By: Ubaidullah Tahir (May Allah protect him)
"Abu Huraira (رضي الله عنه) reported that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: Allah said: 'Every deed of the son of Adam is for himself, except fasting; it is for Me, and I will reward it. Fasting is a shield. On the day one of you is fasting, he should not indulge in obscene talk or make loud noises. If someone insults or fights with him, he should say, "I am fasting." By the One in whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, the breath of the fasting person is more fragrant to Allah than the scent of musk. The fasting person will have two moments of joy: one when he breaks his fast, and the other when he meets his Lord and rejoices because of his fast.'"
[Sahih Bukhari 1904, Sahih Muslim 1151:163]
❀ Hadith 2
"Abu Huraira (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: 'Every deed of the son of Adam is multiplied from ten to seven hundred times. Allah says: Except for fasting, it is for Me, and I will reward it, for he gives up his desires and his food for My sake.'"
[Sahih Muslim 151:164]
"Abu Umamah al-Bahili (رضي الله عنه) said: I asked, 'O Messenger of Allah, tell me of an action through which Allah will benefit me.' He replied, 'Adhere to fasting, for there is nothing like it.'"
[Sunan al-Nasa’i 2221, Sahih]
❀ Hadith 4
"Ali (رضي الله عنه) reported that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: 'In Paradise, there are rooms whose exterior can be seen from their interior, and their interior from their exterior.' A Bedouin asked, 'Who are they for, O Messenger of Allah?' He replied, 'For those who speak kindly, feed the needy, observe fasting regularly, and pray at night while people are asleep.'"
[Sunan al-Tirmidhi 1984, Hasan]
"Abdullah bin Mas'ud (رضي الله عنه) reported that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: 'O young men, those among you who can support a wife should marry, for it restrains eyes and protects private parts; and those who cannot should observe fasting, for it serves as a shield (against desires).'"
[Sahih Bukhari 5066, Sahih Muslim 1400]
"Hudhayfah (رضي الله عنه) narrated that Umar (رضي الله عنه) said: 'Who among you remembers the Hadith of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) about trials?' Hudhayfah replied: 'I heard the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) say: A man's trials in his family, wealth, and neighbors are expiated by prayer, fasting, and charity.'"
[Sahih Bukhari 1895, Sahih Muslim 144]
"Sahl bin Sa'd (رضي الله عنه) reported that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: 'In Paradise, there is a gate called Ar-Rayyan through which only those who fast will enter on the Day of Resurrection. No one else will enter through it. It will be announced: Where are those who fasted? They will stand up, and no one else will enter through it. Once they have entered, it will be closed, and no one will enter through it again.'"
[Sahih Bukhari 1896, Sahih Muslim 1531]
"Abu Huraira (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: 'Whoever spends two things in the path of Allah will be called from the gates of Paradise: O servant of Allah, this is good. Those who were people of prayer will be called from the gate of prayer; those who participated in Jihad will be called from the gate of Jihad; those who observed fasting will be called from the gate of Ar-Rayyan; and those who gave charity will be called from the gate of charity.' Abu Bakr (رضي الله عنه) asked, 'O Messenger of Allah, will there be anyone who will be called from all these gates?' He replied, 'Yes, and I hope you will be among them.'"
[Sahih Bukhari 1897, Sahih Muslim 1027]
"Abdullah bin Amr (رضي الله عنهما) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: 'Fasting and the Qur’an will intercede for the servant on the Day of Judgment. Fasting will say: O my Lord, I prevented him from food and drink during the day, so accept my intercession for him. The Qur’an will say: I prevented him from sleeping at night, so accept my intercession for him.' Thus, they will intercede."
[Al-Mu'jam Al-Kabir by Tabarani 14672, Al-Mustadrak Al-Hakim 2036, Musnad Ahmad 6626, Hasan]
"Abu Huraira (رضي الله عنه) reported that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: 'Fasting is a shield.'"
[Sahih Muslim 1151:162]
❀ Hadith 11
_"Uthman bin Abi al-As al-Thaqafi (رضي الله عنه) narrated: I heard the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) say: 'Fasting is a shield, just as a shield protects one from battle.'"
[Sunan al-Nasa’i 2230, Sunan Ibn Majah 1639, Sahih]
"Sanan bin Sanah al-Aslami (رضي الله عنه) reported that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: 'The one who eats and is grateful has the same reward as the one who fasts and is patient.'"
[Sunan Ibn Majah 1765, Hasan]
Encouragement for Voluntary Fasts and Their Virtues
❀ Hadith 1"Abu Huraira (رضي الله عنه) reported that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: Allah said: 'Every deed of the son of Adam is for himself, except fasting; it is for Me, and I will reward it. Fasting is a shield. On the day one of you is fasting, he should not indulge in obscene talk or make loud noises. If someone insults or fights with him, he should say, "I am fasting." By the One in whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, the breath of the fasting person is more fragrant to Allah than the scent of musk. The fasting person will have two moments of joy: one when he breaks his fast, and the other when he meets his Lord and rejoices because of his fast.'"
[Sahih Bukhari 1904, Sahih Muslim 1151:163]
❀ Hadith 2
"Abu Huraira (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: 'Every deed of the son of Adam is multiplied from ten to seven hundred times. Allah says: Except for fasting, it is for Me, and I will reward it, for he gives up his desires and his food for My sake.'"
[Sahih Muslim 151:164]
The Unmatched Virtue of Fasting
❀ Hadith 3"Abu Umamah al-Bahili (رضي الله عنه) said: I asked, 'O Messenger of Allah, tell me of an action through which Allah will benefit me.' He replied, 'Adhere to fasting, for there is nothing like it.'"
[Sunan al-Nasa’i 2221, Sahih]
❀ Hadith 4
"Ali (رضي الله عنه) reported that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: 'In Paradise, there are rooms whose exterior can be seen from their interior, and their interior from their exterior.' A Bedouin asked, 'Who are they for, O Messenger of Allah?' He replied, 'For those who speak kindly, feed the needy, observe fasting regularly, and pray at night while people are asleep.'"
[Sunan al-Tirmidhi 1984, Hasan]
Fasting as a Shield Against Desires
❀ Hadith 5"Abdullah bin Mas'ud (رضي الله عنه) reported that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: 'O young men, those among you who can support a wife should marry, for it restrains eyes and protects private parts; and those who cannot should observe fasting, for it serves as a shield (against desires).'"
[Sahih Bukhari 5066, Sahih Muslim 1400]
Protection from Trials Through Fasting
❀ Hadith 6"Hudhayfah (رضي الله عنه) narrated that Umar (رضي الله عنه) said: 'Who among you remembers the Hadith of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) about trials?' Hudhayfah replied: 'I heard the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) say: A man's trials in his family, wealth, and neighbors are expiated by prayer, fasting, and charity.'"
[Sahih Bukhari 1895, Sahih Muslim 144]
A Special Gate in Paradise for Those Who Fast
❀ Hadith 7"Sahl bin Sa'd (رضي الله عنه) reported that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: 'In Paradise, there is a gate called Ar-Rayyan through which only those who fast will enter on the Day of Resurrection. No one else will enter through it. It will be announced: Where are those who fasted? They will stand up, and no one else will enter through it. Once they have entered, it will be closed, and no one will enter through it again.'"
[Sahih Bukhari 1896, Sahih Muslim 1531]
Entering Paradise Through Various Gates
❀ Hadith 8"Abu Huraira (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: 'Whoever spends two things in the path of Allah will be called from the gates of Paradise: O servant of Allah, this is good. Those who were people of prayer will be called from the gate of prayer; those who participated in Jihad will be called from the gate of Jihad; those who observed fasting will be called from the gate of Ar-Rayyan; and those who gave charity will be called from the gate of charity.' Abu Bakr (رضي الله عنه) asked, 'O Messenger of Allah, will there be anyone who will be called from all these gates?' He replied, 'Yes, and I hope you will be among them.'"
[Sahih Bukhari 1897, Sahih Muslim 1027]
Fasting and the Qur’an as Intercessors on the Day of Judgment
❀ Hadith 9"Abdullah bin Amr (رضي الله عنهما) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: 'Fasting and the Qur’an will intercede for the servant on the Day of Judgment. Fasting will say: O my Lord, I prevented him from food and drink during the day, so accept my intercession for him. The Qur’an will say: I prevented him from sleeping at night, so accept my intercession for him.' Thus, they will intercede."
[Al-Mu'jam Al-Kabir by Tabarani 14672, Al-Mustadrak Al-Hakim 2036, Musnad Ahmad 6626, Hasan]
Fasting as a Shield
❀ Hadith 10"Abu Huraira (رضي الله عنه) reported that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: 'Fasting is a shield.'"
[Sahih Muslim 1151:162]
❀ Hadith 11
_"Uthman bin Abi al-As al-Thaqafi (رضي الله عنه) narrated: I heard the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) say: 'Fasting is a shield, just as a shield protects one from battle.'"
[Sunan al-Nasa’i 2230, Sunan Ibn Majah 1639, Sahih]
Fasting as an Act of Patience
❀ Hadith 12"Sanan bin Sanah al-Aslami (رضي الله عنه) reported that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: 'The one who eats and is grateful has the same reward as the one who fasts and is patient.'"
[Sunan Ibn Majah 1765, Hasan]