1: Creed 2: Manners  3: Character 4: Act of Worship 5: Deeds

[su_divider top=”no” size=”1″ margin=”0″]End[/su_divider]

As-Siyam: Fasting Definition Description and Benefits

Defining Fasting-As-Sawm:

As-Sawm (fasting) linguistically means to abstain. According to religious law it means to abstain form eating, drinking, sexual intercourse with women and other things that break the fast, with the intention of worshipping (Allah) form the first crack of dawn (Fajr) until the setting of the sun (Maghrib).

The History of the Obligation of Fasting:

Allah the Mighty and Majestic made fasting obligatory upon the Ummah (nation, followers) of Muhammad ﷺ just as He made it obligatory upon the nations that preceded it. This is based on Allah the Almighty’s statement:

يٰۤاَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِيْنَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُوْنَۙ

O you who believe! Fasting has been made obligatory upon you just as it was made obligatory upon those who were before you, so that you may have Taqwa (piety). (2:183)

This (the revelation of this verse) took place on a Monday, during the month of Sha’ban, in the second year after the blessed migration (2 AH).

The virtue of Fasting and its Benefits:

Its Virtue:

The following Hadiths testify to and affirm the virtue of fasting:

The Prophet’s statement:

«الصِّيَامُ جُنَّةٌ مِنَ النَّارِ ، كَجُنَّةِ أَحَدِكُمْ مِنَ الْقِتَالِ»

Fasting is a shield from the (Hell) Fire like the shield of one of you in battle. (Ahmad)

The Prophet’s Statement:

مَنْ صَامَ يَوْمًا فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ، زَحْزَحَ اللَّهُ بِذَلِكَ الْيَوْمِ النَّارَ مِنْ وَجْهِهِ سَبْعِينَ خَرِيفًا

Whoever fasts a day in the way of Allah the Mighty and Majestic, Allah will keep his face away form the (Hell) Fire for (the distance of) seventy autumn seasons because of that day. (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

The Prophet’s statement:

«إِنَّ لِلصَّائِمِ عِنْدَ فِطْرِهِ لَدَعْوَةً مَا تُرَدُّ»

Verily the fasting person has a supplication that will not be rejected when he breads his fast (i.e. at the end of the day. (Ibn Majah and Al-Hakim).

The Prophet’s Statement:
إِنَّ فِي الْجَنَّةِ بَابًا يُقَالُ لَهُ الرَّيَّانُ، يَدْخُلُ مِنْهُ الصَّائِمُونَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ لاَ يَدْخُلُ مِنْهُ أَحَدٌ غَيْرُهُمْ يُقَالُ أَيْنَ الصَّائِمُونَ، فَيَقُومُون لاَ يَدْخُلُ مِنْهُ أَحَدٌ غَيْرُهُمْ فَإِذَا دَخَلُوا أُغْلِقَ فَلَمْ يَدْخُلْ مِنْهُ أَحَدٌ

Verily there is a gate in Paradise called Ar-Rayyan that the people who observes fasting will enter through on the Day of Resurrection, and وnone will entre it other than them. It will be said, ‘Where are the fasting people?’ So they will stand (and enter it) and none will enter through it other than them. Then after they have entered, it will be closed and no one will enter it (after them. (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Its Benefits:

Fasting provides benefits for the soul, the society and health, and are as follows:

From the spiritual benefits of fasting is that it accustoms one to patience and strengthens one’s patience. It teaches self-restraint and helps one to practice it. it places the gift of piety in the soul and cultivates it, and particularly the piety which is the outstanding reason for fasting that is mentioned in Allah the Almighty’s statement:

كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِيْنَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُوْنَۙ

Fasting has been made obligatory for you just as it was made obligatory for these before you so that you may have Taqwa. (2:183)

Form the social benefits of fasting is that it accustoms the (Muslim) community to organization and unity, and love of justice and equality. It makes a feeling of mercy and good character in the believers. Likewise, it protects the society form evils and vices.

From the health benefits of fasting is that it cleanses the intestines and benefits the stomach. It also purifies the body form excesses and deposits, and it lessens the setting of fat and heaviness of the stomach with fat. It is narrated in  a Hadith that he ﷺsaid:

«صُومُوا تَصِّحُّوا»

Fast and be healthy.(Ibn As-Sunni and Abu Nu’aym, and As-Suyuti graded it Hasan.)

Recommended Fasts:

Fasting is recommended on the following days:

• 1:The Day of ‘Arafah for those who are not performing Hajj. This is the 9^th of Dhul-Hijjah. This is due to the statement of the Prophet ﷺ:

صَوْم ُيوَمُ عَرَفَةَ يُكَفِّرُ سَنَتَيْنِ مَاضِيَةَ وَمُسْتَقْبِلَةٍ وَصَوْمُ عَاشُورَاءَ يُكَفِّرُ سَنَةً مَاضِيَةً

Fasting the Day of ‘Arafah expiates the sins of two years, the previous year and the forthcoming year. And fasting the Day of ‘Ashura’ expiates the previous year (i.e. its sins).(Muslim)

• 2:The Day of ‘Ashura’ and the Day of Tasu’a’ and they are the 10^th and 9^th of the month of Al-Muharram. This is due to the Prophet’s statement:

«وَصَوْمُ عَاشُورَاءَ يُكَفِّرُ سَنَةً مَاضِيَةً »

And fasting the Day of ‘Ashura’ expiates the previous year (i.e. its sins). (Muslim)

And just as he ﷺ fasted the Day of ‘Ashura’ and ordered (the people) to fast it, he said:

«فَإِذَا كَانَ الْعَامُ الْمُقْبِلُ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ  صُمْنَا الْيَوْمَ التَّاسِعَ »

When the next year comes, if Allah wills, we shall fast he ninth day (as well). (Muslim and Abu Dawud)

• 3:Six days of the month of Shawwal. This is due to the Prophet’s statement:

« مَنْ صَامَ رَمَضَانَ ثُمَّ أَتْبَعَهُ سِتًّا مِنْ شَوَّالٍ كَانَ كَصِيَامِ الدَّهْرِ »

Whoever fasts Ramadhan and follows it up with (fasting) six days of Shawwal, it is like fasting the entire year. (Muslim)

• 4:The first half of the month of Sha’ban. This is due to the statement of ‘A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her:

“I never saw the Messenger ﷺfast an entire month except for Ramadhan and I did  not see him fasting more in any month than in the month of Sha’ban.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

• 5:The first ten days of the month of Dhul-Hijjah. This is due to the Prophet’s statement:

مَا مِنْ أَيَّامٍ الْعَمَلُ الصَّالِحُ فِيهَا أَحَبُّ إِلَى اللَّهِ مِنْ هَذِهِ الأَيَّام. يَعْنِى أَيَّامَ الْعَشْرِ الأول مِنْ ذِي الْـحَجَّةِ

There are no days in which a righteous deed is more beloved to Allah the Mighty and Majestic then these days meaning the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah.

They said, “O Messenger of Allah! Not even Jihad in the way of Allay?” He said:

وَلاَ الْجِهَادُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ،  إِلاَّ رَجُلٌ خَرَجَ يُخَاطِرُ بِنَفْسِهِ وَمَالِهِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَرْجِعْ من ذَلِكَ بِشَيْءٍ

Not even jihad in the way of Allah, except for a man who goes out (for Jihad) with his self and his wealth, then he does not return with any of that (i.e. he loses his life and wealth in Jihad). (Al-Bukhari)

• 6:The month of Al-Muharram. This is due to the Prophet’s statement when he was asked, “which is the best fast after Ramadhan?” He replied:

«شَهْرُ اللهِ الَّذِي تَدْعُونَهُ الْـمُحَرِّمُ»

The month of Allah, which you call Al-Muharram.(Muslim)

• 7:The white days (Al-Ayyam-ul-Beedh) of every month and they are the 13^th, the 14^th and the 15^th(of the lunar calendar). This is due to the statement of Abu Dharr, may Allah be pleased with him:

“The Messenger of Allah ordered us to fast the three white days (Ayyam-ul-Beedh) of the month: the 13^th , the 14^th , and the 15^th. And he said, ‘They are like fasting the entire year.” (An-Nasa’I )

• 8: Monday and Thursday. This is due to what has been reported that the Prophet ﷺ used to fast more on Mondays and Thursdays (than any other days). He was asked abut that and He saidﷺ:

اِنَّ الْأَعْمَالُ تُعْرَضُ كُلُّ اثْنَيْنِ وَخَمِيس فَيَغْفِرُ اللهُ لِكُلِّ مُسْلِمٍ أَوْ لِكُلِّ مُؤْمِنٍ اِلَّا الْـمُتَهَاجِرِينَ فَيَقُولُ:أَخِّرْهُمَا

Verily the deeds are presented (before Allah) ever Monday and Thursday, and Allah forgives every Muslim or every believer, except for two who are shunning each other. Thus, He says, ‘Delay them(i.e. their forgiveness)’.(Ahmad )

• 9:Fasting a day and not fasting a day. This is due to the Prophet’s statement:

إِنَّ أَحَبَّ الصِّيَامِ إِلَى اللَّهِ صِيَامُ دَاوُدَ وَ، وَأَحَبَّ الصَّلاَةِ إِلَى اللَّهِ صَلاَةُ دَاوُدَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ، كَانَ يَنَامُ نِصْفَ اللَّيْلِ وَيَقُومُ ثُلُثَهُ وَيَنَامُ سُدُسَهُ، وَكَانَ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا

The most beloved fast to Allah is the fast of Dawud and the most beloved prayer to Allah is the prayer of Dawud. He used to sleep half of the night, stand (in prayer) a third of it and sleep a sixth of it. And he used to fast a day and not fast a day (i.e. fast every other day).(Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

• 10:Fasting for the single person who is not able to get married. This is due to the Prophet’s statement:

مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ الْبَاءَةَ فَلْيَتَزَوَّجْ فَإِنَّهُ أَغَضُّ لِلْبَصَرِ وَأَحْصَنُ لِلْفَرْجِ ، وَمَنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَعَلَيْهِ بِالصَّوْمِ فَإِنَّهُ لَهُ وِجَاءٌ

Whoever is able to afford it should get married, for verily it helps to keep the gaze lowered and it is safer for the private parts (i.e. against illegal sexual intercourse). And whoever is not able to marry then he must fast, for verily it is a means of cutting off the sexual desires. (Al-Bukhari)