The virtues of fasting

The righteous predecessors (the Salaf)  were very keen on pleasing Allah in any way they can and draw nearer to Him by means of performing different types of righteous deeds. They were more so during the blessed month of Ramadan because of its special status in Islam.Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {The month of Ramadan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur’an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion.} [Qur’an 2: 185] Allah The Almighty has distinguished the month of Ramadan from other months with many characteristics and virtues. They include the following: * The breath of the fasting person is better in the sight of Allah The Almighty than the fragrance of musk. * The angels keep asking Allah The Almighty to forgive the fasting persons until they break their fast. *l Allah The Almighty decorates His Paradise everyday and says: “My righteous servants are about to be rid of burdens and harms and then move to you.” * The devils are fettered. * The gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of Hellfire are closed. * There is Laylat-ul-Qadr (the Night of Divine Decree) which is better than one thousand months. Whoever is deprived from the blessings of this night has been deprived from all goodness. * The fasting people are forgiven on the last night of Ramadan. * Allah The Almighty frees many people from Hell on each night of Ramadan. These being the characteristics and virtues of this month, how do we receive it? Do we receive it with indulging in means of entertainment, by staying up late unnecessarily, with annoyance at its advent and rejection of its blessings? We seek refuge in Allah from all this. The righteous servant, instead, receives Ramadan with sincere repentance and sincere determination to utilise it and spend his time in doing righteous deeds. There are many righteous deeds that are enjoined during Ramadan, but the most important of which is fasting.It was narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “Every act of the son of Adam is for him, every good deed is multiplied in reward by ten times up to seven hundred times. Allah The Exalted said: ‘Except fasting. It is (exclusively) meant for Me and I (alone) will reward it. He has abstained from food and drink, and sexual pleasures for My sake.’ The fasting person has two occasions for joy, one when he breaks his fast and the other when he meets his Lord. Surely, the breath of one who observes fasting smells better in the sight of Allah than the fragrance of musk.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]In another Hadith, the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “Whoever observes fasting during the month of Ramadan out of sincere faith and hoping to attain the reward of Allah, then all his past sins will be forgiven.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] Undoubtedly, this great reward is not for a person who abstains only from food and drink; rather, it is as the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “Whoever does not give up false speech and acting upon it, Allah does not need him to give up his food and drink.” [Al-Bukhari]In this context, the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, added: “Fasting is a shield (from Hell). If one of you is fasting, he should avoid sexual activity, disobedience and quarreling. If someone insults him, he should say, ‘I am fasting, I am fasting.’” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]O servant of Allah, when you are fasting, you should do so with your entire body – your hearing, sight, tongue and all the parts of your body. You should not make the day when you are fasting similar to the day when you are not.Article source: http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/Ramadan is a great month of good opportunities, blessings and blessed gifts from Allah The Almighty. During this month, people compete to do acts that bring them closer to Allah The Almighty and they hasten to all forms of obedience. One of the greatest acts of obedience that brings one closer to Allah The Almighty during this month is receiving a reward from Allah The Almighty through enjoining good and forbidding evil. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {And who is better in speech than one who invites to Allah and does righteousness and says, “Indeed, I am of the Muslims.”} [Qur’an 41: 33]In fact, whoever enjoins good and forbids evil, invites to Allah The Almighty. Enjoining good and forbidding evil is a condition for considering Muslims the best nation produced as an example for mankind. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind. You enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil and believe in Allah…..} [Qur’an 3: 110]So, you should hasten to enjoin good and forbid evil during this blessed month, with wisdom and good preaching. How to enjoin good and forbid evil during RamadanSome people raise this question and the answer is as follows: You can enjoin good and forbid evil during Ramadan through any of the following means:1- You can keep some cassette tapes or CDs by some influential Shaykhs on the topic of Ramadan or any other important Islamic topic in your pocket or car. 2- If you see a Muslim cursing or insulting someone, you should kindly and gently remind him of the Hadiths (narrations) in which the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “A believer neither reviles nor curses, nor is he a user of lewd or foul speech.” [Al-Albaani: Saheeh]“Fasting is a shield and protection (from Hell). If one of you is fasting, he should abstain from sexual intercourse and quarrelling. If anyone quarrels with him or insults him, he should say, ‘I am fasting, I am fasting.’” [Al-Bukhari, Muslim and Ahmad. This is the wording of Ahmad]3- Try to prepare some inspiring short sermons and then visit some mosques or any other suitable place to deliver them. 4- Write some touching words and statements on small pieces of paper and then give them to those who are nonobservant. For example, you should choose titles like, “To my brother, the seller of songs…”, “To my dear neighbour….”, and so on, and then write a beneficial and short piece of advice under that title. 5- Accompany some of your nonobservant friends to inspiring lectures and sermons. 6- Finally, supplicate Allah The Almighty humbly and sincerely on behalf of those who are nonobservant from among your relatives, colleagues or others. Supplication has a great impact in guiding many people. It also reflects your allegiance to the believers and wishing good for them. You should also remember that you benefit from such a supplication, since an angel says: “May it be for you too.” The one who enjoins good and forbids evil should know that the month of Ramadan is a great opportunity for inviting towards Allah The Almighty, because the hearts of Muslims – even the disobedient among them – are tender and ready to receive good admonishment. Perhaps a tranquil, tender and calm heart receives the admonishment and thus it could be a reason for its everlasting happiness. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “By Allah, that Allah guides at your hand, even one man (to the religion of Allah and righteousness) it is better for you than to have red camels (i.e. the most valuable property in the sight of the Arabs).” [Al-Bukhari]Article source: http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/