīth denotes the merit of fasting and the honor bestowed upon those who fast.
2. Allah has designated a special gate among the eight gates of Paradise for those who fast, which will be closed after they enter.
3. Clarifying the fact that Paradise has gates.
4. As-Sindi said: His statement (where are those who fast) refers to those who frequently observe fasting, like the just person and the oppressor; it is said for those who are accustomed to this, not for someone who does so only once.
5. (Ar-Rayyān) means "the one that quenches thirst," because those who fast often experience thirst, especially during the long, hot days of the summer. So as a reward for them, this gate is called by something unique to them, the Gate of Ar-Rayyān. It is also said that Ar-Rayyān is derived from the form "fa‘lān", indicating abundance in quenching, the opposite of thirst. It was named to reward those who endure thirst and hunger during fasting.

صحيح البخاري (3/ 25) (1896). صحيح مسلم (2/ 808) (1152). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (2/ 360). نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (2/ 868). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (5/ 270).

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that if a person fasts the month of Ramadan out of faith in Allah and out of belief in the obligation of fasting and the abundant reward Allah Almighty has prepared for those who observe fast, seeking thereby Allah's pleasure, without show-off or pursuit of reputation among people, his past sins will be forgiven.

1. The Hadīth points out the merit of sincerity and its significance in fasting Ramadan and other righteous deeds.

صحيح البخاري (1/ 16) (38). صحيح مسلم (1/ 523) (760). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (2/ 361). نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، لمصطفى الخِن وغيره (2/ 868). كنوز رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (15/ 40). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (5/ 270).

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) urged those who are able to have sexual intercourse and afford the expenses of marriage to marry, as it protects their sight from what is forbidden, keeps their private parts more chaste, and prevents them from falling into immorality. As for those who cannot afford the expenses of marriage yet can have sexual intercourse, they should observe fast, as it undermines the desire of the private parts and stops the evil of semen.

1. Islam is keen on the causes of chastity and safety from immoralities.
2. It urges those who cannot afford the expenses of marriage to observe fast, for it weakens sexual desire.
3. Fasting is described as a restraint (Wijā’ in Arabic), for Wijā’ means cutting off the veins of the two testicles, which eliminates one's libido; likewise, fasting weakens sexual desire.

صحيح البخاري (3/ 26) (1905). صحيح مسلم (2/ 1018) (1400). الإلمام بشرح عمدة الأحكام للشيخ ،لإسماعيل الأنصاري (2/ 57). تيسير العلام شرح عمدة الأحكام، لعبد الله البسام (ص565). خلاصة الكلام شرح عمدة الأحكام، لفيصل آل مبارك (ص281).

This Hadīth demonstrates the virtue of fasting a day solely for the sake of Allah. The reward for this is that Allah saves the fasting person from Hellfire and keeps him away from it at a distance equal to that between the heavens and the earth.

سنن الترمذي، تحقيق بشار عواد، دار الغرب الإسلامي – بيروت، 1998 م. نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين, مؤسسة الرسالة, الطبعة الرابعة عشر, 1407ه. بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي, دار ابن الجوزي. دليل الفالحين لطرق رياض الصالحين لمحمد بن علان الصديقي, دار الكتاب العربي. كنوز رياض الصالحين بإشراف حمد العمار, دار كنوز إشبيليا, الطبعة الأولى, 1430ه. سلسلة الأحاديث الصحيحة، محمد ناصر الدين الألباني، دار المعارف، 1415ه. شرح الأربعين النووية، لعطية بن محمد سالم. مصابيح التنوير على صحيح الجامع الصغير، تأليف الألباني، إعداد معتز أحمد. تأسيس الأحكام بشرح عمدة الأحكام، أحمد النجمي، دار علماء السلف.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that when the month of Ramadan comes, three things take place: First: The gates of Paradise are opened, and none of its gates are closed. Second: The gates of Hellfire are closed, and none of its gates are opened. Third: The devils and rebellious jinn are chained, so they cannot reach what they would usually reach outside Ramadan. All of this is to honor this month and encourage people to increase acts of obedience, such as prayer, charity, remembrance of Allah, recitation of the Qur’an, and other good deeds, as well as refraining from sins and misdeeds.

1. The merit of the month of Ramadan.
2. Bearing glad tidings for those who fast in it, that this blessed month is a season of worship and goodness.
3. Chaining the devils during Ramadan is an indication of the removal of excuses for the person who is held accountable for religious duties, as if it is being said to him: The devils have been restrained from you, so do not use them as an excuse for neglecting acts of obedience or committing sins.
4. Al-Qurtubi said: If it is asked: How do we see evils and sins occurring frequently in Ramadan, if the devils are chained? The answer is that they are only restrained from those who observe the fast with its conditions and adhere to its etiquettes. Or it is the rebellious devils who are chained, not all of them, as mentioned in some narrations. Or it is intended that the evils are reduced during this month, which is a tangible matter; for the occurrence of such acts in Ramadan is less than in other months. This is because the chaining of all the devils does not entail that no evil or sin can occur, as there are other causes for them, such as corrupt souls, bad habits, and human devils.

صحيح البخاري (3/ 25) (1899). صحيح مسلم (2/ 758) (1079). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (2/ 362). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (5/ 273). كنوز رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (15/ 46). نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (1/ 869).