The Obligation of Fasting (2/3)

3. The Breaking of Ones Desires and Lusts

Hunger and thirst break the desire to commit sin, it is authentically reported from him (sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) that he said,

 “O gathering of youth! Whoever can afford it, let him marry for this is better in aiding one to lower his gaze and preserving the private parts. Whoever is not able let him fast for this will diminish his desire.” [Reported by Bukhari and Muslim]

It is mentioned in a hadith, “Satan flows through the son of آdam as does his blood”, so constrain the passages of Satan through hunger. [Reported by Bukhari and Muslim. The last sentence is the statement of one of the narrators of the hadith mistakenly added into the main text.]

4. Increase of Charity

When the one fasting feels the pangs of hunger, he takes this as a reminder to feed others who are hungry, ‘for the only one who feels compassion towards the lovers is one who has loved.’ It has reached us that Sulayman, or Yusuf (‘alayhis-salam) would not eat until all his dependents had first eaten and when asked why this was so, he said, ‘I fear that I would become full and so forget the hungry.’

5. Increase of Actions of Obedience

The one fasting will be reminded of the hunger and thirst that the denizens of Hell will experience and this will encourage him to obey Allah so as to be saved from that fate.

6. Giving Thanks to the One Who Knows the Hidden Matters

The one fasting comes to truly appreciate the favours of Allah, it is only through knowing hunger and thirst that one truly appreciates satiation and the quenching of that thirst; it is only when blessings are absent that one appreciates them more.

7. Preventing Oneself from Contemplating Sin

When one is full, the soul craves sin and looks longingly at all sorts of transgression, but when one is hungry, the soul craves food and drink, and this is the better of the two without doubt. If is for this reason that one of the Salaf thought fasting to be the best of all actions of worship and when asked why he replied,

‘That Allah look to me in a state where my soul is fighting me for food and drink is more beloved to me than Allah looking at me in a state where my soul is full and fighting me for sin.’

Other Benefits of Fasting & Helping Others in Opening the Fast

Fasting has many more benefits, such as refining the mind and strengthening the body, it is mentioned in a hadith, “Fast for you will become healthy.” [Reported by at-Tabarani and its isnad is da'if]

From the greatness of fasting is that whoever causes a fasting person to open fast, he has the same reward as the one who fasted. He (sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said,

“Whoever provides food for a person to open the fast, he will have the likes of his reward, without the reward of the fasting person decreasing in the slightest.” [Reported by Ahmad and at-Tirmidhi]

So whoever provides food for thirty six fasting people in one year, it will be as if he fasted for the whole year. And whoever provides food for many fasting people with this intention, Allah will record for him the fasting of many years. [Because a good deed is multiplied ten-fold]

The Mannerisms of Fasting

They are six:

Restraining the tongue and limbs from all that opposes the Divine Law (Shari’ah).

He (sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) saying,

“Whoever does not leave false speech and acting upon it, Allah has no need of his leaving food and drink.” [Reported by Bukhari]

He (sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) also said,

“It is possible that one standing [in prayer] only attain weariness from his standing and the one fasting only attain hunger and thirst from his fasting.” [Reported by Ahmad, al-'Iraqi said the isnad was hasan.]

If one is invited to eat while he is fasting, let him say, ‘I am fasting’

The Messenger of Allah (sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said,

“If one of you is invited to eat while fasting, let him say, ‘I am fasting’”. [Reported by Muslim]

What should be said when one breaks the fast

He (sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) used to say upon breaking fast,

 “The thirst has gone, the veins are moistened and the reward is certain if Allah wills.” [Reported by Abu Dawud and ad-Daruqutni said its isnad was hasan].

“Dhahaba adh-Dhama’u wa-btallati-l-’uruq wa thabata al-ajru inshaAllah”

It is also reported that he said,

“O Allah! It is for you that I have fasted, and it is with your provision that I have broken fast.” [Reported by Abu Dawud with a weak isnad, however A. al-Arna'ut, Jami' al-Usul, said that it has witnesses that strengthen it.]

In another hadith, it is reported that he said,

 “All praise and thanks are due to Allah who gave me the strength to fast and who gave me the provisions with which to break fast.” [Reported by al-Bayhaqi with a weak isnad but it has witnesses that strengthen it.]

(Continued)