The Virtues of Fasting and Praying during Ramadan

الحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله وعلي آله وأصحابه ومن اهتدي بهداه . أما بعد

This is a brief piece of advice, in which the virtues of fasting and night prayer in Ramadan, and of hastening to good deeds in this blessed month, are explained, along with some rulings that some people are unaware of.
It is established from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ that he would give the companions, may Allah be pleased with them all, the good news of the arrival of the month of Ramadan, and inform them that it is a month in which the doors of mercy and Paradise are opened, the doors of Hell are closed, and the devils are shackled. Thus the Prophet ﷺ used to say:

إذا كانت أول ليلة من رمضان فتحت أبواب الجنة فلم يغلق منها باب وغلقت أبواب جهنم فلم يفتح منها باب، وصفدت الشياطين، وينادي مناد : يا باغي الخير أقبل ويا باغي الشر أقصر، ولله عتقاء من النار، وذلك كل ليلة .

“When the first night of Ramadan comes, the doors of Paradise are opened and not one of them is closed. The doors of Hell are closed and not one of them is opened, and the devils are chained. And a caller proclaims: ‘O seeker of good, come forward; O seeker of evil, hold back.’ And Allah frees many people from the Fire, and this continues every night.”
Also, the Prophet ﷺ used to say:

من صام رمضان إيمانا واحتسابا غفر له ما تقدم من ذنبه، ومن قام رمضان إيمانا واحتسابا غفر له ما تقدم من ذنبه، و من قام ليلة القدر إيمانا واحتسابا غفر له ما تقدم من ذنبه

“Whoever fasts Ramadan out of faith and seeking reward, his previous sins will be forgiven. And whoever stands (in prayer) in Ramadan out of faith and seeking reward, his previous sins will be forgiven. And whoever stands in prayer on the Night of Qadr out of faith and seeking reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.”
And the Prophet ﷺ used to say that Allah, the Exalted, says:

كل عمل ابن آدم له، الحسنة بعشر أمثالها إلى سبعماءة ضعف إلا الصيام فإنه لي و أنا أجزي به، ترك شهوته و طعامه و شرابه من أجلي، للصائم فرحتان : فرحة عند فطره، وفرحة عند لقاء ربه، ولخلوف فم الصائم أطيب عند الله من ريح المسك

“Every deed of the son of Adam is for himself: a good deed is multiplied ten times up to seven hundred times, except fasting, for it is for Me and I will reward it myself. He leaves his desire, his food and his drink for My sake. The fasting person has two joys: a joy at the time of breaking his fast, and a joy at the time of meeting his Lord. The smell from the mouth of the fasting person is more fragrant to Allah than the scent of musk.”
There are many hadiths concerning the virtues of fasting and night prayer in Ramadan and of fasting in general. Therefore it is fitting for the believer, in view of the favour and grace Allah has shown by granting the blessed month of Ramadan, to consider this occasion a precious opportunity, to hasten in all acts of obedience, to avoid all evils, and to strive fully to fulfil Allah’s obligations and duties, especially the five daily prayers. For this is the pillar of Islam and, after the testimony of faith, a very great and important obligation. Hence it is obligatory and necessary for every Muslim man and woman to guard it, to be constant in it, and to perform it on time with humility, submission, calm and tranquillity. For men, among the important obligations of the prayer is its performance in congregation in those houses of Allah (mosques) whose elevation and mention of Allah’s name in them Allah has commanded. As the saying of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, states:

وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَارْكَعُوا مَعَ الرَّاكِعِينَ

“And establish prayer and give zakah and bow with those who bow.”
He also said:

حَافِظُوا عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ وَالصَّلَاةِ الْوُسْطَى وَقُومُوا لِلَّـهِ قَانِتِينَ

“Guard the prayers, especially the middle prayer, and stand before Allah in devotion.”
And in another place He said:

قَدْ أَفْلَحَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ ٭ الَّذِينَ هُمْ فِي صَلَاتِهِمْ خَاشِعُونَ

“Indeed, the believers have succeeded, those who are humble in their prayer.”
Then He said:
وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَى صَلَوَاتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ ٭ أُولَـئِكَ هُمُ الْوَارِثُونَ ٭ الَّذِينَ يَرِثُونَ الْفِرْدَوْسَ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ

“And those who guard their prayers. They are the inheritors, who will inherit Paradise, wherein they will abide forever.”
And the Prophet ﷺ said:

العهد الذى بيننا وبينهم الصلاة فمن تركها فقد كفر

“The covenant between us and them is the prayer. Whoever abandons it has disbelieved.”
And after prayer, the important obligation is the payment of zakat, as Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, said:

وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا اللَّـهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ حُنَفَاءَ وَيُقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَذَلِكَ دِينُ الْقَيِّمَةِ

“And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining toward truth, and to establish prayer and give zakah. And that is the correct religion.”
The Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ both indicate that whoever does not pay the zakat on his wealth will be afflicted with punishment on the Day of Resurrection.
After prayer and zakat, the most important thing is fasting in Ramadan, which is one of the important pillars among the five pillars of Islam, as the Prophet ﷺ said:

بني الاسلا م علٰي خمس شها دة أن لا إله إلا الله وأن محمدا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وإقا م الصلوٰة، وإيتاء الزكاة، وصوم رمضان، وحج البيت

“Islam is built upon five things: (1) testifying that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad ﷺ is the Messenger of Allah, (2) establishing prayer, (3) paying zakat, (4) fasting in the month of Ramadan, (5) and performing Hajj to the House of Allah.”
A Muslim must protect his fasting from what Allah has made unlawful in words and deeds. This is because the purpose of fasting is that the servant obeys Allah, honours what He has forbidden, struggles against his own self by opposing his desires in obedience to his Master, and trains himself to refrain from what Allah has made unlawful. The purpose of fasting is not merely to abstain from eating, drinking and other things that break the fast. As the authentic hadith of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ says:

الصيام جنة، فإذا كا ن يوم صوم أحدكم فلا يرفث ولايصخب، فإن سابه أحد أو قاتله فليقل إني صائم

“Fasting is a shield and a protection from evil deeds and the punishment of Allah. So when one of you is fasting, he should not engage in obscene speech or make noise. And if someone insults him or fights with him, he should say: I am fasting.”
And this is also an authentic hadith of the Prophet ﷺ:

من لم يدع قول الزور والعمل به والجهل فليس للٰه حاجة فى أن يدع طعامه وشرابه

“Whoever does not give up false speech, acting upon it, and ignorance, Allah has no need that he should give up his food and drink.”
From the above and other similar texts, it is known that it is obligatory and necessary for the fasting person to avoid everything that Allah has forbidden and to safeguard everything that He has made obligatory. From this, hope may be placed in his forgiveness, freedom from Hell, and the acceptance of his fasting and night prayers.

الحمد لله رب العالمين و الصلاة و السلام على أفضل رسله و خاتم أنبياه محمد و على آله و أصحابه أجمعين و من تبعهم بإحسان إلى يوم الدين.وبعد،

Our own observation and yours is that the moving parts of a machine made by humans, and of the vehicles they invent, become loose as they pass over the ups and downs of the road, and at times such vehicles suffer a major breakdown, become weak or stalled, and need servicing, repair and correction. This is why vehicle manufacturers make servicing necessary for every vehicle after a fixed period and a set distance travelled. When the repair, correction and servicing work is completed as they direct, the vehicle returns to carrying out its assigned tasks with renewed vigour. The same is true of the vehicle of our life, whose purpose of creation Allah the Exalted has stated:

وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنْسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ

“I did not create the jinn and mankind except that they may worship Me.”
This vehicle of ours too, after running for some time, is caught up in the deceptions of Satan, becomes sluggish and listless, falls into weakness and lethargy, and needs servicing and correction. For this reason Allah, the All-Knowing, the All-Aware, the All-Wise and the All-Seeing, has granted certain days and nights, and certain places and times, a virtue, excellence and blessing of goodness, so that a person, especially a Muslim, by recognising their worth and standing, can benefit from them and be enriched by them, service the vehicle of his life, and return with renewed vigour to the discharge of his duties, that is, the worship of Allah.
The blessed month of Ramadan is also one of those days and months in which Allah, by His grace and kindness, has placed such mercies and blessings. In them a person, by fasting during the days and by worship and devotion during the nights, through tahajjud and taraweeh, recitation of the Quran and remembrance of Allah, can break the satanic obstacles and restraints, ignore the whisperings of Satan and his alluring snares, have his past shortcomings and slips forgiven, and become God-fearing, so that in the life to come he may be fresh and alert again and devote himself to the worship and devotion of Allah as it should be done.

① Obligation of Fasting:

Fasting in Ramadan is one of the important pillars among the five pillars of Islam. Fasting the month of Ramadan is obligatory upon every sane, adult Muslim, man or woman, free or slave. The obligation of fasting in the month of Ramadan was established in 2 AH, and this obligation is proven by all three: the Book of Allah (the Holy Quran), the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and the consensus of the Ummah. Allah the Exalted says:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ ٭ أَيَّامًا مَعْدُودَاتٍ فَمَنْ كَانَ مِنْكُمْ مَرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَى سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ وَعَلَى الَّذِينَ يُطِيقُونَهُ فِدْيَةٌ طَعَامُ مِسْكِينٍ فَمَنْ تَطَوَّعَ خَيْرًا فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَهُ وَأَنْ تَصُومُوا خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ

“O you who believe! Fasting has been prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may become God-fearing. (It is) for a certain number of days. But whoever among you is sick or on a journey, then (let him fast) an equal number of other days. And for those who are able to do it (but with difficulty) there is a ransom: feeding a poor person. And whoever volunteers good, it is better for him. And that you fast is better for you, if you only knew.”
And the words of the Lord:

شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ هُدًى لِلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِنَ الْهُدَى وَالْفُرْقَانِ فَمَنْ شَهِدَ مِنْكُمُ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ

“The month of Ramadan is the one in which the Quran was revealed, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs of guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong). So whoever of you witnesses the month, let him fast it.”
And Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

بني الإسلام على خمس. شهادة أن لاإله إلا الله و أن محمدا عبده ورسوله، و إقام الصلاة و إيتاء الزكاة، و حج البيت و صوم رمضان.

“Islam is built upon five things: ① testifying that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad ﷺ is His servant and His Messenger; ② establishing the prayer; ③ paying the zakat; ④ performing Hajj to the House of Allah (the Kaaba); and ⑤ fasting the month of Ramadan.”
And Talhah bin Ubaidullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that:

أن أعرابيا جاء إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ثائر الرأس فقال: يا رسول الله! أخبرني ماذا فرض الله على من الصلاة؟ فقال: الصلوات الخمس، إلا أن تطوع شيئا، فقال: أخبرني فما فرض الله على من الصيام؟ فقال: شهر رمضان، إلا أن تطوع شيئا، فقال: أخبرني ما فرض الله على من الزكاة؟ فقال: فأخبره رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم بشرائع الإسلام، قال: والذي أكرمك، لا أتطوع شيئا و لا أنقص مما فرض الله على شيئا. فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: أفلح إن صدق، أو دخل الجنة إن صدق.

“A bedouin with disheveled hair came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said: O Messenger of Allah! Tell me what prayer Allah has made obligatory upon me? He ﷺ said: The five daily prayers, unless you voluntarily perform something extra. The bedouin asked: Tell me what fasting Allah has made obligatory upon me? He ﷺ said: The month of Ramadan, unless you voluntarily fast something extra. He asked again: Tell me what zakat Allah has made obligatory upon me? The narrator says: Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ taught him the laws of Islam. The bedouin said: By the One who honoured you, I will not perform anything extra, nor will I diminish anything of what Allah has made obligatory upon me. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: If he has spoken the truth, he will be successful, or he said: If he has spoken the truth, he will enter Paradise.”
The scholars of the Ummah are in consensus on the obligation of fasting in the month of Ramadan, and there is also consensus that one who denies its obligation is a disbeliever and has left the religion of Islam.

② Stages of the Obligation of Fasting:

Since Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate, knows well the circumstances of His servants and their weakness, He did not make the fasting of the whole month of Ramadan obligatory all at once. Rather, He made it obligatory in its present form through different stages, so that people would gradually become accustomed to keeping the fast and its performance would not be difficult or unbearable for them:
➊ The first fast to be made obligatory was the fast of Ashura (the tenth of Muharram). Accordingly, Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) says:

أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم صام يوم عاشوراء، و أمر بصيامه

“Indeed, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ fasted on the day of Ashura himself and also commanded the people to fast on it.”
➋ In the second stage, the fast of the month of Ramadan was made obligatory, but since people were not accustomed to keeping fasts, those who were able to fast were given the concession that, if they did not fast, they should feed a poor person for each fast. As Allah the Exalted says:

وَعَلَى الَّذِينَ يُطِيقُونَهُ فِدْيَةٌ طَعَامُ مِسْكِينٍ فَمَنْ تَطَوَّعَ خَيْرًا فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَهُ وَأَنْ تَصُومُوا خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ

“And for those who are able to do so, there is a ransom: feeding a poor person. Whoever volunteers good, it is better for him; but fasting is better for you, if you have knowledge.”
➌ In the third stage, the option of not fasting was removed and fasting was enjoined with emphasis. The word of the Lord says:

شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ هُدًى لِلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِنَ الْهُدَى وَالْفُرْقَانِ فَمَنْ شَهِدَ مِنْكُمُ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ وَمَنْ كَانَ مَرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَى سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ يُرِيدُ اللَّـهُ بِكُمُ الْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ الْعُسْرَ وَلِتُكْمِلُوا الْعِدَّةَ وَلِتُكَبِّرُوا اللَّـهَ عَلَى مَا هَدَاكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ

“The month of Ramadan is that in which the Quran was revealed, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever among you witnesses the month, let him fast it. But whoever is ill or on a journey, then an equal number of other days. Allah intends ease for you and does not intend hardship for you, and so that you complete the period and glorify Allah for having guided you, and perhaps you will be grateful.”

③ The meaning of Sawm:

Linguistically, sawm means to refrain from something and abandon it, as Allah has related through the words of Maryam (peace be upon her):

إِنِّي نَذَرْتُ لِلرَّحْمَـنِ صَوْمًا فَلَنْ أُكَلِّمَ الْيَوْمَ إِنْسِيًّا

“I have vowed a fast to the Most Merciful, so I will not speak today to any person.”
صام الفرس صوما means the horse stopped eating and drinking. “Sa’im” refers to a horse that stands silently, having stopped eating and drinking. There is a verse of Nabigha Dhubyani:

خيل صيام و خيل غير صائمة . . . تحت العجاج و أخري تعلك اللجما

صامت الريح The wind stopped, صام النهار صوما the day stood still, and it became midday.
In the Shariah, sawm means to refrain, for the sake of Allah’s pleasure, from eating, drinking and intercourse with one’s wife from true dawn until sunset.

④ The purpose of fasting:

In the Quran, Allah has mentioned the purpose of fasting along with its obligation. As Allah says:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ

“O you who believe! Fasting has been prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may attain taqwa (God-consciousness).”

⑤ The definition of Taqwa:

The word taqwa is derived from “wiqaya”, meaning to guard against, protect and safeguard. Accordingly, taqwa means carrying out Allah’s command and abstaining from what He has forbidden.
The predecessors expressed this same meaning in different words. Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) says that “the muttaqun are those who protect themselves from the seizure of Allah.”
And Ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) says, “Taqwa is that Allah is obeyed, His disobedience is avoided, He is remembered and not forgotten, and He is thanked and not disbelieved.”
When Amir al-Mu’minin, the second caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), asked Ubayy ibn Ka’b (may Allah be pleased with him) about taqwa, he said:

أما سلكت طريقا ذا شوك؟ فقال: بلي، قال: فما عملت؟ قال: شمرت و اجتهدت، قال: فذلك التقوي.

“Have you ever passed along a thorny path?” He said: “Yes.” He asked: “Then what did you do?” He said: “I rolled up my sleeves and strove hard, passing through it with the utmost caution.” He said: “That is taqwa.”
The poet Ibn al-Mu’tazz expressed the same meaning thus:

خل الذنوب صغيرها . . . وكبيرها ذاك التقي

و اصنع كماش فوق أر . . . ض الشوك يحذر ما يري

لا تحقرن صغيرة . . . إن الجبال من الحصي

“Leave aside all sins, small and great; that is taqwa. Walk as one who walks on a thorny path, who stays alert and wary of the thorn. Do not belittle any small sin, for mountains are made up of small pebbles.”

⑥ The command of taqwa in the Quran and Sunnah:

In view of this importance of taqwa, Allah has commanded taqwa in various places in the Holy Quran, and in the same way the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and the pious predecessors (salaf salihin) also commanded taqwa and emphasized it.
Although there are many verses that enjoin taqwa, below we will mention only those verses which the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to recite on occasions of the nikah sermon, admonition and advice, and other needs and necessities:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّـهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ

“O you who have believed, fear Allah as He should be feared, and do not die except while you are Muslims.”
And He said:

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُوا رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ مِنْ نَفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ وَخَلَقَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا وَبَثَّ مِنْهُمَا رِجَالًا كَثِيرًا وَنِسَاءً وَاتَّقُوا اللَّـهَ الَّذِي تَسَاءَلُونَ بِهِ وَالْأَرْحَامَ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ كَانَ عَلَيْكُمْ رَقِيبًا

“O mankind, fear your Lord, who created you from one soul and created from it its mate and dispersed from both of them many men and women. And fear Allah, through whom you ask one another, and [be mindful of] the wombs. Indeed Allah is ever, over you, an Observer.”
And He said:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّـهَ وَقُولُوا قَوْلًا سَدِيدًا ٭ يُصْلِحْ لَكُمْ أَعْمَالَكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَمَنْ يُطِعِ اللَّـهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَقَدْ فَازَ فَوْزًا عَظِيمًا

“O you who have believed, fear Allah and speak words of appropriate justice, He will amend for you your deeds and forgive you your sins. And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger has certainly attained a great attainment.”
And Abu Umamah al-Bahili (may Allah be pleased with him) says that he heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say the following during a sermon in Hajjat al-Wada’:

اتقوا ربكم، وصلوا خمسكم، و صوموا شهركم، و أدوا زكاة أموالكم، و أطيعوا أمراء كم، تدخلوا جنة ربكم.

“Fear your Lord, pray your five prayers, fast the month of Ramadan, give the zakat of your wealth, and obey your rulers, and you will enter the Paradise of your Lord.”

⑦ The Fruits of Taqwa:

Through taqwa a person becomes entitled to many benefits and blessings in this world and the Hereafter, some of which are the following:
➊ Taqwa is a means of ease in a person’s affairs. Allah the Exalted has said:

وَمَنْ يَتَّقِ اللَّـهَ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ يُسْرًا

“And whoever fears Allah, He will make for him ease in his affair.”
And He said:
أَمَّا مَنْ أَعْطَى وَاتَّقَى ٭ وَصَدَّقَ بِالْحُسْنَى ٭ فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُ لِلْيُسْرَى

“As for one who gives and fears (Allah), and believes in the best (reward), We will ease him toward ease.”
➋ Taqwa is a means of obtaining provision and of opening the doors of blessings from the heavens and the earth.
The Almighty said:

وَلَوْ أَنَّ أَهْلَ الْقُرَى آمَنُوا وَاتَّقَوْا لَفَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ بَرَكَاتٍ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَلَـكِنْ كَذَّبُوا فَأَخَذْنَاهُمْ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ

“And if the people of the towns had believed and feared Allah, We would have opened for them blessings from the heaven and the earth. But they denied, so We seized them for what they used to earn.”
Allah the Exalted said:
وَمَنْ يَتَّقِ اللَّـهَ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ مَخْرَجًا ٭ وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ

“And whoever fears Allah, He will make for him a way out, and will provide for him from where he does not expect.”
➌ Taqwa is a means of obtaining Divine guidance and support in the worldly life. Allah the Exalted says:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنْ تَتَّقُوا اللَّـهَ يَجْعَلْ لَكُمْ فُرْقَانًا

“O you who believe! If you fear Allah, He will grant you a criterion (to distinguish between right and wrong).”
And He said:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّـهَ وَآمِنُوا بِرَسُولِهِ يُؤْتِكُمْ كِفْلَيْنِ مِنْ رَحْمَتِهِ وَيَجْعَلْ لَكُمْ نُورًا تَمْشُونَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ وَاللَّـهُ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ

“O you who believe! Fear Allah and believe in His Messenger; He will give you a double portion of His mercy, and will make for you a light by which you will walk, and will forgive you. And Allah is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.”
➍ Taqwa is a means of Allah’s protection and His friendship.
The Almighty said:

وَإِنَّ الظَّالِمِينَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ وَاللَّـهُ وَلِيُّ الْمُتَّقِينَ

“Indeed, the wrongdoers are allies of one another, while Allah is the Ally of the righteous.”
➎ Taqwa is a means of protection from the evil and plots of disbelievers and polytheists, and of those who harbour malice and envy, and from their deceit.
Allah the Exalted says:

وَإِنْ تُصِبْكُمْ سَيِّئَةٌ يَفْرَحُوا بِهَا وَإِنْ تَصْبِرُوا وَتَتَّقُوا لَا يَضُرُّكُمْ كَيْدُهُمْ شَيْئًا إِنَّ اللَّـهَ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ مُحِيطٌ

“If you are patient and fear Allah, their plotting will not harm you in the least. Indeed, Allah encompasses what they do.”
➏ Taqwa is a means of acquiring knowledge:
The Almighty says:

وَاتَّقُوا اللَّـهَ وَيُعَلِّمُكُمُ اللَّـهُ

“And fear Allah; Allah is teaching you.”
➐ Taqwa is a means of obtaining mercy. The Almighty says:

وَرَحْمَتِي وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ فَسَأَكْتُبُهَا لِلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ بِآيَاتِنَا يُؤْمِنُونَ

“And My mercy encompasses all things. So I will ordain it for those who fear Allah and give zakah and those who believe in Our verses.”
➑ Taqwa is a means of glad tidings, and of tranquillity and peace of heart, in both this world and the Hereafter.
Allah the Exalted says:
أَلَا إِنَّ أَوْلِيَاءَ اللَّـهِ لَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ ٭ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَكَانُوا يَتَّقُونَ ٭ لَهُمُ الْبُشْرَى فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ لَا تَبْدِيلَ لِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّـهِ ذَلِكَ هُوَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ

“Be aware: upon the friends of Allah there is no fear, nor will they grieve. They are those who believed and used to fear (Allah). For them are glad tidings in the worldly life and in the Hereafter. There is no change in the words of Allah. That is the great success.”
➒ Taqwa is a means of the love of Allah.
The Almighty says:

لَى مَنْ أَوْفَى بِعَهْدِهِ وَاتَّقَى فَإِنَّ اللَّـهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُتَّقِينَ

“Yes (there will be accountability); but whoever fulfils his covenant and fears Allah, then indeed Allah loves those who fear Him.”
In another place the Almighty says:

إِنَّ اللَّـهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُتَّقِينَ

“Indeed, Allah loves the righteous.”
➓ Taqwa is a means of Allah’s companionship.
Allah said:

وَاتَّقُوا اللَّـهَ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّـهَ مَعَ الْمُتَّقِينَ

“And fear Allah, and know that Allah is with the righteous.”
Although Allah is with every person by His knowledge, hearing and sight, meaning that He knows, hears and sees everything a person says and does, He is with the righteous and His pious servants in a special way, through His help, support and assistance.
⓫ Taqwa is a means of expiation of sins and forgiveness of wrongdoings.
Allah says:

ذَلِكَ أَمْرُ اللَّـهِ أَنْزَلَهُ إِلَيْكُمْ وَمَنْ يَتَّقِ اللَّـهَ يُكَفِّرْ عَنْهُ سَيِّئَاتِهِ وَيُعْظِمْ لَهُ أَجْرًا

“That is the command of Allah which He has sent down to you. And whoever fears Allah, He will remove from him his misdeeds and enlarge for him his reward.”
And the Almighty said:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنْ تَتَّقُوا اللَّـهَ يَجْعَلْ لَكُمْ فُرْقَانًا وَيُكَفِّرْ عَنْكُمْ سَيِّئَاتِكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ وَاللَّـهُ ذُو الْفَضْلِ الْعَظِيمِ

“O you who believe! If you fear Allah, He will grant you a criterion, remove from you your misdeeds, and forgive you. And Allah is the Owner of great bounty.”
⓬ Taqwa is a means of the blessings of the Hereafter.
Some verses in this regard are as follows:
إِنَّ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ مَفَازًا ٭ حَدَائِقَ وَأَعْنَابًا ٭ وَكَوَاعِبَ أَتْرَابًا ٭ وَكَأْسًا دِهَاقًا ٭ لَا يَسْمَعُونَ فِيهَا لَغْوًا وَلَا كِذَّابًا ٭جَزَاءً مِنْ رَبِّكَ عَطَاءً حِسَابًا

“Indeed, for the righteous there is a place of success: gardens and vineyards, and young women of equal age, and a overflowing cup. They will hear therein no ill speech or falsehood, as a reward from your Lord, a gift by account.”
إِنَّ الْمُتَّقِينَ فِي ظِلَالٍ وَعُيُونٍ ٭ وَفَوَاكِهَ مِمَّا يَشْتَهُونَ ٭ كُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا هَنِيئًا بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ ٭ إِنَّا كَذَلِكَ نَجْزِي الْمُحْسِنِينَ

“Indeed, the righteous will be among shades and springs, and fruits of whatever they desire. (It will be said:) ‘Eat and drink with satisfaction for what you used to do.’ Indeed, We thus reward the doers of good.”
اِنَّ الْمُتَّقِينَ فِي مَقَامٍ أَمِينٍ ٭ فِي جَنَّاتٍ وَعُيُونٍ ٭ يَلْبَسُونَ مِنْ سُنْدُسٍ وَإِسْتَبْرَقٍ مُتَقَابِلِينَ ٭ كَذَلِكَ وَزَوَّجْنَاهُمْ بِحُورٍ عِينٍ ٭ يَدْعُونَ فِيهَا بِكُلِّ فَاكِهَةٍ آمِنِينَ ٭ لَا يَذُوقُونَ فِيهَا الْمَوْتَ إِلَّا الْمَوْتَةَ الْأُولَى وَوَقَاهُمْ عَذَابَ الْجَحِيمِ ٭ فَضْلًا مِنْ رَبِّكَ ذَلِكَ هُوَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ

“Indeed, those who fear Allah will be in a place of security, among gardens and springs. They will wear fine and thick silk, facing one another. So it will be, and We will marry them to fair women with wide, lovely eyes. There they will call for every kind of fruit in security. They will not taste death therein, except the first death; and He will protect them from the punishment of Hellfire, as a bounty from your Lord. That is the great success.”
إِنَّ الْمُتَّقِينَ فِي جَنَّاتٍ وَعُيُونٍ ٭ ادْخُلُوهَا بِسَلَامٍ آمِنِينَ

“The righteous will be in gardens and springs. (It will be said to them:) ‘Enter it in peace and security.'”
إِنَّ الْمُتَّقِينَ فِي جَنَّاتٍ وَنَهَرٍ ٭ فِي مَقْعَدِ صِدْقٍ عِنْدَ مَلِيكٍ مُقْتَدِرٍ

“Indeed, those who fear Us will be in gardens and rivers, in a seat of truth near an All-Powerful King.”

⑧ Resolving an Objection:

Some people raise the objection that we see some individuals who fast the entire month of Ramadan yet no noticeable difference appears in their lives; the conduct they had before Ramadan remains the same after the fasting of Ramadan. Then how can it be understood that the goal of fasting, which Allah has declared to be becoming muttaqi (God-fearing) and pious, is correct?
In this regard, if we reflect while keeping the following Hadith of the Prophet in view, the matter becomes completely clear. Abu Musa (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates from the Prophet ﷺ that he said:

مثل مابعثني الله به من الهدي و العلم كمثل الغيث الكثير أصاب أرضا، فكان منها نقية قبلت الماء فأنبتت الكلأ و العشب الكثير . وكان منها أجادب أمسكت الماء فنفع الله بها الناس فشربوا و سقوا وزرعوا، وأصابت منها طائفة أخري . إنما هي قيعان لا تمسك ماء و لا تنبت كلأ . فذلك مثل من فقه فى دين الله و نفعه ما بعثني الله به فعلم و علم . و مثل من لم يرفع بذلك رأسا، و لم يقبل هدي الله الذى أرسلت به .

“The example of the guidance and knowledge with which Allah has sent me is like abundant rain that fell upon a land. Part of that land was fertile; it absorbed the water and produced grass and abundant vegetation. Another part was barren; it held the water, and by it Allah benefited people, so they drank, gave others to drink, and irrigated their crops. And the rain also fell on another portion of the land, which was a bare plain that neither holds water nor produces grass. This is the example of the one who gained understanding of the religion of Allah and benefited from what Allah sent me with, so he learned and taught. And it is the example of the one who has not raised his head toward that, and has not accepted the guidance of Allah with which I was sent.”

In this Hadith, the knowledge and guidance given to the Messenger ﷺ is likened to beneficial rain, because through this knowledge and guidance dead hearts receive life, freshness and vitality in the same way that a dead land becomes green and flourishing by the rain of mercy. The person who benefits from the knowledge of the Prophet ﷺ and benefits others is likened to good land. The one who acquires knowledge and teaches others, but does not benefit himself by acting upon it, is likened to hard land that holds water, from which other creatures of Allah benefit. And the one who neither learns the religious knowledge nor acts upon it is likened to a bare plain that neither holds water nor produces grass or greenery.
This Hadith makes clear that the words of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ are entirely true and correct. Likewise, the statements of Allah and the sayings of the Prophet ﷺ about Ramadan and its fasting are entirely true. However, to attain these mercies, forgiveness and blessings, firm resolve, a pure heart, a sincere desire for the pleasure of Allah, and complete certainty in the promise of Allah are necessary. Now, if despite observing the fast, after Ramadan ends, no difference is seen in someone’s life, and they remain afflicted, as before, with diseases such as deceit, lying, malice, envy, bribery and usury, and the fruits of taqwa do not appear, then it should be understood that the fault lies not with Ramadan or fasting, but with the person himself. Just as the rain of mercy falls upon every part of the land, yet water is absorbed according to the land’s own capacity and ability, and from it grass, various kinds of vegetables, trees, plants and every type of grain and crop grow, while land that is rocky, barren, uncultivable and hard receives no benefit from that abundant rain of mercy. Similarly, if a person’s heart is clean and pure and has the capacity to accept reform, then certainly the life after Ramadan will in any case be better than his life before Ramadan. Therefore the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

ألا و إن فى الجسد مضغة إذا صلحت صلح الجسد كله، و إذا فسدت فسد الجسد كله، ألا وهى القلب .

“Indeed, in the body there is a piece of flesh which, if it is sound, the whole body is sound, and if it is corrupted, the whole body is corrupted.”

⑨ Virtues of the Month of Ramadan:

Allah Almighty has granted the month of Ramadan virtue and superiority over the other months of the year in several respects:
➊ It is the month of the revelation of the Quran: The Quran, the final book sent down by Allah Almighty upon Muhammad ﷺ, the Arab, for the guidance of all humanity, was revealed in this very month of Ramadan. As Allah Almighty says:

شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ هُدًى لِلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِنَ الْهُدَى وَالْفُرْقَانِ

“The month of Ramadan is that in which the Quran was revealed, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion.”
The revelation of the Quran in Ramadan does not mean that the entire Quran was sent down in a single Ramadan. Rather, it means that during Ramadan, on the Night of Decree, it was brought down from the Preserved Tablet to the lowest heaven and placed there in “Bayt al-‘Izza,” as Allah Almighty said:

إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ

“Indeed, We sent it down during the Night of Decree.”

إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةٍ مُبَارَكَةٍ إِنَّا كُنَّا مُنْذِرِينَ

“Indeed, We sent it down in a blessed night; indeed, We are ever warning.”
Then from “Bayt al-‘Izza” it was sent down gradually, according to circumstances and need.

According to some people, the revelation of the Quran in Ramadan means that the first revelation that descended upon the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in the cave of Hira was in the month of Ramadan.
➋ It is the month of the Quran’s review: The connection between the Quran and the blessed month of Ramadan is so profound that the Prophet ﷺ used to review the Quran with Jibril (peace be upon him), the angel who brings revelation, during this blessed month, and in the year in which the Prophet ﷺ passed away, he reviewed the Quran twice with Jibril (peace be upon him) in Ramadan. As Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her) says:

أسر إلى النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم أن جبريل كان يعارضني بالقرآن كل سنة، وإنه عارضني العام مرتين، و لا أراه إلا حضر أجلي .

“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ told me confidentially that Jibril (peace be upon him) used to have the Quran reviewed with him every year, and that this year he had it reviewed with him twice. I think my time to depart from this world has come.”
And Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) says:

كان يعرض على النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم القرآن كل عام مرة، ’’كان يعرض على النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم القرآن كل عام مرة، فعرض عليه مرتين فى العام الذى قبض فيه، وكان يعتكف فى كل عام عشرا، فاعتكف عشرين فى العام الذى قبض فيه .

“Jibril (peace be upon him) used to present the Quran to the Prophet ﷺ once every year, and in the year in which the Prophet ﷺ passed away, he presented the Quran to him twice. The Prophet ﷺ used to perform i’tikaf for ten nights every year, and in the year in which he passed away, he performed i’tikaf for twenty nights.”
This “review” and the “mu’aradah” of the Quran took place in the month of Ramadan, as Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) says:

كان النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم أجود الناس بالخير، وكان أجود مايكون فى رمضان حين يلقاه جبريل، و كان جبريل عليه السلام يلقاه كل ليلة فى رمضان حتي ينسلخ، يعرض عليه النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم القرآن، فإذا لقيه جبريل عليه السلام كان أجود بالخير من الريح المرسلة .

“The Prophet ﷺ was the most generous of people in goodness, and his generosity would increase in Ramadan when Jibril (peace be upon him) met him. Jibril (peace be upon him) would meet him every night of Ramadan, and the Prophet ﷺ would recite the Quran to him. When Jibril (peace be upon him) met him, he was more generous in goodness than the swift wind.”
It is necessary to clarify here that holding a “shabeenah” — completing the Quran in a single night during the review of the Quran or in “qiyam al-layl” and “salat al-tarawih,” i.e., reciting the Quran so quickly that the listeners cannot grasp anything — is contrary to the purpose of the revelation of the Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ, and the good and success of a Muslim lies only in following the Sunnah. As Allah Almighty has said:

لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّـهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ

“Indeed, in the Messenger of Allah ﷺ you have an excellent example.”
And He said:

وَمَا آتَاكُمُ الرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ فَانْتَهُوا

“And whatever the Messenger gives you, take it; and whatever he forbids you, refrain from it.”
And Allah Almighty has stated the following purposes of the revelation of the Quran, which must be kept in view when reciting the Quran. Allah Almighty says:

وَقُرْآنًا فَرَقْنَاهُ لِتَقْرَأَهُ عَلَى النَّاسِ عَلَى مُكْثٍ وَنَزَّلْنَاهُ تَنْزِيلًا

“We have revealed the Quran in parts so that you may recite it to the people at a measured pace, and We have sent it down gradually.”
In another place He said:

كِتَابٌ أَنْزَلْنَاهُ إِلَيْكَ مُبَارَكٌ لِيَدَّبَّرُوا آيَاتِهِ وَلِيَتَذَكَّرَ أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ

“This is a blessed Book which We have sent down to you so that people may reflect upon its verses and those of understanding may take admonition.”
And He said:

إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ بِالْحَقِّ لِتَحْكُمَ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ بِمَا أَرَاكَ اللَّـهُ وَلَا تَكُنْ لِلْخَائِنِينَ خَصِيمًا

“Indeed, We have sent down to you the Book with truth, so that you may judge between people by that which Allah has shown you, and do not be an advocate for the treacherous.”
➌ It is the month of patience: For a whole month, from true dawn until sunset, the Muslim restrains himself from eating, drinking and intimacy with his spouse, and thereby becomes accustomed and habituated to patience. For this reason, if you are afflicted with hunger and thirst in a month other than Ramadan, and food and drink are not available on time, and you think of fasting, you feel some consolation and for a while forget the hardship of hunger and thirst. For this reason the Messenger of Allah ﷺ described it as the month of patience, as Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) says:

سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول : شهر الصبر، وثلاثة أيام من كل شهر، صوم الدهر

“I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: fasting the month of patience (Ramadan) and three days of every month is equal to fasting the whole year.”

⑩ Meaning of Sabr:

Linguistically, sabr means restraint. It is said: قُتِلَ فُلَانٌ صَبْرًا – so-and-so was killed while bound (held captive). And Allah the Exalted said:

وَاصْبِرْ نَفْسَكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُمْ بِالْغَدَاةِ وَالْعَشِيِّ يُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَهُ

“And keep yourself patient along with those who call upon their Lord morning and evening, seeking His countenance (seeking His pleasure).”
Sabr is called sabr because in it one restrains the heart from wailing and lamentation, the tongue from complaint and grievance, and the limbs from restlessness.

⑪ Types of Sabr:

There are three types of sabr:
➊ Patience in obedience to Allah
➋ Patience in refraining from disobedience to Allah
➌ Patience upon calamity and the trial from Allah
Keeping the meaning and types of sabr in mind, reflect on how a Muslim, from true dawn until sunset, while having all kinds of food and drink available and a beautiful wife, restrains and keeps himself away from all these things. From this it is known that the month of Ramadan teaches us sabr, and the reward of sabr is Paradise. Allah the Exalted says:

إِنَّمَا يُوَفَّى الصَّابِرُونَ أَجْرَهُمْ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ

“Those who are patient will be given their reward in full, without measure.”
➍ In the month of Ramadan, the gates of Paradise are opened, the gates of Hell are closed, and the shayatin are chained.
Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) says that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

إذا جاء رمضان فتحت أبواب الجنة، و غلقت أبواب النار، و صفدت الشياطين

“When Ramadan comes, the gates of Paradise are opened, the gates of Hell are firmly closed, and the shayatin are shackled.”
And in another narration from the same Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him):

إذا كان أول ليلة من شهر رمضان، صفدت الشياطين، و مردة الجن، و غلقت أبواب النار، فلم يفتح منها باب، و فتحت أبواب الجنة، فلم يغلق منها باب، و ينادي مناد : يا باغي الخير ! أقبل، و يا باغي الشر ! أقصر، و لله عتقاء من النار، و ذلك كل ليلة .

“When the first night of the month of Ramadan begins, the shayatin and the rebellious jinn are shackled, the gates of Hell are firmly closed, and not a single gate of it is opened; the gates of Paradise are opened, and not a single gate of it is closed. An angel proclaims: ‘O seeker of good, come forward; and O seeker of evil, hold back.’ Allah frees many people from the Fire of Hell. And this continues every night.”
For this reason, as soon as Ramadan begins, many sinners and transgressors turn towards repentance and seeking forgiveness; they learn from the people of knowledge the ways to be freed from the sins of the past and to avoid mistakes, repent sincerely, and become sincere servants of Allah, devoting themselves wholeheartedly to the worship and discipline of Allah in Ramadan and in the months that follow.
May Allah keep all of us Muslims safe from the evils and trials of the shayatin, make us deserving of Paradise, and keep us far from the punishment of Hell. Ameen.
➎ This is the month of Laylat al-Qadr: It is the blessed month in which Allah has placed “Laylat al-Qadr” and “the blessed night.” The worship in it is better than the worship of a thousand months.
Allah said:
إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ ٭ وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ ٭ لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ

“Indeed, We sent it down during the Night of Decree. And what can make you know what the Night of Decree is? The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months.”
In another place He said:
إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةٍ مُبَارَكَةٍ إِنَّا كُنَّا مُنْذِرِينَ ٭ فِيهَا يُفْرَقُ كُلُّ أَمْرٍ حَكِيمٍ

“Indeed, We sent it down in a blessed night. Indeed, We were ever warning. In it is made distinct every precise matter.”
Some people have taken “the blessed night” to mean the fifteenth night of Sha’ban, which is not correct; rather, it refers to “Laylat al-Qadr,” as Allah has explained in another place.

شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ

“The month of Ramadan is that in which the Quran was revealed.”
➏ This is the month of the acceptance of supplication: The blessed month of Ramadan is, on the one hand, the spring season of acts of worship and spiritual discipline, and on the other hand, a month of the acceptance of du’a. Ramadan and du’a are closely connected, and for this reason Allah, while explaining the rulings and matters of Ramadan, mentioned the matter of du’a in the middle in this way:

وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا لِي وَلْيُؤْمِنُوا بِي لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ

“When My servants ask you about Me, then indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me and believe in Me, that they may be guided.”

⑫ Virtues of Fasting:

It is sufficient to show the virtue of fasting that, by fulfilling the obligation Allah has imposed on the servant in the form of fasting, he becomes free of his responsibility, becomes obedient to Allah, and becomes beloved to Him. Nevertheless, some matters concerning its virtues are mentioned below, so that the desire to perform fasting may grow more and more within us:
➊ Fasting is a shield against carnal desires:
Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) says that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ addressed us young men and said:

يا معشر الشباب من استطاع منكم البآء ة فليتزوج فإنه أغض للبصر و أحصن للفرج و من لم يستطع فعليه بالصوم . فإنه له وجاء .

“O assembly of youth! Whoever among you has the means to marry should marry, for marriage lowers the gaze and guards the private parts. And whoever does not have the means should fast, for fasting curbs his desire.”
➋ Fasting is a shield from the Fire of Hell:
Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) says that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said that Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, said:

كل عمل ابن آدم له، إلا الصيام، فإنه لي و أنا أجزي به، و الصيام جنة، و إذا كان يوم صوم أحدكم فلا يرفث ولا يصخب، فإن سابه أحد أو قاتله فليقل إني امرؤ صائم، والذي نفس محمد بيده لخلوف فم الصائم أطيب عند الله من ريح المسك . للصائم فرحتان يفرحهما : إذا أفطر فرح، و إذا لقي ربه فرح بصومه .

“Every deed of the son of Adam is for him, except fasting, for it is for Me and I will reward it. Fasting (from the whisperings of Satan, disobedience to the Lord, and the punishment of Allah) is a shield and a means of protection. So when it is a day of fasting for one of you, he should not utter obscene and evil words or make noise and clamour. If someone abuses him or fights with him, he should dismiss him by saying, ‘I am fasting.’ By the One in whose hand is the soul of Muhammad ﷺ, the odour of the mouth of the fasting person is more pleasing to Allah than the fragrance of musk. The fasting person has two joys: when he breaks his fast he rejoices, and when he meets his Lord he will rejoice in his fasting.”
In another narration from the same Abu Hurairah, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

كل عمل ابن آدم يضاعف . الحسنة عشر أمثالها إلى سبعماءة ضعف . قال الله عزوجل : إلا الصوم : فإنه لي و أنا أجزي به . يدع شهوته و طعامه من أجلي .

“The reward of every deed of a person is multiplied from ten times up to seven hundred times. Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, said: except fasting, for it is for Me and I will reward it, because he gives up his desire and his food and drink for My sake.”
And it is narrated from Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ said:

الصوم جنة يستجن بها العبد من النار .

“Fasting is a shield, by which the servant protects himself from the Fire of Hell.”
Praise be to the mercy of Allah, who will give the reward of other righteous deeds through the angels, but will bestow the boundless and immeasurable reward of fasting upon the fasting ones by His own gracious hand. A person’s manager or secretary can pay the factory workers only the wage that is their due right; but if the owner of the factory is pleased with one of his workers, he may reward him with as much more than his due right as he wishes. Since the servant observes fasting solely for the pleasure of Allah, he abstains from the best and finest food and drink and a beautiful wife, for the sole reason that Allah has so commanded. Therefore Allah will grant the reward of a righteous deed like fasting, which is free of showing off, without measure and without limit, according to His kindness, generosity and bounty.
➌ On the Day of Resurrection, fasting will intercede for the one who fasts:
It is narrated from Abdullah ibn Amr (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Prophet ﷺ said:

الصيام و القرآن يشفعان للعبد يوم القيامة، يقول الصيام : أى رب منعته الطعام و الشهوات بالنهار فشفعني فيه، و يقول القرآن : منعته النوم بالليل فشفعني فيه، قال : فيشفعان .

“Fasting and the Qur’an will intercede for the servant on the Day of Resurrection. Fasting will say: O Lord, I kept him from food and desires during the day, so accept my intercession for him. And the Qur’an will say: I kept him from sleep at night, so accept my intercession for him. He said: So both will intercede.”
➍ Fasting is an expiation for sins and a cause of Allah’s forgiveness:
Allah, by His grace, kindness and generosity, has placed in prayer, zakat and charity, Hajj and sacrifice, and all kinds of good deeds, the property of erasing sins, as the Lord’s saying states:

إِنَّ الْحَسَنَاتِ يُذْهِبْنَ السَّيِّئَاتِ

“Indeed, good deeds remove evil deeds.”
It is narrated from Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ said:

الصلوات الخمس و الجمعة إلى الجمعة و رمضان إلى رمضان، مكفرات ما بينهن، إذا اجتنب الكبائر .

“The five daily prayers, and one Friday to the next Friday, and one Ramadan to the next Ramadan, are expiations for the sins committed between them, provided the servant avoids major sins.”
And this same Abu Hurairah narrates from the Prophet ﷺ that he said:

من صام رمضان إيمانا و احتسابا غفرله ما تقدم من ذنبه .

“Whoever fasts Ramadan out of faith and seeking reward, his past sins will be forgiven.”
And Hudhaifah (may Allah be pleased with him) says that he heard the Prophet ﷺ say:
فتنة الرجل فى أهله و ماله و جاره تكفرها الصلاة و الصيام والصدقة .

“A man’s trial and test concerning his family, wealth and neighbour (meaning shortcomings in fulfilling their rights) is expiated by prayer, fasting and charity.”
➎ A special gate in Paradise for those who fast:
Allah is so pleased with His servants who fast seeking His approval that He not only makes them deserving of entry into Paradise, but in the Hereafter they will hold such high ranks that Allah will admit them into Paradise not through the general gate but through a special gate, through which no non-fasting person will pass. As Sahl ibn Sa’d (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates from the Prophet ﷺ that he said:

إن فى الجنة بابا يقال له الريان، يدخل منه الصائمون يوم القيامة، لايدخل منه أحد غيرهم، يقال : أين الصائمون؟ فيقومون، لا يدخل منه أحد غيرهم فإذا دخلوا أغلق، فلم يدخل منه أحد .

“Indeed, there is a gate in Paradise called ‘ar-Rayyan’; on the Day of Resurrection the fasting ones will enter through it, and no one else will enter through it. It will be announced: Where are the fasting ones? Then they will stand up; no one other than them will enter through it. And when they have entered, it will be closed, and no one else will enter through it.”

Matters That Some People Are Unaware Of:

It is obligatory upon the Muslim that he observes fasting out of faith and in the intention of seeking reward, and not out of showing off, seeking fame, imitating people, or following the people of his household or neighbourhood. He should make it obligatory upon himself to believe that Allah has prescribed this fast upon him, and that he intends to find its reward and recompense with Allah. Likewise, regarding the Qiyam of Ramadan, it is necessary that a Muslim performs it out of faith and in the intention of obtaining reward, and not for any other purpose or aim. For this reason, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

من صام رمضان إيمانا واحتسابا غفر له ما تقدم من ذنبه، ومن قام رمضان إيما نا واحتسابا غفرله ما تقدم من ذنبه، ومن قام ليلة القدر إيمانا واحتسابا غفر له ما تقدم من ذنبه

Whoever fasts Ramadan with faith and seeking reward, his previous sins will be forgiven. And whoever performs Qiyam of Ramadan with faith and seeking reward, his previous sins will be forgiven. And whoever performs Qiyam on Laylat al-Qadr with faith and seeking reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.
Some people are also unaware of the ruling on the following matters:
If a fasting person gets a wound, or has a nosebleed, or vomits, or unintentionally a drop of water or oil enters his throat, his fast is not invalidated by these things. However, if he vomits intentionally and consciously, his fast will be invalidated. Because the Prophet ﷺ said:

من ذرعه القئ فلا قضاء عليه، ومن استقاء فعليه القضاء

“Whoever vomits involuntarily, there is no qada upon him, and whoever induces vomiting deliberately, qada is obligatory upon him.”
If a fasting person becomes junub and does not perform ghusl until the break of true dawn (Fajr), or a menstruating or post-natal woman becomes pure before true dawn and does not perform ghusl until true dawn, then in such a case it is obligatory for them to fast; there is no harm in delaying ghusl until after the break of true dawn. However, there is no leeway to delay ghusl until sunrise. Rather, it is obligatory upon them to perform ghusl and offer the Fajr prayer before sunrise. Likewise, it is not permissible for a junub (man or woman) to delay ghusl until sunrise. It is also obligatory upon them to perform ghusl and offer the Fajr prayer before sunrise.
It is also obligatory upon a man to hasten in performing ghusl so that he can offer the Fajr prayer with congregation.
The following matters do not invalidate the fast:
Undergoing a blood test and receiving an injection that does not serve as nourishment. However, if possible, it is better and more appropriate to postpone it until night. This is because the Prophet ﷺ said:

دع ما يريبك إلى ما لا يريبك

“Leave what makes you doubt for what does not make you doubt.”
And the Prophet ﷺ also said:

من اتقي الشبهات فقد استبرأ لدينه وعرضه

“Whoever avoids doubtful matters has certainly safeguarded his religion and his honour.”
Tranquillity and calmness are obligatory in the prayer:
Among the matters that some people are unaware of is the absence of tranquillity and calmness in the prayer, whether the prayer is obligatory or voluntary. Whereas the authentic hadiths of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ indicate that “tranquillity” is one of the pillars of the prayer; without it the prayer is not valid at all. Therefore, it is necessary that a person performs the prayer slowly and with humility and submissiveness, not hurrying, until all the bones return to their places. Many people perform Salat al-Taraweeh in Ramadan in a manner they themselves do not understand; there is no tranquillity at all, but rather they rush through it like a crow pecking at the ground. A prayer performed in this manner is invalid, and the person who performs such a prayer is sinful and deprived of reward.