The True Essence Of Fasting Beyond Hunger And Thirst

The True Nature of Fasting

(Sunan Ibn Mājah, Hadith 1690)

In both narrations, he is saying: how many individuals are there that are fasting, but they receive nothing for their fast except starvation — and in another narration, except feeling thirst.

(Sunan Ibn Mājah, Hadith 1690)

And how many people stand up in the month of Ramadan — they are performing their raka'as, 20 raka'as of taraweeh, so many different raka'as of tahajjud, extra nawafil actions — yet he receives nothing from standing up except fatigue and becoming tired.

This shows us that these are wonderful, amazing actions. But if they are not done properly, if they are not done as they are supposed to be done, then a person can be completely deprived of reward.

The Du'a of Jibreel Against the Heedless

It is with regards to these individuals — where on one hand you have all of the angels, Allah also sending mercy, and all the angels themselves making du'a for that individual who is partaking of the suhoor, of the early morning meal — that on the other hand you have Jibreel عليه السلام who, on one occasion, came to Rasulullah ﷺ as he was ascending the minbar.

He said loudly for all to hear: Ameen, Ameen, Ameen — three times. And after being inquired as to why he was saying Ameen, he mentioned that Jibreel عليه السلام came and actually made du'a against groups of individuals — that may they be distanced from the mercy of Allah, may they be destroyed. One of those groups was that individual who the month of Ramadan passes, yet they do not attain the mercy of Allah.

So if we want to attain the mercy of Allah, the forgiveness of Allah, if we want to truly benefit from this month, if we want to mend our connection with our Creator, then we have to fast, and we have to do all the various different actions as they ought to be done.

How to Fast Properly: Guarding the Tongue

Since the most beloved of actions is fasting, then what is required when it comes to fasting? How do we conduct this in the most perfect manner? Rasulullah ﷺ through other ahadith has informed us that it's not just that a person has to fast and refrain from food and refrain from his desires, but rather a person also has to be very particular about his tongue, and he has to be very particular about the other actions that a person does.

Let us think to ourselves — this is a month wherein Allah has temporarily made permissible things impermissible for us. We are fasting, and since we are fasting, there are many permissible things which we are not allowed to indulge in, which we are not allowed to benefit from. We're not allowed to benefit from food, from drink, from even engaging in halal relationships. These are things that are permissible, yet we are prevented from them. Then imagine how severe it would be to do something which in itself is already impermissible outside of the month of Ramadan.

So Rasulullah ﷺ has mentioned, in the same exact hadith wherein he highlights the virtue of fasting and the significance it has in the court of Allah, he continues and says:

That when one of you is fasting, such an individual should not be obscene — he should not say anything obscene. This is something that we have to be very particular about: our tongues. And we have to monitor what we are saying.

We have to remember why we are leaving out food and drink in the first place. We're doing this for the sake of Allah. When we experience the hunger, it's supposed to remind us of whose sake we're doing it for — that I am experiencing this hunger for the pleasure of my Rabb, I am doing it because He has instructed me to do so. And we are reminded of that, and we are reminded of the reason of our existence: that we are here to please our Rabb.

So when we are here to please our Rabb, it shouldn't just be that we are refraining from food or eating food for His sake. But rather every single action that we do, every single statement which is uttered, every statement that comes out of our mouth, should also be for the pleasure of Allah.

First: Refrain from Obscenity

Number one: refrain from speaking about obscene things.

Second: Refrain from Anger and Raising the Voice

وَلَا يَصْخَبْ — Rasulullah ﷺ also mentions a person should refrain from raising his voice and yelling at others out of anger — raising your voice, cursing someone, shouting at someone out of anger. Rather, a person has to control his emotions, a person should control his thoughts and his frustration. And he should remember: wait a minute, I am fasting for the sake of Allah, I am conducting every action of mine for the sake of Allah.

So then what happens if a person is rude to you? Rasulullah ﷺ addresses that:

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 1904; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1151)

If someone curses you, and commits dhulm upon you, oppresses you — even to this extent — then what are you supposed to do? He should tell himself: I am fasting. Meaning you should tell yourself, tell yourself — I'm fasting, I'm fasting, I cannot engage in this discussion, let me just move away and leave this area.

The ulema also mention that if it's amongst Muslims in the month of Ramadan, then not only should you tell yourself "I am fasting," but you should remind the other Muslim brother — or Muslim sister for that matter — إِنِّي صَائِمٌ: surely I am fasting, you are also fasting, let us worry about this later.

Third: Avoid False Speech and Wrong Actions

In another hadith, Rasulullah ﷺ has mentioned:

That person who does not leave out false statements — that is a loose translation. Mulla Ali Qari رحمه الله has mentioned that قَوْلَ الزُّورِ refers to anything whatsoever that is wrong: whether it is backbiting, whether it is cursing, whether it's slandering, whether it's carrying tales, whether it's spreading rumors, so on and so forth. Any ill, any wrong action that can be done with the tongue verbally should be refrained from.

وَالْعَمَلَ بِهِ — and any incorrect action that can be done through a person's limbs should also be refrained from. A person should stay away from that.

And that individual who is not particular about this when he is fasting — Rasulullah ﷺ mentions: فَلَيْسَ لِلَّهِ حَاجَةٌ أَنْ يَدَعَ طَعَامَهُ وَشَرَابَهُ — then Allah doesn't even bother about that person's fast, about the fact that he is leaving out eating and leaving out drinking. Allah doesn't care.

How Beloved Is the Fasting Person to Allah

On one hand you have a person whom Allah loves and adores so much that in a hadith Rasulullah ﷺ mentioned:

That the smell that comes out of the mouth of a person who is fasting is so beloved to Allah, that it is even more beloved to Allah than the beautiful, wonderful scent of musk.

The ulema mention — how are you supposed to truly understand this example? Some have mentioned that a person on the Day of Qiyamah, when he is resurrected, because he fasted for the sake of Allah, there will be such a beautiful scent coming out of his mouth that will be even more pleasant than musk. Others have mentioned that this is a metaphor to show how appreciated that person is in the court of Allah and how much reward he is going to receive.

And then there is another group of ulema who have mentioned: this shows how close a person comes to Allah, how beloved a person becomes to Allah. You have certain children, certain individuals who get so sick and so ill they end up in a hospital room — they are so sick, and perhaps their body may even be deteriorating — that doctors, surgeons, and visitors, when they approach that individual, have to even suit up, and they can't even come close, and they can't even bear the sight of that individual. But on the other hand, you have the mother of the child. The mother will never leave the child no matter what situation the child is in. He may be going through the worst of fevers, the worst of diseases, the worst of sicknesses and illnesses — the whole entire world will leave that individual — but the mother, the love that the mother has for the child, she will never separate from her child at that time.

That is how beloved a person becomes in the court of Allah who fasts truly and solely for the sake of Allah — and not only does he fast from food and drink and carnal desires, but rather he ensures that he is protecting himself from all other sins, all other things that should not be done.

Ramadan: A Special Cleansing Agent for the Heart

Ultimately, this month of Ramadan is there so that we can renew and refresh our connection with Allah. In a very famous hadith, Rasulullah ﷺ has mentioned that every time a person commits a sin, a black spot is placed on his heart. If he repents to Allah, then that black spot is removed. But if he does not repent, and rather continues engaging in other acts of sin, then more and more black dots cover his heart, until it reaches such a stage where Rasulullah ﷺ has even equated the heart of such a believer to the heart of a disbeliever — with the ayah of the Qur'an:

That their hearts become so rusted because of the actions that they have done. A disbeliever's heart becomes so rusted that he cannot even accept iman — he is completely shut off and blocked from guidance. But a believer — what happens to him is his connection with Allah becomes so affected that he doesn't even feel that he has a connection with Allah. He feels completely disconnected. He feels useless. He feels like he has no purpose in life.

But a true believer never feels that way. A true believer always has a purpose in life because he understands: my purpose is here for the pleasure of Allah.

This month is here, and Rasulullah ﷺ has mentioned so many ahadith — and we discussed many of them — whereby a person attains the mercy of Allah, gets the forgiveness of Allah. And all of these actions, ultimately when they are accepted, they cleanse the heart of an individual such that now his connection and his relationship with Allah becomes completely renewed.

It's like when you have a white shirt and you accidentally drop some ketchup on it — if you really care about that, then what you're going to do is you're going to go straight to the sink and wipe it away, wash it, maybe use some soap. But there are certain stains, certain times where it becomes so dirty that you have to use special cleaning agents like bleach to truly vigorously rub it away and wipe it away — and only then will it become clean.

Allah is so kind, Allah is so merciful, that He has granted us this month of Ramadan whereby it is a special cleaning agent for our hearts. May Allah grant us the ability to take advantage of this month.

The Intercession of Fasting and the Qur'an on the Day of Judgment

Lastly, subhanAllah — Rasulullah ﷺ has mentioned that the person who truly fasts as they ought to fast, and they recite Qur'an and they take advantage of this month, then on the Day of Judgment:

(Musnad Ahmad, Hadith 6626; authenticated by al-Albani)

On the Day of Judgment, the Qur'an — meaning the reward that a person receives for reciting the Qur'an — and the reward that a person receives for fasting will come in the court of Allah, and they will testify on behalf of the servant. They will testify on a day where no one will be able to testify in the court of Allah except for those whom Allah permits.

Fasting will say: O my Lord, I prevented him from food and desires during the day — grant me intercession on his behalf. And the Qur'an will say: I prevented him from sleep at night — grant me intercession on his behalf. And then Allah — Rasulullah ﷺ has mentioned — فَيُشَفَّعَانِ: they will be granted the permission to intercede on behalf of such an individual.

May Allah make us amongst those that we have such actions and such rewards waiting in store for us in the Hereafter. May Allah accept all of our fasts, all of our actions, all of our ibadaat, and grant us the ability to fast truly and properly as we ought to fast and as we are taught to by Rasulullah ﷺ.

Announcements

All the brothers can stand up and please fill up as many gaps as possible before performing your sunnahs. Please come — if you see any gap in front of you, please do fill it up. JazakumAllahu khayran.

Please pass the donation boxes from left to right and donate generously. Charity given during the day of Jumu'ah is greater than any other day. We also understand through a hadith of Rasulullah ﷺ that the time wherein he was most generous was in the month of Ramadan.

There is no curb parking. Please do not park on the curbs behind the seminary building or the Swift Highway. Alhamdulillah, we have additional parking spaces in the used car lot.

We can only do a khatam for those who are able to join and participate on this day. On the weekends, a khatam will start tonight. It will be in the lower level of the masjid — today and also Saturday — and it will happen every weekend.

Join us for our daily Ramadan programs:

• Post Fajr: Khatirah and dars — Reviving the Heart
• 25 minutes before Maghrib: Spiritual discourse, dhikr, and du'a
• Community Iftar
• After Taraweeh: Gems from the Qur'an

I'tikaf Registration: We will be hosting i'tikaf for brothers during the final 10 days of Ramadan, inshallah. Brothers under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Registration is required — visit masjiddds.org/rsvp.

Weekly Brothers Youth Qiyam: Every Friday from 11:00 PM to 3:15 AM. Join us for a night of basketball, qiyam, and refreshments. Registration is required — visit the website.

Weekly Sisters Spiritual Gathering: Join us this Ramadan every Friday from 5:30 PM to Maghrib for programs highlighting an opportunity to focus on one's inner self and build a stronger connection with Allah during the sacred month. Iftar will also be served. There will be parallel programs for adults, youth, and kids ages 5–8 including boys ages 5–7.

Sisters Sama'at al-Qur'an program with Alima Niqat Muqeem will occur between March 23rd and April 14th, Monday through Friday from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM. Register online at masjiddds.org/rsvp.

Zakat Seminar: This Sunday, March 26th, 2023, with Mufti Minhaj after Dhuhr salah, inshallah. Please visit masjiddds.org/Ramadan2023 for more details.

Dates for sale at the archway entrance and also in the bookstore.

Our weekly Fajr Tafsir, Bukhari Dars, and other programs which used to take place will inshallah resume after Ramadan.

Du'a Request: There is a du'a request for Rabia Begum. She passed away on the second day of Ramadan. May Allah grant her complete maghfirah, and may Allah admit her into Jannatul Firdaus without any reckoning. Ameen.