The Virtues of fasting: Fasting is one of the most honorable acts of worship

♦ Attributing fasting to Allah (may He be Exalted) adds more honor to its status.

Al Bukhari and Muslim reported from the Hadith of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Allah (Glory be to Him) 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. Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

Fasting is a shield or protection from the fire and from committing sins. If one of you is fasting, he should avoid sexual relation with his wife and quarreling, and if somebody should fight or quarrel with him, he should say: I am fasting. I am fasting. By the One in whose hands the life of Muhammad is, the unpleasant smell coming out from the mouth of a fasting personis sweeter in the sight of Allah than the fragrance of musk. There are two pleasures for the fasting person: One at the time of breaking his fast, and when he meets his Lord, he shall be pleased of (the reward of) his fast." [Reported by Al Bukhari and Muslim].

Another narration of Imam Muslim: "Every (good) deed of the son of Adam would be multiplied, a good deed receiving a tenfold to seven hundredfold reward. Allah (the Exalted and Majestic) said:

With the exception of fasting, for it is done for Me and I will give a reward for it, The person observing fasting abstains from food and drink only for My sake. A fasting person has two joys: one at the time of breaking his fast and the other at the time of meeting his Lord. Indeed, the bad odor of the mouth of a fasting person is sweeter in the sight of Allah than the odor of musk." [Reported by Ahmad: 2/477, No. 10178. Reported by Muslim (2/807) No. 1151.Ibn Majah: 1/525 No. 1638 and An-Nasa'y 4/164, No. 2218]. In the narration of At-Tirmidhy with a good chain of narration which is written in Sahih Al Targhib (968), the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Indeed, your lord says: Every good deed will be rewarded by tenfold upto seven hundredfold. Fasting is for Me and I shall reward for it. Fasting is a shield from Hell. Indeed, the bad odor of the mouth of a fasting person is sweeter in the sight of Allah than the odor of musk. When someone reviles one of you while he is fasting, he should say: I am fasting. I am fasting."

In the narration of Ibn Khuzaymah with an authentic chain of narration: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Every act of the son of Adam is for him: One good deed equals ten good deeds to seven hundredfold. Allah said: Except for Fasting because it is done for My Sake and it is I who reward for it. A person leaves food for My Sake, leaves drink for My Sake, leaves his desires for My Sake, leaves his wife for My Sake. Indeed, the bad odor of the mouth of a fasting person is sweeter in the sight of Allah than the odor of musk. A fasting person has two joys: A joy when he breaks his fast and a joy when he meets his Lord."

Ibn `Abdul-Bar (may Allah bestow mercy on his soul) said: Saying that "Fasting is for Me" is enough honor to fasting rather than the rest acts of worship.

Scholars differed about the meaning of Allah's Saying: "Fasting is for Me and it is I who reward for it" because all actions are done for the sake of Allah and it is He who rewards for it.

Imam An-Nawawy (may Allah bestow mercy on his soul) said in his commentary on Sahih Muslim (8/29):

♦ No one has been worshipped by fasting except Him where disbelievers have never worshipped anyone by fasting even if they worship their gods by Salah, prostration, charities, and Dhikr.

♦ It was said: Fasting is away from hypocrisy because of its concealment unlike Salah, Hajj, Jihad, and charities.

♦ It was said: The soul of a fasting person has no share such as pride, showoff and so on. [Al Khattaby said].

♦ It was said: Giving up food is one of Allah's Qualities, so drawing near to Allah by His Qualities is incomparable.

♦ It was said: The meaning is: I am the only one who knows the amount of its reward while other acts of worship may be known to some creatures.

Al Hafizh ibn Hajar (may Allah bestow mercy on his soul) said in Fathul-Bary (8/241-244) the following reasons:

♦ He said: The meaning of "Fating is for Me" is: Fasting is the most beloved acts of worship to Me.

♦ It was said: It is done solely for Allah and a person shall not gain praise for it from people.

♦ It was said: All acts of worship may be given as a compensation for others' complaints except fasting.

♦ Fasting is not seen, so it is written by angels as all actions.

Then Al Hafizh ibn Hajar preferred some answers to others:

He said that fasting cannot be mixed by hypocrisy as others. He said also: Allah is the only one who rewards for it and doubles good deeds done in that month. The author of Tuhfat Al Ahwazy sustained the view of Ibn Hajar in his book (3/409).

Al Qurtuby (may Allah bestow mercy on his soul) said: When actions are mixed by hypocrisy, whereas fasting is not as such where no one can know it but Allah, Allah added it to Himself. Therefore, he said in the Hadith:"He leaves his desires for My Sake."

This virtue takes us to another virtue which is "fasting raises degrees" because of Allah's Saying: "Except fasting, which is for Me, and it is I who reward for it."