The Fruit of Fasting: "The Fear of Allah, The Most Exalted"
His Grace/The Mufti-General: Abdulkareem Al-Khassawneh
Ramadan is the month of blessings, and fasting it is one of the five pillars of Islam. Allah, The Almighty, prescribed it to Muslims as He had done to those before them: "O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint." [Al-Baqarah/183]. The aim of fasting and its fruit are meant to make a fasting person have piety in Allah's Sight and All that which He has forbidden.
The command for fearing Allah is what He enjoined/directed those of old and those of later times to do. Allah Says in The Glorious Quran (What means): "Verily we have directed the People of the Book before you, and you (O Muslims) to fear Allah." [An-Nisa`/131].
Actually, those who adhere to Allah`s direction achieve great success, but those who fail to do so are at manifest loss. Therefore, we should strive to hold on to the directives of Allah until we die doing that. Allah, The Almighty, Says in the Holy Quran (What means): "O ye who believe! Fear God as He should be feared, and die not except in a state of Islam." [Al `Imran/102]. I.e. fear Allah as he should be feared. Ibn Mas'ood (May Allah be pleased with him)said: "Allah is to be obeyed so as not to be disobeyed, to be remembered so as not to be forgotten, and to be thanked so as not to be shown ingratitude."
Al Imam Al-Ghazali added: "God-fearing is a great treasure which once obtained, one will have generous sustenance and great dominion because it contains all that is good in the life of this world and in the Hereafter."
The Glorious Quran has shown many benefits for God-fearing:
First: Being made a way out and being provided for from sources that one never could imagine. Allah Says (What means): "And for those who fear God, He (ever) prepares a way out, And He provides for him from (sources) he never could imagine." [At-Talaq/2-3]. Accordingly, one who fears Allah and abides by His injunctions, Allah prepares a way out for him, and provides for him from sources he never could imagine.
Second: Allah, The Almighty, protects the nation against its enemies as long as its people are pious and fear Him. Allah Says (What means): "But if ye are constant and do right, not the least harm will their cunning do to you; for God Compasseth round about all that they do." [Al-Imran/120]. Therefore, one who observes piety in his words and deeds won`t be harmed by the cunning of the enemies.
Third: Accepting righteous deeds. Allah, The Most Exalted, Says (What means): "Surely," said the former, "(Allah) doth accept of the sacrifice of those who are righteous." [Al-Mai`dah/27]. Thus, one who fears Allah and has sincere intentions, Allah Accepts his righteous deeds: This indicates that an act of obedience is only accepted from a God-fearing believer.
Fourth: The love and the good pleasure of God. Allah Says (What means): "for God doth love the righteous." [At-Tawbah/7].
Fifth: God`s friends are the people of piety, and it is their provision in the life of this world and in the Hereafter since Allah says in this regard: "And take provision. But the best provision is piety." [Al-Baqarah/197]. Those who take piety as their best provision, Allah bestows upon them, in the life of this world and in the Hereafter, that which pleases them: While on their death bed, the angels give them glad tidings of Allah`s good pleasure and mercy. In the Hereafter, they give them good tidings of the Gardens of Bliss and great triumph. Allah Says (What means): "Behold! verily on the friends of God there is no fear, nor shall they grieve; Those who believe and (constantly) guard against evil;- For them are glad tidings, in the life of the present and in the Hereafter; no change can there be in the words of God. This is indeed the supreme felicity." [Yunus/62-64].
Sixth: The comparison between people is based on the depth of their piety, and not on their descent; therefore, one who aspires for honor in the life of this world and a privileged place in the Hereafter should fear God. Allah Says in this regard (What means): "O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise (each other). Verily the most honored of you in the sight of God is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And God has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things)." [Al-Hujurat/13].
