Nidae KashmirTousif Raza
Fast is one of the five pillars of Islam and fasting of the month of Ramadan is obligatory act for Muslims.Along with the fasts of Ramadan some Muslims do fast in other days of the year to get pleasure of Allah as He ordered the Muslims for fasting. Allah said in Holy Quran:“O those who believe! Fasting has been made obligatory upon you as were made obligatory upon those before you, so that you may become pious”.
Fasting is a special gift of Allah. There are countless benefits of fasting. It is beneficial for our spiritual, social, physical fitness. It keeps us away from various diseases and keeps our health strong along with this there are lots of spiritual benefits of fasting discussed below:
Fasting strengthens one’s believe in Allah. A fasting person does not eat or drink anything even if he is sitting alone and nobody is watching him because he knows that Allah is watching him and his fast is for the sake of Allah. This strong belief of a fasting person gives a practical outcome of fasting which is not possible in the case of other worships. As Salah, Hajj and other Islamic deeds are physically shown to people and one cannot hide these from the common people but fasting is the act which we can do secretly only for the sake of Allah.
Fasting is the compensation of all previous sins as Holy Prophet صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ said:“If anyone fasts in Ramadan realizing its limits and avoiding what should be avoided, this will compensate for all his previous sins”.
(Al-Iḥsān bittartīb Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Ḥibbān, pp. 183, vol. 5, Ḥadīš 3424)
The reward of fasting is far more than the reward of other good deeds. It is stated that the reward of every good deeds is from ten to seven hundred times but it is not so in the case of fasting as Allah said that:“Fast is for me and I will give its reward myself”.
Fasting is a shield against sins and protects a person form wrong doings acts. When a person thinks about doing something wrong then suddenly his mind reject this thought by thinking that he is in fast. For example a fasting person does not reply abusing to a person who is shouting on him due to his fast. Fast is a source of keeping a person away from hell as Holy Prophet صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ said that:“Anyone who fasts a day for Allah’s pleasure ,Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ will move him as far away from hell as is the distance a baby crow covers flying continuously until it grows old and dies”.(Musnad Abī Ya’lā, pp. 383, vol. 1, Ḥadīš 917)
The researchers found that crow lives alive for a very long time according to a report the life of a crow exceeds from five hundred years. The fasting person is rewarded by Allah in this manner that all of his deeds are being considered as worships of Allah even his sleep.As Sayyidunā ‘Abdullāĥ Bin Abī Aufāرَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہ has narrated that the Beloved and Blessed Prophetصَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَsaid:“The sleeping of a fasting person is worship, his silence is tasbih, his prayers are answered and his deeds are accepted”.(Shu’ab-ul-Īmān, pp. 415, vol. 3, Ḥadīš 3938)
Not only this but all of his body parts say tasbih of Allah. As in a blessed Hadith Holy Prophet صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ said that:“If anyone is in the state of fast on the morning, the gates of sky are opened for him, his body parts make tasbih and angels in the first sky pray for his forgiveness until sunset and if a fasting person says any word in the love of lord seventy thousand angles will write reward for him until sunset”.(Shu’ab-ul-Īmān, pp. 299, vol. 3, Ḥadīš 3591)
The fasting person will be rewarded with the heavenly fruits and drinks in the reward of his patience by preventing himself from eating and drinking in the day during fast. As The Nobel Prophet صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَhas said:“The one whom his fast prevents from eating or drinking what he desires, Allah will make him eat heavenly fruits and have heavenly drinks”.
(Shu’ab-ul-Īmān, pp. 410, vol. 3, Ḥadīš 3917)
The fasting person will eat at the dining mat of gold in heaven as The Holy Prophetصَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَsaid:
“On Day of Judgment, a dining mat made of gold will be laid for fasting people while other people will be waiting for their accountability”.(Kanz-ul-‘
(Mu’jam Kabīr, pp. 120, vol. 17, Ḥadīš 295)
The fasting person also gets reward when someone else eats before him as Sayyidatunā Umm-e-Anṣāriyyaĥرَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہhas stated,“Once the Holy prophetصَلَّی اللہُ عَلَیْہِ وَسَلَّمَcame to me, I presented some food to him. He said: ‘You also eat.’ I replied, ‘I have kept fast. ‘He said, ‘Angels keep making Du’ā for the fasting person’s forgiveness as long as someone eats before him.’ The following words are also stated in another narration, ‘Until the eater fills his stomach”.
(Al-Iḥsān bittartīb Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Ḥibbān, pp. 181, vol. 5, Ḥadīš 3421)
Fasting is full of blessings in every aspect as the death during fasting is rewarded by Allah as Holy Prophetصَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَhas said:“Whoever dies in the state of fast, Allahعَزَّوَجَلَّwill record (the reward of) fasts till the Day of Judgement in his book of deeds”.
(Firdaus – bimā’ Šaur-ul-Khaṭṭāb, pp. 504, vol. 3, Ḥadīš 5557)
The Islamic way of fasting involves abstinence from eating, drinking, sexual intercourse and all prohibited habits such as smoking etc. The fast is observed throughout the daylight hours of the lunar month of Ramaḍān (from dawn till sunset). When done in obedience to Almighty Allah’s command, fasting teaches believers patience and self-control, as well as reminding them of their responsibility toward the millions of human beings who lack provisions or are victims of their unjust distribution. The month of fasting is accompanied by increased efforts toward good manners and righteous deeds, along with additional worship at night (20 Rak’aat of Tarāweeḥ Ṣalāh). Fasting is not a retreat from life; rather; it is a supplement to the Muslims ordinary activities.
