What Does Fasting Truly Mean For The Muslims….

The question of What Does Fasting Truly Mean For Muslims And The Infinite Rewards For Those Who Fast Sincerely In Ramadhan need to be answered! Right?

The word “Ramadhan” comes from the Arabic word for “Parched Thirst” and “Sun-Baked Ground.” It is meaningful of the hunger and thirst felt by those who spend the month in fasting and get benefits of fasting in the month of Ramadan.

Ramadhan is by nature a time of sacrifice for the sake of Allah swt and it has many known and unknown benefits, only Allah swt knows all the benefits, example for the physiological benefits of fasting in the month of Ramadhan are many such as betterment of spiritual closeness with Allah swt, to become more pious, physical benefits and social welfare and connectedness.

Fasting is not only abstaining ourselves from eating, drinking, having sexual relationship with our halal partners from a scheduled time to a scheduled time…..it is a strong discipline for our nafs and our desires. When we are able to control our desires, we are able to control the course of our life from wrong to right and therefore able to have a “realization of life’s objectives” through aqidah…..Thus when we are able to align our direction to a straight path, we are also able to steer our life to be a believer of Allah swt in full of taqwa. (refer al-Qura’n : Chapter 2:183)

Allah swt has given us a freedom for the past 11 months to eat without restraining ourselves and we are able to have an intimate relationship with our halal partners anytime of the day without any restrictions.

It is only fair that we restrain ourselves for the cause of Allah swt, just for one month of fasting, hence Allah swt says that Fasting is for Him and he will reward it accordingly to His decree, in sha Allah!

Fasting of body, mind and soul
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Fasting will not be completed if we are just abstaining from eating and drinking but fasting is a comprehensive submission of mind, body and soul. When we are able to fast with our body and mind then only can the fasting of the soul can be achieved….. in sha Allah!

Fasting of body, mind and soul can be categorized as :

• Actions
During this most blessed month, our actions must be fasting too. Fasting in terms of only doing halal activities and abstaining ourselves from doing haram activities. We are increasing all our righteous deeds. We are doing more ibadah such as more voluntry solah, more supplications and more deeds in the form of giving more charities, helping the less fortunate and doing our best to ease others of their burden

• Thoughts
During this most blessed month, our thoughts are also fasting, we only think halal things and abstain from all types of haram thoughts. Increase thoughts on righteous things and that leads to the remembrance of Allah swt and His glories.

We should be thinking more about Allah swt, glorify Him, be thankful and full of Shukur to Allah’s bounties and constantly be grateful to Him swt

• Eyes
During this most blessed month, our Eyes should also be fasting, we only see or look or watch halal things and abstain from all haram seeing, watching, observing and entertain the eyes. Increase seeing and watching all the righteous sceneries and good things that lead to remembrance of Allah swt and to glorify Him

We must be guarding our eyes from all haram things during the Ramadhan fasting and also must continue even after the sacred month of Ramadhan has completed.

• Words
During this most blessed month, all our words must be fasting too, we only talk halal words and abstain from all types of haram words. During the fasting we must increase all the righteous words, we should engage with words that lead for the remembrance of Allah swt as much as possible

• Mouth
During this most blessed month, our mouth must doing most of the fasting; we only eat, talk and enjoy with halal food, drink and words.

Guarding our mouth only to utter words of goodness and words that bring joy to others, we should not curse, lie or swear to hurt others…..

Allah swt promised infinite rewards for fasting
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Doing all of these will be immensely rewarded by Allah swt because we are abstaining ourselves from haram activities and doing only all these good deeds within ourselves. No one needs to know that we are fasting….we are truly controlling ourselves from doing all the things that are not desired by Allah swt.

Allah swt has promised us out of His infinite Mercy that all our good deeds are greatly rewarded especially when we are doing it for the sake of Allah swt sincerely, for certainly sincerity reflects a pure qalb (heart), In sha Allah

For fasting servants; Allah swt not only promised to give abundance of rewards in this life but He has also promised to give his slaves the guarantee of Jannah and protection from the hell fire. Subhana Allah!

There are many hadiths to support the promised rewards for sincerely fasting people SubhanAllah.

1- Fasting protects from the Hell-Fire.

Our beloved Messenger of Allah (saw) reported to have said :

He who observes fast for a day in the way of Allah He would remove his face from the Hell to the extent of seventy years’ distance. [Bukhari and Muslim]

2- Fasting is a shield for the believer to withstand temptations.

Our beloved Messenger of Allah (saw) reported to have said :

O young men, those among you who can support a wife should marry, for it restrains eyes (from casting evil glances) and preserves one from immorality; but he who cannot afford it should observe fast for it is a means of controlling the sexual desire. [Bukhari and Muslim]

3- Allah swt granted high respect for al-ssāiḥoona.

Allah swt says, in Surah At-Taubat,

“Such are the repentant, the worshipful, the praise-giving; al-ssāiḥoona, who bow to Him alone and who bow their faces down to the ground in Prayer to Him; those who enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong, and who diligently observe the ordained limits of God. So give glad tidings to the believers of everlasting delight in Paradise”. (Quran 09:112)

The great commentator, Al-Tabari, explains the meaning of al-ssāiḥoona as those who fast.

4- There is nothing equal to fasting.

It was narrated that Abu Umamah (r) said:

“I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, tell me of an action (I should do).’ He said: ‘Take to fasting, for there is nothing equal to it.”‘ (Sunan an-Nasa’i)

5- Fasting intercedes

Fasting intercede on behalf of its observers on the Day of Judgment.
(Musnad Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (r)

6- All the sins are forgiven because of Fasting.

Our beloved Messenger of Allah (saw) reported to have said :

“Whoever observes fasts during the month of Ramadhan out of sincere faith, and hoping to attain Allah’s rewards, then all his past sins will be forgiven.” [Bukhari and Muslim]

7- Two unique happiness for a fasting servant of Allah swt

Our beloved Messenger of Allah (saw) reported to have said :

“There are two joys for the fasting person: the joy when he breaks his fast, and the joy of when he meets his Lord.” [Bukhari and Muslim]

8- Allah swt promised a high reward for fasting servant

Our beloved Messenger of Allah (saw) reported to have said in Hadis Qudsi:

“(Allah said), ‘Every good deed of Adam’s son is for him except fasting; it is for Me. and I shall reward (the fasting person) for it. [Bukhari and Muslim]

9- The virtue of the smell of the mouth of a fasting servant of Allah swt

Our beloved Messenger of Allah (saw) reported to have said :

“Verily, the smell of the mouth of a fasting person is better to Allah than the smell of musk.” [Bukhari and Muslim]

10- The Dua of a fasting person during iftar is not rejected.

Our beloved Messenger of Allah (saw) reported to have said :

“There are three whose du’aa’ is not rejected: a just ruler, the fasting person when he breaks his fast and the prayer of the oppressed person. It rises above the clouds and the gates of heaven are opened for it, and the Lord, may He be glorified, says, ‘By My Glory I will answer you even if it is after a while.’” (al-Tirmidhi)