Allah Almighty says: {O you who believe, fasting has been decreed upon you as it was decreed upon those before you so that you may become righteous.} Till the verse that says: {Ramadān is a month in which the Qur’an was sent down as a guidance for mankind and as clear signs that show the right way and distinguish between right and wrong. So whoever of you witnesses this month, should fast. But if anyone is ill or on a journey, he should make up for those days...} [Surat al-Baqarah: 183-185]
1) Fasting Ramadan is one of the fundamentals of Islam and acts of piety. Failure to observe it is a major sin.
2) It highlights the merit of this Ummah, as Allah Almighty has prescribed for it such obligations for which it vies with past nations, so that its reward would be increased and its rank would be elevated.
3) A main purpose behind prescribing the fast is the attainment of piety. Indeed, Allah does not wish to torment His servants by depriving them of what they desire and are used to. {But what reaches Him is piety from you.}
4) We are exhorted to accept the dispensation given by the Almighty Legislator for not fasting in the case of illness or travel. Indeed, Allah Almighty loves that His dispensations be taken just as He loves His obligations to be discharged.
they have already been cited in the previous chapter.
1215/1 - Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Allah, the Exalted, said: ‘All deeds of the son of Adam are for himself, except for fasting; it is for Me, and I give the reward for it.’ Fasting is a shield. When anyone of you is fasting, he should avoid obscene language and loud voice, and if anyone curses him or quarrels with him, he should say: ‘I am fasting.’ By the One in Whose hand the soul of Muhammad is, the breath of a fasting person is more pleasant to Allah than the fragrance of musk. A fasting person has two occasions of joy: When he breaks his fast, he feels joy for breaking his fast, and when he meets his Lord, he feels joy for his fast.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
This is the wording narrated by Al-Bukhāri.
In another version by him: “He leaves his food, drink, and desire for My sake. Fasting is for Me, and I give reward for it. Every good deed is rewarded by ten times its kind.”
In a version by Muslim: “Every good deed of the son of Adam will be multiplied manifold. A good deed will be multiplied ten times up to as many as seven hundred times. Allah said: ‘Except for fasting, which is for Me, and I give reward for it. He gives up his lust and his food for My sake.’ The fasting person has two joys: one when he breaks his fast and another when he meets his Lord. The smell that comes out of the mouth of a fasting person is more pleasant in the sight of Allah than the fragrance of musk.”
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1) Fasting is one of the greatest acts of worship in terms of sincerity to Allah Almighty, as it remains a secret between a servant and his Lord. That is why Allah Almighty has given it a special merit.
2) Fasting comprises all types of patience: patience in performing worship to Allah, patience in refraining from sins, and patience over the decrees predestined by Allah. As it includes all different forms of patience, it has deserved to entail unlimited reward.
3) The believer feels joy when he completes one of the obligations prescribed by his Lord and he can now enjoy the good things permissible for him. This is the right attitude of a believer: He is pleased to complete an act of worship to Allah Almighty.
4) We are urged to act upon the Prophet’s advice not to respond to evil with evil; rather, a fasting person should honor himself by rising above cursing and name-calling.
This Hadīth involves two kinds of Hadīth: a divine statement and a prophetic one. So, it fits the description of both Qudsi and Prophetic Hadīth.
1216/2 - He also reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “He who spends a pair in the way of Allah will be called from the gates of Paradise: ‘O servant of Allah, this gate is better for you’; the regular performer of prayer will be called from the gate of prayer; whoever is regular in fighting in the cause of Allah will be called from the gate of Jihad; he who is regular in observing fasting will be called from the Rayyān gate; and the one who is generous in charity will be called from the gate of charity.” Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “O Messenger of Allah, may my mother and father be sacrificed for you! Those who are called from these gates will stand in need of nothing. Will anybody be called from all of those gates?” He replied: “Yes, and I hope that you will be one of them.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
1) It urges us to perform a lot of voluntary acts of worship so that we would be called from one of those gates on the Day of Judgment.
2) Allah Almighty opens the gates of His mercy to His servants to encourage them to compete in worshiping and doing good.
3) The Rayyān gate that will give water to the fasting people to drink is one of the eight gates of Paradise.
4) It highlights a special merit for Abu Bakr as-Siddīq (may Allah be pleased with him), as the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) gave him glad tidings that he would be one of those called from all these gates, in honor of him, since he engaged in all these kinds of goodness.
1217/3 - Sahl ibn Sa‘d (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “There is a gate in Paradise called the Rayyān through which only those who fast will enter on the Day of Resurrection. No one else will enter through it. It will be called out: ‘Where are those who used to fast?’ So they will stand up and proceed towards it. When the last of them has entered, the gate will be closed, and no one else will enter through it.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
1) Out of mercy towards fasting people and in honor of them, Allah Almighty has opened to them a gate through which only they will enter.
2) Recompense for a deed is of the same kind of the deed. As fasting people observe their fast exclusively for the sake of Allah Almighty, He gives them an exclusive reward.
1218/4 - Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “When a person fasts a day in the cause of Allah, Allah will certainly keep his face away from Hellfire by virtue of this day for seventy years.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
1) One of the greatest acts in terms of reward is to observe fast along with Jihad in the cause of Allah, for this combines the two virtues.
2) It shows the merit of sincerity towards Allah Almighty in observing voluntary fast, as a person will not fast during days of Jihad except because he is completely sincere to his Lord.
1219/5 - Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Whoever observes fasting during Ramadan faithfully and expecting its reward from Allah will have his past sins forgiven.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
1) It points out the great reward for fasting Ramadan, as it is a reason for expiation of sins.
2) Faith in Allah and the pursuit of reward from Him, along with complete sincerity towards Him, are among the most sublime acts of worship.
1220/6 - He also reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “When Ramadan comes, the gates of Paradise are opened, the gates of Hellfire are closed, and the devils are chained.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
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1) Among the characteristics of Ramadan is that the gates of Paradise are opened therein to encourage people to increase their good deeds. The gates of Hellfire are closed, given the plenty of believers engaged in acts of worship and piety. Moreover, the devils are chained and prevented from doing evil.
2) As sincere advice to his Ummah, the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) informed them about that. Thereby, he encouraged them to do good and warned them of evil.
3) It is obligatory to believe whatever the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) informed us regarding the unseen, because {Nor does he speak from [his own] inclination. It is not but a revelation revealed.}
1221/7 - He also reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Observe fast on sighting it (i.e. the new moon) and break fast on sighting it, but if the sky is cloudy for you, then complete the days of Sha‘bān as thirty.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim; this is the wording of Al-Bukhāri]
In a version by Muslim: “But if the sky is cloudy for you, then fast thirty days.”
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1) Fasting of Ramadan becomes due upon sighting its moon or the completion of Sha‘bān as thirty days. Likewise, the end of fast is determined by sighting the moon of Shawwāl or the completion of Ramadan as thirty days. This is to remove any doubt, and base our acts of worship upon certainty or high likelihood.
2) If the moon of Ramadan is obscure, we are required to complete Sha‘bān as thirty days, and it is not permissible to fast the doubtful day preceding Ramadan. Whoever fasts it, has indeed disobeyed the Prophet’s command.
Following the Sunnah is achieved by completing Sha‘bān as thirty days in case the moon cannot be seen, and not by fasting the doubtful day preceding Ramadan on the grounds of caution. Indeed, all goodness lies in adhering to the Prophet’s guidance. If fasting the doubtful day were good, the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) would have instructed the Ummah to do so. We should stick to his teachings, which guide us to the most correct path.