Virtues of Fasting in islam

    Fasting is one of the greatest acts of worship in Islam, and and is considered a means of drawing closer to Allah. It purifies the soul and refines one’s character. Abdallah ibn Amr reported the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying:

”Fasting and the Qur’an intercede for a man. Fasting says, ‘O my Lord, I have kept him away from his food and his passions by day, so accept my intercession for him.’

The Qur’an says, ‘I have kept him away from sleep by night, so accept my intercession for him.’ And their intercession will be accepted.”

Allah has made fasting a shield, just as the shield one of you carries in battle. Allah the Exalted and Majestic said:

‘‘Every act of the son of Adam is for him, except As-Siyam (the fasting) which is (exclusively) for Me, and I will reward him for it.” The reward of fasting is unrestricted, Every [good] deed a son of Adam does will be multiplied, a good deed receiving a tenfold to seven hundredfold reward, with the exception of fasting. It is done for the sake of Allah and for it is done for My sake, and I alone shall reward for it. This is because fasting involves giving up one’s desires and food for the sake of Allah. Fasting in islam is classified into five categories in Islamic jurisprudence: obligatory (wajib), forbidden (muharram), encouraged (mustahabb), disliked (makruh) and permissible (mubah). The obligatory fasting is Ramadan’s fasting and making up any missed fasts from Ramadan.

Obligation of Ramadan

      Fasting Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam that Muslim’s reality as a servant of Allah shall not be completed until this pillar is correctly done. Allah said in Surah Al-Baqarah (1:183):

”O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous. A limited number of days. So whoever among you is ill or on a journey [during them] – then an equal number of days [are to be made up]. And upon those who are able [to fast, but with hardship] – a ransom [as substitute] of feeding a poor person [each day]. And whoever volunteers excess – it is better for him. But to fast is best for you, if you only knew.”

(يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ. أَيَّامًا مَّعْدُودَاتٍ ۚ فَمَن كَانَ مِنكُم مَّرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ ۚ وَعَلَى الَّذِينَ يُطِيقُونَهُ فِدْيَةٌ طَعَامُ مِسْكِينٍ ۖ فَمَن تَطَوَّعَ خَيْرًا فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّهُ ۚ وَأَن تَصُومُوا خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ ۖ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ).

    Fasting Ramadan was made obligatory in the second year after the Hijrah. It is obligatory upon every adult (i.e., one who has reached puberty), sane Muslim. It abstaining from food and drink from dawn (Fajr) until sunset (Maghrib), with the intention of worshipping Allah with a specific intention. Abu Huraira reported the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying, “He who fasts during Ramadan with faith and hoping for reward from Allah will have his past sins forgiven; he who prays during the night in Ramadan with faith and seeking his reward from God will have his past sins forgiven; and he who passes Laylat Al-Qadr [Night of Decree] in prayer with faith and seeking his reward from God will have his past sins forgiven.”

Intention (Niyyah)

    It is well known that all acts of worship must be accompanied by an intention, as deeds are judged according to intentions, therefore, fasting Ramadan requires an intention. Fuqaha (jurists) had different opinions regarding the time at which the intention for fasting Ramadan should be made of fasting the month of Ramadan. For the the Shafi‘i school (related to Al Emam Al-Shafi’i), the intention of fasting must be renewed every night starting from Maghreb to the Fajir. The Maliki school (related to Imam Malik) said that one intention at the beginning of the month of Ramadan is enough to cover the entire month.

sunnah of fasting

Suhoor. 

Suhoor is a pre-dawn meal. The companion Anas reported the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying, “Take a meal a little before dawn, for there is a blessing in taking a meal at that time.”

Iftar. 

It is the meal eaten when breaking the fast. It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “The people will remain upon goodness so long as they hasten to break the fast. Hasten to break the fast, for the Jews delay it.” Whoever has dates should break his fast with them, and whoever does not, then let him break the fast with water, for indeed water is purifying.  The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) encouraged moderation in eating and drinking and also to be able to pray Taraweeh (The word Taraweeh comes from a term meaning rest or relaxation. This prayer, which is prayed after Isha Salah in Ramadan, is called this because people usually take a break between every four rakats as the prayers are lengthy). Dua. It was narrated from Abdullah ibn Amr ibn Aas that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:

“When a fasting person breaks his fast, his supplication is not rejected.”

Also, Ibn Abi Mulaikah said:

“When he broke his fast, I heard Abdullah ibn Amr say:

‘O Allah I ask You by Your Mercy, which encompasses all things, to forgive me.’

The invalidators of fasting

1- Sexual intercourse
2- Eating or drinking intentionally
3- Ejaculation caused by desire
4- Deliberate vomiting
5- Cupping (according to some scholars)
6- Menstruation and postnatal bleeding

Fasting is a great act of worship that brings us closer to Allah and helps us develop patience, self-discipline, and righteousness. By observing its rulings and following the Sunnah, we can gain its spiritual benefits and seek Allah’s great reward.