Ramadan: The Month of Fasting; The Wisdom, Virtues, Goals

بِسْم الله الرحمن الرحيم


INTRODUCTION: The Virtue of Seeking Knowledge
You're not doing just any other normal action, you're doing a deed which is very noble and beloved to Allah. Allah chose you out of every single person outside to come and learn this knowledge.

The Prophet said: 

"من يرد الله به خيرًا يفقه في الدين"
"If Allah wishes good for someone, He bestows upon him the understanding of Deen." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

And hesaid:

“Allah gives worldly things to those whom He loves and those whom He does not love, but He gives religion and true faith only to those whom He loves, so he who is given religion by Allah has been loved by Him"

And he said:

أَلَا إِنَّ الدُّنْيَا مَلْعُونَةٌ مَلْعُونٌ مَا فِيهَا إِلَّا ذِكْرُ اللَّهِ وَمَا وَالَاهُ وَعَالِمٌ أَوْ مُتَعَلِّمٌ
Is not the world cursed and everything in it? It is so except for the remembrance of Allah and what facilitates it, the scholar and the seeker of knowledge [Sunan At-Tirmidhi 2322]

And hesaid in a Hadith narrated by Abu Hurayrah:

“Allah, the Exalted, has teams of angels who go about on the roads seeking those who remember Allah. When they find some people remembering Allah they call to one another and say, `Come to what you are looking for;’ and they surround them with their wings till the space between them and the lowest sky is fully covered.

 Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, asks them (although He is best informed about everything): `What are my slave saying?’ They say: `They are glorifying Your Tasbih, Tahmid, Takbir, Tamjid, (i.e., they were declaring Your Perfectness, praising, remembering the Greatness and Majesty of Allah).’ He asks: `Have they seen Me?’ They reply, `No, indeed, they have not seen You.’ He asks: `How would they act if they were to see Me?’ Thereupon they reply: `If they were to see You, they would engage more earnestly in worshipping and glorifying You and would extol You more.’ He would say: `What do they beg of Me?’ They say, `They beg You for Your Jannah.’ Allah says, `Have they seen My Jannah?’ They say, `No, our Rabb.’ He says: `How would they act if they were to see My Jannah?’ They reply, `Were they to see it, they would more intensely eager for it.’ They (the angels) say, `They seek Your Protection.’ He asks, `Against what do they seek My Protection?’ They (the angels) say, `Our Rabb, from the fire of Hell.’ (He, the Rabb) says, `Have they seen the fire of Hell?’ They say, `No. By Your Honour, they have not seen it.’ He says: `How would they act if they were to see My Fire?’ They say: `If they were to see it, they would more earnest in being away from it and fearing it. They beg of Your forgiveness.’ He says: `I call you to witness that I hereby grant pardon to them and confer upon them what they ask for; and grant them protection against what they seek protection from.’

One of the angels says: `Our Rabb, there is amongst them such and such slave who does not belong to the assembly of those who are participating in Your remembrance. He passed by them and sat down with them.’ He says: `I also grant him pardon because they are the people by virtue of whom their associates will not be unfortunate‘.”



And so how great must the reward of these gatherings be in Ramadan?

We've reached the middle of Ramadan - the time when most people start slacking and falling back into old routines. So it's important to refresh the Ramadan spirit in us, by reminding ourselves of the wisdoms behind Allah ordaining Fasting, the great virtues and opportunities open to us in this month, and the goals we all should seek to attain. To get out of hustle and bustle and escape the turbulent nature of the Dunya.







The Wisdom behind Allah ordaining Fasting

Allah said in [2:183]:

2:183
"O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqun" 

Allah informs us that fasting was something not just prescribed on this nation, but on the previous nations as well - such as the Jews and the Christians.

And then Allah informs us of the goal behind it. Now in Islam, we believe that Allah is far above doing anything in vain. God doesn't do anything except that there is a purpose and wisdom behind it. Allah says in [23:115]:

23:115
"Did you think that We had created you in play (without any purpose), and that you would not be brought back to Us?"

And one of Allah's names is الحكيم, which means that Allah is All-Wise. He puts the perfect thing at its perfect place at the perfect time. He doesn't ordain laws at random.
So fasting isn't just a mere exercise or something we're supposed to habitually do every year. There's a profound wisdom and a goal we achieve through it. 

So what is the wisdom and purpose behind fasting? Let's go back to the verse:
Allah says "لعلكم تتقون" - So that you may attain Taqwa.
Now Taqwa is an Arabic word which is commonly translated as "Fear Allah". But it's far deeper than that, and has been explained in a variety of ways by different scholars. There's no exact English translation for it.
In simple it's to put a barrier between you and the anger and punishment of Allah out of fear of Him. It is to obey Allah and to prevent yourself from disobeying Him out of Fear of him. 


How exactly will fasting help me attain Taqwa?
Well when we fast, what are we doing? We're stopping ourselves from things we are allowed to do - things which are essential for our survival, like eating, drinking, having intimacy with ones spouse even though we have the ability to do all that Why? Because you are obeying Allah and preventing yourself from disobeying Him. You're practicing Taqwa. The food and drink is in front of you, you may be alone, and can easily violate this fast without anyone knowing - but you don't out of Fear of Allah. You know Allah is watching and observing you. 

So if we can abstain and prevent ourselves from things which are essential to our survival, surely we should be able to, by the help of Allah, stop ourselves from doing what Allah prohibited and made Haraam for us. This is the secret which Allah placed in Fasting.

And another benefit we can extract from the goal behind fasting, is that it isn't merely preventing ourselves from food, drink, intimacy. We have to abstain from backbiting, from foul language, from quarrelling, from all the other matters which diminish the reward of our fast.

مَنْ لَمْ يَدَعْ قَوْلَ الزُّورِ وَالْعَمَلَ بِهِ فَلَيْسَ لِلَّهِ حَاجَةٌ فِي أَنْ يَدَعَ طَعَامَهُ وَشَرَابَهُ ".
The Prophet () said, "Whoever does not give up forged speech and evil actions, Allah is not in need of his leaving his food and drink (i.e. Allah will not accept his fasting.)"


So a person might fast a perfect fast one day, and would have attained Taqwa through it, but in the evening diminishes all his Taqwa and reward by gossiping, chatting, spending time in vain, etc. 

So Ramadan in short, is a boot camp. Allah is training us for 30 days....and it's well known that it takes around 20 or so days to form a habit...and this training is going to help us for the rest of our lives, and in the long run.  Which is why Allah says in the following verse:

"يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ بِكُمُ الْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ الْعُسْرَ"
"(By prescribing fast) Allah intends for you ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you."

And this is beautiful because when many look at fasting or any other Islamic laws they see it as a burden. As laws, as restrictions, as constriction, and tightness. But it's far more profound than that. The laws are set to make things easy for you in the long run. 
Fasting even affects the way we think and trains us to think long term. We deprive ourselves from food and drink now, so that practicing Taqwa and obedience to Allah becomes easy for us in the long term. So we shouldn't look at Ramadan as a burden, in fact it's there to help us.

Allah doesn't want hardship for us. He wants ease. 
Because Allah is الرحمن الرحيم. He's the Most Merciful. Ordering you to fast, to pray to do good deeds, is out of His mercy. Now apply this to every situation in your life. In life we may go through situations which look difficult, which look bad - just like starving yourself from food and drink looks like. But Allah wants ease for you. Allah doesn't want you to put hardship. Like the child at the doctors office. The doctor is about to give him an injection. He only sees the needle, the pain. But the doctor knows that behind the needle is the cure. We are that child in front of Allah. We don't know, but Allah knows.
"عسى ان تكرهو شيء.."


What else does Allah want from us by ordaining Fast?
2:185
"...He wants that you) must complete the same number (of days), and that you must magnify Allah [i.e. to say Takbir (Allahu-Akbar; Allah is the Most Great) on seeing the crescent of the months of Ramadan and Shawwal] for having guided you so that you may be grateful to Him..."


Allah wants us to come back to Him. Ramadan is a month of Tawbah. It's for you to turn a new leaf, to start recognizing Allah's blessings on you, for having favoured you above all people and guiding you. So that you magnify Allah - and what do we say on the Day of Eid. So you say that Takbir with all feeling in your heart, and that you are grateful. So you can enter Eid feeling like you've walked that finished line. 

So what are the opportunities we need to take advantage of this month? 


The Virtues of Fasting

The Prophet said:
"من صام رمضان إيمانًا واحتسابًا، غفر له ما تقدم من ذنبه"
"He who observes fasting during the month of Ramadan with Faith while seeking its reward from Allah, will have his past sins forgiven." [Agreed upon] 

مَنْ قَامَهُ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ
"Whoever prayed at night in it (the month of Ramadan) out of sincere Faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven." [Agreed upon] 

If you can't do one, you can do the other.
So he  stipulated two conditions for your sins to be forgiven:
1) Faith.
Fast believing in Allah's existence. Believe in Allah and believe that He commanded you to fast, and you're fasting carrying out His command.

2) Hoping for the reward.
What rewards should we hope for? This will be made clear in the following Hadiths:

-> Forgiveness of sins (aforementioned)

-> Fasting to intercede for you
الصِّيَامُ وَالْقُرْآنُ يَشْفَعَانِ لِلْعَبْدِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ يَقُولُ الصِّيَامُ أَيْ رَبِّ مَنَعْتُهُ الطَّعَامَ وَالشَّهَوَاتِ بِالنَّهَارِ فَشَفِّعْنِي فِيهِ وَيَقُولُ الْقُرْآنُ مَنَعْتُهُ النَّوْمَ بِاللَّيْلِ فَشَفِّعْنِي فِيهِ قَالَ فَيُشَفَّعَانِ

"Fasting and the Quran will intercede for the servant on the Day of Resurrection. Fasting will say: O Lord, I prevented him from food and drink during the day, so allow me to intercede for him. The Quran will say: O Lord, I prevented him from sleeping during the night, so allow me to intercede for him. Thus, they will both intercede for him.” [Musnad Ahmed #6587] 


-> To distance your face from Hellfire
مَنْ صَامَ يَوْمًا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ بَعَّدَ اللَّهُ وَجْهَهُ عَنْ النَّارِ سَبْعِينَ خَرِيفًا
Whoever fasts a day in the way of Allah, then Allah will move his face away from the Hellfire by a distance of seventy years.

-> Unlimited reward from Allah and because Allah loves fasting 
-> A screen from Hell
-> Two Pleasures for the Fasting Person
-> The Smell of the mouth of the Fasting person is better than Musk to Allah 

يَقُولُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ الصَّوْمُ لِي وَأَنَا أَجْزِي بِهِ يَدَعُ شَهْوَتَهُ وَأَكْلَهُ وَشُرْبَهُ مِنْ أَجْلِي، وَالصَّوْمُ جُنَّةٌ، وَلِلصَّائِمِ فَرْحَتَانِ فَرْحَةٌ حِينَ يُفْطِرُ وَفَرْحَةٌ حِينَ يَلْقَى رَبَّهُ، وَلَخَلُوفُ فَمِ الصَّائِمِ أَطْيَبُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ مِنْ رِيحِ الْمِسْكِ ".

Allah said: The Fast is for Me and I will give the reward for it, as he (the one who observes the fast) leaves his sexual desire, food and drink for My Sake. Fasting is a screen (from Hell) and there are two pleasures for a fasting person, one at the time of breaking his fast, and the other at the time when he will meet his Lord. And the smell of the mouth of a fasting person is better in Allah's Sight than the smell of musk." 


-> Allah's pleasure 

-> Entering the Gate of Ar-Rayyan

فِي الْجَنَّةِ، بَابًا يُقَالُ لَهُ الرَّيَّانُ يُقَالُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَيْنَ الصَّائِمُونَ هَلْ لَكُمْ إِلَى الرَّيَّانِ مَنْ دَخَلَهُ لَمْ يَظْمَأْ أَبَدًا فَإِذَا دَخَلُوا أُغْلِقَ عَلَيْهِمْ فَلَمْ يَدْخُلْ فِيهِ أَحَدٌ غَيْرُهُمْ .

In Paradise there is a gate called Ar-Rayyan, it will be said on the Day of Resurrection: "Where are those who used to fast? Would you like to enter through Ar-Rayyan?" whoever enters through it will never thirst again. Then when they have entered it will be closed behind them, and no one but they will enter through it. [An-Nasaa'i] 





The Virtues of Ramadan

And he said:
إذا كان أول ليلة في شهر رمضان صُفِّدت الشياطين ومَرَدَة الجن ، وغلقت أبواب النار فلم يُفتح منها باب ، وفتحت أبواب الجنة فلم يغلق منها باب ، وينادي منادٍ : يا باغي الخير أقبل، ويا باغي الشر أقصر . ولله عُتقاء من النار وذلك كل ليلة 
"The first night of the month of Ramadaan comes, the devils and rebellious jinn are chained up and the gates of Hell are closed, and not one gate of it is opened. The gates of Paradise are opened and not one gate of it is closed. And a caller cries out: ‘O seeker of good, proceed; O seeker of evil, desist. And Allaah has those whom He redeems from the Fire, and that happens every night.” 


أَتَاكُمْ رَمَضَانُ شَهْرٌ مُبَارَكٌ فَرَضَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ عَلَيْكُمْ صِيَامَهُ , تُفْتَحُ فِيهِ أَبْوَابُ السَّمَاءِ , وَتُغْلَقُ فِيهِ أَبْوَابُ الْجَحِيمِ , وَتُغَلُّ فِيهِ مَرَدَةُ الشَّيَاطِينِ , لِلَّهِ فِيهِ لَيْلَةٌ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ,مَنْ حُرِمَ خَيْرَهَا فَقَدْ حُرِمَ " رواه النسائي
 “There has come to you Ramadaan, a blessed month which Allaah has enjoined you to fast, during which the gates of heaven are opened and the gates of Hell are closed, and the rebellious devils are chained up. In it there is a night which is better than a thousand months, and whoever is deprived of its goodness is indeed deprived.” 


تَسْبِيحَةٌ فِي رَمَضَانَ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ أَلْفِ تَسْبِيحَةٍ فِي غَيْرِهِ
Az-Zuhri said: “A Tasbihah in Ramadan is better than a thousand Tasbihah in other that it.” [Tirmithi]

An-Nawawi said:
قَالَ أَصْحَابُنَا وَالْجُودُ وَالْأَفْضَالُ مُسْتَحَبٌّ فِي شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ وَفِي الْعَشْرِ الْأَوَاخِرِ أَفْضَلُ اقْتِدَاءً بِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَبِالسَّلَفِ وَلِأَنَّهُ شَهْرٌ شَرِيفٌ فَالْحَسَنَةُ فِيهِ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ غَيْرِهِ
Our scholars said that being generous and performing favors are highly recommended during Ramadan, specifically during the last ten nights. By doing so, we emulate the example of the Prophet as well as our predecessors. This month is honored and good deeds performed in this month are more blessed than they are at any other time. [Source: al-Majmū’ Sharḥ al-Muhadhdhab 6/424]

The Goal we should seek to Attain by Fasting

If you've listened carefully, you would have noticed that we've covered all the goals from the beginning of the lecture. We should seek, by every fast we do, to attain Taqwa - and this is the greatest goal, and the very reason we were commanded by Allah to fast - 
Then for ALL our previous sins to be forgiven, for our fast and our Qur'an to come as intercessors on the Day of Judgement before Allah, on the Day we'll need it the most.  this isn't just شهر الصبر, of abstaining. We're not just here to Starve and learn to abstain. But we're here to nourish our souls, to increase in connection to Allah, to increase in gratefulness. This month is also شهر القرآن. We feed and nourish and develop our souls with the Qur'an. In fact the very first description Allah gives to Ramadan in [2:185]:

2:185
"The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Quran, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong)."


The Qur'an is كلام الله - it's the Speech of Allah 

من قرأ حرفًا من كتاب الله فله حسنة، والحسنة بعشر أمثالها لا أقول: ألم حرف، ولكن ألف حرف، ولام حرف، وميم حرف
Ibn Mas'ud (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah () said, "Whoever recites a letter from the Book of Allah, he will be credited with a good deed, and a good deed gets a ten-fold reward. I do not say that Alif-Lam-Mim is one letter, but Alif is a letter, Lam is a letter and Mim is a letter." [Tirmithi] 

But we shouldn't stick to mere recitation. We have to ponder over it, use it,seek it as a guidance for us in every part of our lives (Surah AlKahf will be an example)). Spend as much time as you can with the Qur'an in this month. We need to form a relationship with the Qur'an.  


For our fast to be a shield from every evil, and most importantly from the Hellfire, for an unlimited reward from Allah, His pleasure, so that you will be counted amongst the Muttaqeen, whom Allah promised great rewards in the Qur’an, etc.





What should I practically do?

But how many people fast empty fasts. As if they're just exercising or doing something out of habit. It's almost like blind following. But Islam is a religion which emphasizes using your intellect. We are encouraged to ponder over the wisdoms behind legislations, and should bear the purpose of what we're doing in mind. Ramadan isn't so that we just starve all together from dawn till dusk, chat at night, and celebrate at the end. It's a race, a boot camp; it's there to teach us how to live our lives, and for that we need to take advantage of every single second in it. 

-> We have to rejoice with this month. Feel the mercy, feel the opportunities. And Allah will reward you for even these feelings.
Allah said in [10:58]:
10:58
"Say: "In the Bounty of Allah, and in His Mercy (i.e. Islam and the Quran); -therein let them rejoice." That is better than what (the wealth) they amass."

-> We have to starve our bodies and nourish our souls with obedience, Qur'an, prayer, charity, abstaining from backbiting, abstaining from wasting time. - Allah said He is not in need of the starvation of the one who leaves food and drink but not foul speech backbiting. 

-> Ask Allah to help you. لا حول و لا قوة الا بالله

-> Fill every second with obedience, especially the days in Ramadan. Many people focus on the nights, but the days are full of reward. Even if you're cooking, play the Qur'an, say Tasbih. 
And you can turn your everyday work into Acts of Worship and get reward for it.

E.g. You're feeding your husband and kids Iftar. Don't just do it because you have to. Do it because: 

"Whoever gives food to a fasting person to break his fast will have a reward like his without detracting from his reward in the slightest"

Because Allah praised the People of Paradise in Surah AlInsan:

76:8
“And they give food, inspite of their love for it (or for the love of Him), to Miskin (poor), the orphan, and the captive,

76:9
“(Saying): "We feed you seeking Allah's Countenance only. We wish for no reward, nor thanks from you.

76:10
"Verily, We fear from our Lord a Day, hard and distressful, that will make the faces look horrible (from extreme dislikeness to it)."


How did Allah deal with them? 

76:11
“So Allah saved them from the evil of that Day, and gave them Nadratan (a light of beauty) and joy.

76:12
“And their recompense shall be Paradise, and silken garments, because they were patient.


Even if you have to go to work, have good intentions. E.g. You're working to feed yourself and your family Halal, and you're not taking Haraam sources. 


-> Concentrate on the obligatory before working on the voluntary. Some people go for Tarawih but sleep through the obligatory prayers.

-> Make lots and lots Dua. Allah said in the context of Fasting in the Qur'an, in [2:186]:

2:186
"And when My slaves ask you (O Muhammad SAW) concerning Me, then (answer them), I am indeed near (to them by My Knowledge). I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me (without any mediator or intercessor). So let them obey Me and believe in Me, so that they may be led aright."


The Prophet said, "Three men whose dua is never rejected (by Allah) are: when a fasting person breaks fast (in another narration, the fasting person until he breaks his fast), the just ruler and the one who is oppressed.'[Ahmad, at-Tirmidhi - Hasan] 




To conclude: 

Ibn Rajab said: "Eid is not for the one who wears new clothes. Eid is for the one whose obedience rises. Eid is not for the one with beautiful clothes and fine means of transport, Eid is for the one whose sins are forgiven."

Allah said in [3:133]:

3:133
"And march forth in the way (which leads to) forgiveness from your Lord, and for Paradise as wide as are the heavens and the earth, prepared for Al-Muttaqun"


Ibn Al-Jawzi said, "When a race horse knows that it is nearing the end of the track it exerts all its effort to win the race. Do not allow the race horse to be cleverer than you, for verily, deeds are judged by their endings. If you didn't do well welcoming Ramadan, then perhaps you will do better in bidding it farewell"

And Hasan AlBasri said, "Improve your performance in what is left (of time) and you will be forgiven for that which has always passed. Take special care of the time you have left, because you do not know when your soul will be turned over to Allah's mercy" 


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