Why Fast?

By: Brother Musa Millington (حفظه الله)

Many non-Muslims may ask us why is it that we must fast from food, drink and our desires from dawn to sunset every day for thirty days. 

Now, in many instances Allaah (سُبحانه وتعالى) may not have clarified the wisdom in doing something. Therefore, upon us Muslims is to obey regardless of whether or not we know the wisdom behind what we are doing. As Allaah (سُبحانه وتعالى) has said:

" و ما اتاكم الرسول فخذوا و ما نهاكم عنه فانتهوا"

‘Whatever the Messenger gave you take it and whatever he has prohibited you from leave it.’

However, in this case, Allaah (سُبحانه وتعالى) has been so Merciful that the wisdom of fasting has been mentioned in His Book, the Qur'aan, & in the Sunnah of the final servant & Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم).

The Inner Secrets of Fasting

There are three levels of fasting, the general fast, the specific fast & the more specific fast.

By Imaam Ibn Qudaamah al-Maqdisee

 

Know, that in the fast (Sawm) is a special quality that is not found in anything else. And that is its close connection to Allaah, such that He says:

‘‘The Fast (Sawm) is for Me & I will reward it.’’ ^[2]

This connection is enough to show the high status of fasting. Similarly, the Ka’bah is highly dignified due to its close connection to Him, as occurs in His statement:
                        ‘‘And sanctify My House.’’ ^[3]

Indeed, the fast is only virtuous due to two significant concepts:

THE FIRST: It is a secret and hidden action, thus, no one from the creation is able to see it Therefore riyaa‘ (showing off) cannot enter into it.

THE SECOND: It is a means of subjugating the enemies of Allaah. This is because the road that the enemies (of Allaah) embark upon (in order to misguide the Son of Aadam) is that of desires. And eating and drinking strengthens the desires. There are many reports that indicate the merits of fasting, and they are well known.

Who is the fasting person?

Imaam Ibnul Qayyim (رحمه الله) said:

The fasting person is the one whose limbs abstains from sins, his tongue (abstains) from lying, lewdness & false speech, his stomach (abstains) from food & drink & his private parts (abstain) from obscenity. When he speaks, he does not speak with what harms his fasting, & when he acts he does not do what corrupts his fasting. All his speech comes out useful & righteous.

Explanation of 'Fasting is for Me & I shall reward for it.'

 Shaykh Saalih ibn al-Fawzaan al-Fawzaan (hafidhahullaah) 

 

The Messenger of Allaah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said that:

"Allaah said: ‘Fasting is for Me & I shall reward for it…’”

 [Bukhaari (1761) & Muslim (1946)]

The obvious question which comes to one's mind when he reads the above hadeeth is that, we all know that all deeds, actions & worship are for the sake of Allaah & He is the One Who rewards for them, so then what is special about fasting that Allaah has singled it out from other acts of worship by his statement "Fasting is for Me and I shall reward for it"?

This question was put forward to Shaykh Saalih ibn al-Fawzaan al-Fawzaan (hafidhahullaah). He was asked,

Question: In the hadith Qudsi, “All the actions by the son of Adam are for him, except fasting for verily it is for Me & I shall reward for it.” I would like an explanation to this hadith. Why is fasting singled out with this specification? Please advise me. May Allaah bless you.

The Shaykh replied,

This is a great hadith & it has been established that the Prophet, صلى الله عليه وسلم, has narrated this hadith from his Lord the Mighty & Exalted. “All the actions by the son of Adam are for him, except fasting for verily it is for Me & I shall reward for it.”

This hadith contains the great virtue of fasting, & its great merit in comparison with the other deeds & Allaah singled out fasting for Himself, from amongst the deeds of the son of Adam. The people of knowledge have answered the statement of Allaah, (“Fasting is for Me & I shall reward for it”), with a number of answers:

(1) From them is the one who said the statement of Allaah, (“Fasting is for Me & I shall reward for it”), means that a person’s good deeds may leave him pending retribution between him & the one that he oppressed; so the one that he oppressed will take retaliation from him on the Day of Judgment by taking something from his good deeds & his charity. This is as appears in the hadith that a man will come on the Day of Judgment with good deeds like a mountain. But he insulted this person & he struck this person & he consumed the wealth of this person.

Therefore they will take for this wrongdoing some of his good deeds, & for that wrongdoing some of his good deeds, until when the person does not have any good deeds left then they will have to take the sins of the ones they oppressed, so all of these sins will drop upon them & they will be flung into the fire.

Except for fasting, for verily it will NOT be taken by the creditor (meaning the one who was oppressed & is due retribution) on the Day of Judgment. But rather it shall only be preserved & saved by Allaah the Mighty & Majestic for the one who observes it & He shall reward him for it.

The Chaining of the Shayātīn during the Month of Mercy (1)

The Messenger of Allāh (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said, 

“When Ramadhan begins, the gates of the Heavens are opened, and the gates of the Hell-fire are closed, and the Shayātīn (devils) are chained.”

The questioner may ask,  
“If the Shayātīn are chained up during the blessed month of Mercy, Shahr Ramaḍān, then why does evil and sin still occur?”

Wipe the dust off your Mushaf & let's start reciting!

Reading the Qur'aan during Ramadaan - (Extracts of the article)

'Abdullaah bin Saalih Al-Fawzaan 

                                                                  
   

Let's turn our attention to the Qur’aan this blessed month.

شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِيَ أُنزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ

“The month of Ramadhan is that in which the Qur’aan was revealed…”

Abu Umaamah (radiAllaahu 'anhu) reported that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: 

"Recite the Qur'aan for indeed it will come on the Day of Judgement as an intercessor for its Ashaab (those who read, memorize & implement it)." ⁽¹⁾

“It’s Ramadhan, Let’s Work on Our Character”

The Imaam of the People of the Sunnah during his time, ‘Abdul-’Azeez Ibn Baaz [d. 1420 AH], may Allaah have mercy in him, mentioned some basic characteristics  that a Muslim should possess, they are:

[1]: Truthfulness

[2]: Trustworthiness

[3]: Chastity

[4]: Shyness

[5]: Bravery/Courage

[6]: Generosity

[7]: Keeping One’s Word

[8]: Abstaining from Everything that is Impermissible

[9]: Being a Good Neighbor

[10]: Helping those in Need According to One’s Ability

And all other good manners legislated by the Qur’aan and Sunnah. (1)

May Allaah, the All-Able, bless us to be from those who improve their character this Ramadhan.

---

(1) ‘Abdul-‘Azeez Ibn Baaz, Important Lessons for the Common Muslim, 22

DON'T become tired of making Du'aa...

 

Ibnul Jawzi (رحمه الله) says:

“If you fall into a hardship that is hard to be free from, you can’t (do anything) but make du’aa and take refuge in Allaah, after repenting from sins, because sins necessitate punishment, so if they disappear by repentance from them, the reason (for punishment) is lifted. So if you repented and made du’aa, and did not see any trace of response, then look into your affair. Maybe the repentance was not sound, so correct it then make du’aa and don’t become tired of making du’aa. Maybe the good is in delaying the response, and maybe the good is not in responding, so you will be rewarded and responded by being referred to what benefits you, and it would be beneficial for you to not be given what you requested, but rather to be given other than it as a replacement.

So, if Iblees comes and says: ‘How much did you call upon Him and did not see any response?’ Then say: ‘I worship (Allaah) by making du’aa, and I am certain that the answer will come. But maybe its delay is due to some good, and even if it doesn't happen, worship and humility takes place.’ So take care not to ask for something except by combining it with asking for that which is good, because the occurrence of many a wish from the dunyaa was a cause for destruction.

Source: {Sayd ul-Khaatir; Chapter 249, p.343}

Let's rectify our hearts this Ramadhan, insha-Allaah!!

An Important Excerpt from Ibnul Qayyim’s Book on Remembrance 

(Al Wabilu Sayyib)

Indeed the servant is able to strengthen his concentration in prayer and focus on his Lord (during it) if he is successful in overcoming his desires and cravings. However if his heart has been conquered, his desires have taken him captive, and the Shaytan is able to find a place within it, then how can this individual escape the whispers and thoughts (that disturb him during prayer)!

Verily the hearts are of three types:

1. The heart which is void of Eeman and all types of good, this is the dark heart. The Shaytan no longer needs to confront this heart with whispers because he now dwells in it. He decrees what he wishes in it and has taken complete control of it.

2. The heart which has been illuminated with the light of Eeman. Faith has kindled its lanterns within it, but at the same time there is still present some darkness of desires and winds of disobedience. The Shaytan approaches and retreats from this category of hearts, and at times he takes advantage of opportunities. The war (in this heart) is sometimes severe and at other times calm.

The affair of the individuals who fall into this category of hearts varies between many and few. Some possessors of this category are usually victorious over their enemy, while others regularly allow their enemy to get the upper hand. A third group are those who have equal moments of defeat and victory.

3. The heart which is filled with faith. This heart is illuminated with the light of Eeman and the veil of desires and darkness has been lifted from it. The light of Eeman is glowing within the chest and that glow contains flames. If desires attempt to approach the heart they are burned by the flames (of Eeman). This heart is protected similar to the protection of the sky by the stars. If the Shaytan attempts to advance toward the sky to steal (information) he is flogged with a star and he burns. The sky is not more precious than the believer and Allaah’s protection of the believer is greater than His protection of the sky. The sky is a place of worship for the Angels, it is also the place of revelation (The Qur'aan was brought to the last sky and then revealed to the Prophet (صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم) piece by piece), and in it (the sky) are the rays of obedience. But the heart of the believer is the place of Tawheed, love (of Allaah, the Prophet صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم, Islaam, etc…), understanding and faith. In it are the rays of the previously mentioned elements, and therefore it is befitting that it is protected from the plots of the enemy. As a result of this, he (the enemy) cannot obtain anything from it (the heart of the believer) except by deceitfully seizing it.

A good example of this has been made with the example of 3 homes:

1. The home of the king: In it are his treasures and precious jewels and belongings.

2. The home of the slave: In it is his wealth and precious jewels and belongings, but indeed his belongings are much less (in value and quantity) than that of the king’s.

3. The empty home: There is nothing present in it.

Protect your Tongue from Frivolous Speech Whether you are Fasting or Not!

[Q]: There is a man who is fasting that speaks much in gatherings about things that don’t contain any benefit. Is his fast valid?

[A]: Sheikh al-‘Uthaymeen [d. 1421 AH], رحمه الله, answered:

His fast is correct. However, it is befitting for the fasting person to spend his fast indulged in obedience: prayer, reading the Qur’aan, remembrance [of Allaah], and other than these things.

As it relates to frivolous speech, then this is a loss for a person, rather he is fasting or not. This is due to the statement of the Prophet, prayers and peace upon him, ‘Whoever believes in Allaah and the last day, let him say good things or be quiet.’

[al-Bukhaaree & Muslim]