ا ع و ذ ب اہ لل م ن الش ی ط ن الر ج ی م ا ل ح م د ہ ل ل ک م ا ھ و ا ھ ل ہ و الص ل وۃ و الس ل م ع ل ی س ی د و ل د اد م ک م ا ی ح ب و ی ر ض ی ب ا ن ی ص ل ی ع ل ی ہ In The Name Of Allah The Most Compassionate Very Merciful All Praise Due To Allah And Peace And Blessings Be Upon His Beloved Messenger Blessings of Fasting (Islamic Discourse) ی ا ی ہ ا ال ذ ی ن ام ن و ا ک ت ب ع ل ی ک م الص ی ام ک م ا ک ت ب ع ل ی ال ذ ی ن م ن ق ب ل ک م ل ع ل ک م ت ت ق و ن ۱۸۳ O Believers! Fastings have been made obligatory upon you as were made obligatory upon those before you, so that you may become pious. (Al-Baqarah 2, Verse 183) Hazrat Ali may Allah be pleased with him has stated that if Allah Almighty wanted to punish the Ummah of the Holy Prophet Muhammad may Allah send peace and blessings upon him He would not have granted the Ummah the month of Ramadan and Surah Ikhlas. (Nuzhatul Majaalis) The loss missing a single without a valid reason 1
Hazrat Abu Hurairah may Allah send peace and blessings upon him narrated the Holy Prophet may Allah send peace and blessings upon him has stated: If one abandons one fast of Ramadan without a valid reason or sickness then even the fast of a lifetime cannot make up for that one missed fast, even if he makes Qada of it afterwards. (Bukhari, Ibn Majah, Abu Dawood Vol. 1, p, 326) Gate of Jannah dedicated to the ones who fast Our beloved Master may Allah send peace and blessings upon him has stated that there are eight gates in Paradise. One of them is named Rayyaan. The only people to enter through this gate will be the ones who kept fast. (Bukhari, Ibn Majah, Abu Dawood Vol. 1, p, 326) Fasts are a shield and strong fort Our beloved Prophet may Allah send peace and blessings upon him has stated that the fasts are a shield and strong fort to provide protection from hell. (Musnad Ahmed Vol. 3, p. 367; Baihaqi) Fasting is the Zakaat of the body Hazrat Abu Hurairah may Allah be pleased with him narrated that the beloved Prophet may Allah send peace and blessings upon him has stated: There is Zakaat for everything, and the Zakaat of the body is fasting, and fasting is half portion of Sabr. (Ibn Majah Vol. 145) There is no action parallel to fasting Hazrat Umaamah may Allah be pleased with him narrates that he asked the Holy Prophet may Allah send peace and blessings upon him to advise him on a virtuous action. He replied, Make the fasts a compulsory action upon yourself, for there is no action parallel to it. He repeated the question for the second and third time and he replied the same. 2
(Sunan Nasa i Vol. 1, p. 240; At-Targheeb Wal Tarheeb Vol. 2, p. 52) There is a distance of 100 years journey between the fasting person and hell Hazrat Umar may Allah be pleased with him narrated that there is a distance of 100 years journey between the fasting person and hell. Hazrat Mu adh ibn Anas may Allah be pleased with him narrates that whoever fasts in times other than Ramadan he will be at a distance of 100 years journey which can be measured by only a fast running horse. Hazrat Abu Hurairah may Allah be pleased with him narrates that Allah Almighty will create a trench between the fasting person and hell equivalent to the distance between the earth and the sky. (Muslim Vol. 1, p. 364; Tirmidhi Vol. 1, p. 292; Ibn Majah, Tabrani Awsat Vol. 2, p. 268) Allah Almighty keeps the fasting person away from punishment and it is for this reason that He has shut the hell upon the fasting person by keeping at the distance equivalent to that between the earth and the sky. It is important to bear in mind that the fasting person must be a Sunni Muslim with sound beliefs because there are other Jews, Christians, shias and wahabies and deobandis also keep fast but their eternal abode is hell. AlaHazrat may Allah be pleased with him has described it in such an excellent manner: Tujh se aur Jannat se kya matlab wahaabi door ho Hum Rasoolullah ke Jannat Rasoolullah ki O wahaabies, do you think you deserve Jannah? Just buzz off! We have connection with Rasoolullah and Jannah belongs to him. The odour of the fasting person s mouth The beloved Prophet may Allah send peace and blessings upon him has stated: I swear by the One in whose hand my life is: 3
و ل خ ل و ف ف م الص ائ م ا ط ی ب ع ن د اہ لل م ن ر ی ح ال م س ک The odour of the fasting person s mouth is more revered to Allah than the fragrance of musk. (Bukhari Vol. 1, p. 255; Muslim Vol. 1, p. 363) Two happy occasions for the fasting person Hadeeth: There are two happy occasions for the fasting person; one, at the time of Iftar, and the second, when he will see Allah Almighty. (Bukhari Vol. 1, p. 255; Muslim Vol. 1, p. 363) Du a at the time of Iftar is not rejected Hazrat Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al- Aas may Allah be pleased with him narrates that our beloved Prophet may Allah send peace and blessings upon him has stated: The Du a of a fasting person is not rejected at the time of Iftar. Hazrat Abu Hurairah may Allah be pleased with him narrates that the Holy Prophet may Allah send peace and blessings upon him has stated that the Du a of three persons is not rejected: 1. Dua of a fasting person at the time of Iftar 2. Dua of a just king 3. Dua of an oppressed Allah Almighty allows it to be raised above the horizon and the gates of heavens are opened for it, and then Allah Almighty states: I swear by My Dominance and Jalaal, I will definitely assist you even if it happens after some time. (Musnad Ahmed, Tirmidhi, Baihaqi, Ibn Majah) 4
The precious time of Iftar is not to be wasted in unnecessary things, and instead of concentrating all our attention on food, fruits etc. we should allocate some moments for Dua and let this blessed moment not go to waste. If we could only allocate five minutes before Iftar for making Dua it would make a world of difference by the Divine Grace of Allah. One who serves Iftar is forgiven Our beloved Prophet may Allah send peace and blessings upon him has stated: م ن ف ط ف ی ہ ص ائ م ا ک ان ل ہ م غ ف ۃ ل ذ ن و ب Whoever provides a fasting person with Iftar in Ramadan, all his sins will be forgiven. (Mishkaat p. 174) One who serves water to a fasting person becomes free of sins Our beloved Master may Allah send peace and blessings upon him has stated that whoever serves water to a fasting person becomes free of sins as if he was a newborn. The Sahaba asked, Ya RasoolAllah, is this specific to a scenario where one is on a journey or at home or some place where there is water crisis? Huzoor replied, It is general. Even if one serves water at the bank of a flowing river. (Mukaashifatul Quloob) Hazrat Jibreel peace be upon him shakes hands with the person who provides a fasting person with Iftar Hazrat Salman Farsi may Allah be pleased with him narrate that the beloved Prophet may Allah send peace and blessings upon him has stated that whoever provides a fasting person with food or water for Iftar, the angels pray for his forgiveness in Ramadan, and their leader, Hazrat Jibreel peace be upon him makes Dua maghfirat for him in the night of Qadr, and in a different narration, he shakes hands with that person. (Tabrani Vol. 6, p. 261; Kanzul Ummaal Vol. 8, p. 215) 5
Iiftar with dates or water is Sunnah Hazrat Salman Farsi may Allah be pleased with him narrated that our beloved Prophet may Allah send peace and blessings upon him has stated: ا ذ ا ا ف ط ا ح د ک م ف ل ی ف ط ع ل ی ت م ر ف ا ن ہ ب ر ک ۃ ف ا ن ل م ی ج د ف ل ی ف ط ع ل ی م اء ف ا ن ہ ط ھ و ر Whenever anyone of you opens fast, open it with a date, for it is full of blessing but if you do not have it then open Iftar with water, for it is pure. (Tirmidhi Vol. 1, p. 149; Mishkaat) It is Sunnah to hasten to open fast at the time of Iftar Hazrat Sahl ibn Sa d may Allah be pleased with him narrates that the beloved Prophet may Allah send peace and blessings upon him has stated: My Ummah will always be on good for as long as they hasten in opening fast. (Bukhari Vol. 1, p. 263; Muslim Vol. 1, p. 350) It is not allowed to delay Iftar Hazrat Abu Hurairah may Allah be pleased with him narrates that the beloved Prophet may Allah send peace and blessings upon him has stated: ل ی ز ال ال دی ن ظ اھ ر ا ما ع ج ل الن اس ال ف ط ل ن ال ی ھ و د و ان ص ار ی ی ؤ خ و ن Islam will always be dominant for as long as people will hasten in Iftar, for the Jews and Christians prolong it. (Abu Dawood Vol. 1, p. 323; Mishkaat p. 175) Allah s beloved servant 6
Hazrat Abu Hurairah may Allah be pleased with him narrates that our beloved Prophet may Allah send peace and blessings upon him has stated that Allah Almighty states: I love the ones amongst My servants more who hasten in Iftar. (Tirmidhi Vol. 1, p. 150) Sahri/Suhoor is Sunnah Hazrat Anas may Allah be pleased with him narrates that the beloved Prophet may Allah send peace and blessings upon him has stated: You must have Sahri because it is the food of blessings. (Bukhari Vol. 1, p. 257; Muslim Vol. 1, p. 350; Nasa i Vol. 1, p. 233; Ibn Majah p.121) Allah and His Angels send Durood (mercy) upon the ones who have Sahri Hazrat Abdullah ibn Umar may Allah be pleased with him narrates that the beloved Prophet may Allah send peace and blessings upon him has stated that Allah Almighty and His angels send Durood (mercy) upon the ones who have Sahri. (Tabrani, Ibn Hibban Vol. 5, p. 194) Sahri provides strength Hazrat Abullah ibn Abbas may Allah be pleased with him narrated that the beloved Prophet may Allah send peace and blessings upon him has stated that Sahri provides strength to keep fast during the day and siesta (afternoon nap) provides strength to worship during the night. (Ibn Majah p. 121; Kanzul Ummaal Vol. 8, p. 240; Ibn Khuzaimah, Baihaqi) Sahri is Barakah, even if just a sip of water Hazrat Abu Sa eed Khudri may Allah be pleased with him narrates that the beloved Prophet may Allah send peace and blessings upon him has stated that Sahri is a blessing in itself, so do not abandon it, even if it s just a sip of water, for the one has Sahri, Allah and His angels send Durood (mercy) upon him. 7
(Musnad Ahmed, Kanzul Ummaal Vol. 8, p. 240) No Accountability on the Halaal food consumed in Sahri Hazrat Abdullah ibn Abbas may Allah be pleased with him narrates that the beloved Prophet may Allah send peace and blesssings upon him has stated that there are three persons who will not be held accountable for consuming food if it was Halaal: 1. Who eat Sahri 2. Who eats Iftar 3. The Mujaahid protecting the territory (Tabrani Vol. 11, p. 285) Sahri is the distinguishing factor between our fast and the fast of the people of book Hazrat Amr ibn al- Aas may Allah be pleased with him narrates that the beloved Prophet may Allah send peace and blessings upon him has stated: ف ص ل م اب ی ن ص ی ام ن ا و ص ی ام ا ھ ل ال ک ت اب ا ک ل ۃ ال س ح The difference between our fasts and the fasts of ahle kitab (Jews and Christians) is the consumption of Sahri. (Muslim Vol. 1, p. 350; Abu Dawood, Nasa i Vol. 1, p. 235; Tirmidhi, Ibn Khuzaimah) 8