بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ
“In the name of Allah the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.”
Fasting in Arabic is known as sawm.
Dictionary definition of sawm– to abstain, to refrain.
Definition of sawm according to the islamic law- to refrain from eating, drinking & sexual intercourse from dawn till sunset with the intention of fasting.
Fasting is one of the pillars of islam. During Ramadhan, the revelation of the holy quraan began. There are two special types of worship in this month, fasting & the taraweeh prayer.
Everything has zakat (a certain percentage of one’s income/property given to charity). And the zakat of the body is fasting. (Ibn Majah)
Just like the giving of zakah purifies one’s wealth & protects it from difficulties, fasting protects one from many spiritual & physical illnesses.
“When the month of Ramadan starts, the gates of the Paradise are opened and the gates of Hell are closed and the devils are chained.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
“Whoever observes fasts during the month of Ramadan out of sincere faith, and hoping to attain Allah’s rewards, then all his past sins will be forgiven.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
“Verily, the smell of the mouth of a fasting person is better to Allah than the smell of musk.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
“Every deed of the son of Adam is multiplied, a single deed Lo as ten times the like of it up to seven hundred times. Allah Almighty said, ‘Except for fasting, as it is for Me and I will reward it. He leaves his desires and his food for My sake.” [Bhukari]
Purpose of fasting
The purpose of fasting is to attain taqwa (piety & God-consciousness).
“O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous” — Surah Al-Baqarah 2:183
“The month of Ramadhan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur’an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey – then an equal number of other days. Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and [wants] for you to complete the period and to glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful.” — Surah Al-Baqarah 2:185
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