I have Fasted on Days Hotter than this

 

All perfect praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds. May Allah`s peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.

 

Fasting is one of the pillars of Islam as well as a cornerstone of its fundamental principles. It is the practice of the God-fearing and the emblem of the righteous. Fasting purifies the soul and refines one's character. The righteous of the past recognized its significance, and it became their emblem.

 

It is narrated from Al-Asma'i that he said: "Al-Hajjaj went out one day feeling hungry, and his lunch was ready. He said, 'Find someone to share our meal.' They searched and found only a Bedouin in the market, so they brought him to Al-Hajjaj. He said to him, 'Come.' The Bedouin replied, 'Someone more generous than you has already invited me, and I have accepted his invitation.' Al-Hajjaj asked, 'Who is that?' The Bedouin answered, 'It is Allah, the Most High, who has invited me to fast, and so I am fasting.' Al-Hajjaj said, 'Fasting on such a hot day?' The Bedouin replied, 'I have fasted on days hotter than this.' Al-Hajjaj then said, 'Break your fast today and fast tomorrow.' The Bedouin asked, 'Can the ruler guarantee that I will live until tomorrow?' Al-Hajjaj said, 'That is not in my control.' The Bedouin then said, 'Then why do you ask me to do something immediate for which you cannot guarantee a future?'" Al-Hajjaj asked, 'Is there any good food?' The Bedouin replied, 'By Allah, its goodness does not come from your baker or your cook, but its goodness is in my health.' Al-Hajjaj exclaimed, 'By Allah, I have never seen anyone like you. Take him away from me.' This is the end of the narration from "Al-Aqd Al-Fareed" by Ibn Abd Rabbih (1/435).

 

SubhanAllah! If this is their commitment to voluntary fasting, then what about their dedication during Ramadan? What motivates this Bedouin to take such a stance in front of a powerful and oppressive ruler? Surely, this Bedouin must have recognized the virtues of fasting and its significance, which gives rise to such determination and strengthens the resolve to reject Al-Hajjaj`s demand. Indeed, this Bedouin must have known that fasting, in general, and during Ramadan, in particular, entails numerous virtues, including:

 

Firstly, fasting is a shield and protection for the servant, serving as a barrier and safeguard against the Hellfire, as narrated by Mutrif, who said: "I visited Uthman ibn Abi Al-As (may Allah be pleased with him) and he ordered milk and dates for me. I said, 'I am fasting.' He replied, 'I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) saying: "Fasting is a shield like the shield of any one of you in battle." This hadith is reported by Imam Ahmad in his Musnad (4/217) and authenticated by Al-Suyuti in Al-Jami' al-Saghir.

In "Fath al-Bari" by Ibn Hajar (4/104), it is mentioned: "Indeed, fasting is a shield from the Hellfire because it involves restraining oneself from desires, and the Hellfire is surrounded by desires. Therefore, if one refrains from worldly desires, it serves as a barrier for them from the Hellfire in the Hereafter."

 

Secondly, honoring and distinguishing the fasting individuals on the Day of Judgment by allocating a special gate in Paradise exclusively for them, known as "Al-Rayyan." None will enter through it except for the fasting ones, as mentioned in the hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him): "Verily, there is a gate in Paradise called Al-Rayyan, and only those who fast will enter through it on the Day of Resurrection. No one else will enter through it. It will be said, 'Where are those who fasted?' They will stand up, and when the last of them has entered, the gate will be closed, and no one else will enter through it." {Bukhari and Muslim}.

 

Thirdly, fasting is one of the greatest means for the forgiveness of sins and the expiation of wrongdoings. It is narrated by Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever fasts during the month of Ramadan out of sincere faith and seeking the reward of Allah, all of their previous sins will be forgiven."  {Muslim}. The meaning of the hadith is that fasting should be observed with faith, acknowledging that Allah has enjoined it upon the believer, and with the intention of seeking reward and blessings from Him, the Exalted.

 

One of the reasons that facilitate obedience during Ramadan is that the devils are restrained from whispering to the servant during this month. Consequently, the gates of paradise are opened, and the gates of hellfire are closed. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "When Ramadan begins, the gates of Paradise are opened, and the gates of Hell are closed, and the devils are chained." (Agreed upon).

 

In this, there is glad tidings for the believers about the abundance of righteous deeds that lead to paradise, and the facilitation of means to assist and multiply such deeds. Allah has provided in Ramadan reasons for abstaining from sins and turning away from them, weakening the plots of devils, and preventing them from achieving their objectives.

 

The scholar Al-Manawi (may Allah have mercy upon him) said in his book "Fayd al-Qadeer" (1/437): "The devils are restrained and shackled so that they do not whisper to the fasting person. The sign of this is that many of those engrossed in sinful behavior abstain from sins during this month and turn to Allah in repentance."

 

Fourthly, indeed, one of the remarkable aspects of fasting is the unique reward that Allah has assigned to it. This is as mentioned in the hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) where the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, said: Every deed of the son of Adam is for him except fasting; it is done for My sake, and I will give a reward for it." (Agreed upon).

Imam Al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy upon him) said, "Scholars have differed regarding the meaning of the hadith phrase 'it is done for My sake.' Some have said that the reason for this addition is that no one other than Allah is worshiped through fasting. In contrast, disbelievers in any era have not elevated anyone to the status of being worshiped through fasting, even though they might revere certain acts such as prayer, prostration, charity, remembrance of Allah, and others.

 

Others have said that the reason for this addition is that fasting is distant from showing off (riya) due to its hidden nature, unlike other acts of worship like prayer, pilgrimage, fighting in the path of Allah, and giving charity, which are more visible and susceptible to being done for the sake of showing off." {Shareh An-Nawawi Ala Muslim, V.4:152}.

 

Sixthly, the bad breath of the fasting person, which is the unpleasant smell that emanates from their mouth due to an empty stomach, is more fragrant to Allah than the scent of musk. This smell of the fasting person's breath is pleasing to Allah, even though it may be disliked by people, because it is a result of the servant's obedience to their Lord. In this way, the fasting person and the martyr will be similar on the Day of Judgment. The smell of their blood and breath will be alike, resembling the fragrance of musk. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "There is no person who is called to act in the cause of Allah, but he answers, and when he is ordered to do something, he obeys, and when he is prohibited, he forbears, but he will be let come on the Day of Resurrection with his blood as red as blood can be, and his odor as musk can be." {Agreed upon}.

 

The virtues of fasting are too numerous to mention fully. However, this is a reminder for those who find fasting difficult, and it may even reach a point where one detests this act of worship, which is a dangerous situation that must be avoided. It is essential for anyone experiencing such feelings to reflect on the case of a Bedouin in a scorching, barren desert, receiving an invitation from the ruler of the land to indulge in the most delicious food and drinks. Despite this, he abstains from all of it, foregoing the desires of his own soul and refraining from seeking proximity to those in power and authority. This is because he has compared the fleeting pleasures of this worldly life with what Allah has prepared for His fasting worshippers in the everlasting bliss. Such a remarkable stance has been recorded in the annals of history throughout the years.

 

Indeed, Allah has honored us by granting us long lives to reach the month of Ramadan. We invoke Allah, the Almighty, to help us in observing the fasting and night prayers (Taraweeh), and to make us among His righteous servants whose fasting and prayers are accepted, and whose sins are forgiven, and who are saved from the Hellfire. We must seize the opportunity of these blessed days and the blessings they carry, so that we may be among the successful ones. All praise be to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds.