The Special Reward for Fasting
The Special Reward for Fasting
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: ” كُلُّ عَمَلِ ابْنِ آدَمَ يُضَاعَفُ، الْحَسَنَةُ عَشْرُ أَمْثَالِهَا إِلَى سَبْعمِائَة ضِعْفٍ، قَالَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: إِلَّا الصَّوْمَ، فَإِنَّهُ لِي وَأَنَا أَجْزِي بِهِ، يَدَعُ شَهْوَتَهُ وَطَعَامَهُ مِنْ أَجْلِي “
” لِلصَّائِمِ فَرْحَتَانِ: فَرْحَةٌ عِنْدَ فِطْرِهِ، وَفَرْحَةٌ عِنْدَ لِقَاءِ رَبِّهِ “
Abu Hurayrah (Radi Allahu anhu) said the Messenger of Allah(ﷺ) said: “Every good deed the Son of Adam does will be multiplied. A good deed will receive a reward of tenfold to seven hundredfold. Allah the most high has said this applies to everything except for fasting. Fasting is done for Me and I will give a reward for it. A person abandons his desires and food for my sake. The fasting person will experience two joys. One when he breaks the fast and the other when he meets his Lord.[1]
The general meaning of this hadith.
The scholars differ over the meaning of this hadith and the best meaning is that the reward for all actions are known and they are multiplied. However, the exact reward for fasting is unknown to man and the detail of the reward is only known to Allah.[2]
Every good deed the Son of Adam does will be multiplied. A good deed will receive a reward of tenfold to seven hundredfold. All righteous deeds, regardless if they are speech, actions, apparent, or not in relation to rights of Allah or humanity are rewarded tenfold to seven hundred; and then some. This shows the bounty of Allah and how He does good towards his believing servants. Conversely, He made the reward for one of their bad deeds as one, and His mercy is vast.[3]
Every good deed the Son of Adam does will be multiplied. A good deed will receive a reward of tenfold to seven hundredfold. The reason these deeds are multiplied is due to the sincerity of a person or the severe entitlement to the poor. Allah said:
{وَاللَّهُ يُضَاعِفُ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ}
Allah gives manifold increase to whom He pleases.[4]
The Angels are aware of the all actions of the servant and writes them down, except for fasting. Fasting isn’t an apparent action. It is the intention to leave off eating for a period of time. For that reason, the Angels aren’t aware of it to write it down; as Allah hasn’t made them aware of the fast. Hence, Allah will reward the fasting person for his fast. Fasting is among the most difficult of deeds on the body; than all other acts of worship.
The reason being is that the one fasting is free from showing off and hypocrisy. The person showing off that he is fasting, and the hypocrite appear to people that’s they are abstaining from food and drink, yet behind closed doors they indulge in a meal. This kind of person in reality isn’t fasting and couldn’t be rewarded as such. Unlike, the other acts of worship which he does insincerely in front of people.
A person fasting correctly leaves off the things his soul desires. Ie food, drink and relations which aren’t allowed to a person fasting.
The words “The fasting person will experience two joys . One when he breaks the fast and the other when he meets his Lord.” Imply two things:
1: A sense of happiness when he’s allowed to eat and drink. Man feels happy when eating and drinking after being hungry and thirsty.
2: A happiness with his Lord who gave him the success to fast properly. When he meets Allah he will be joyous when he receives the reward for fasting that no one can give except Allah.[5]
The reward for fasting itself isn’t specified as to theamount of its multiplicity. The is similar to the statement of Allah (تعالى)
{إِنَّمَا يُوَفَّى الصَّابِرُونَ أَجْرَهُم بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ}
Only those who are patient shall receive their rewards in full, without reckoning.”[6]
According to most scholars of Tafsir the patient ones in this verse refers to those who fast. Some have said that fasting is rewarded tenfold. For example, fasting 3 days a month is similar to fasting an entire month. Fasting 30 days in Ramadan along with Shawwal is like fasting 365 days in a year. Nonetheless, this view is wrong.[7]
Al-Hafith ibn Hajr replied to Ibn Daqeeq Al-Eid’s words that the reward for fasting being tenfold is wrong. Rather, to count one day of fasting as ten days is correct, but to say its rewarded as being tenfold is wrong. Ibn Umar (Radi Alahu anhuma) said: “Fasting is a deed that no one knows the reward for except Allah”
Fasting is done for Me…this means fasting is among the most beloved deeds to Allah and by Allah attributing it to Himself gives it a status of nobility. This is similar to how it is said, Allah’s house when referring to the Ka’bah. Moreover, being without need of food, drink and other desires are among the attributes of Allah. Therefore, a servant of Allah drawing closer to Him by abandoning these things makes fasting noble and honorable as well. [8]
Allah attributing the fast to Himself has led some scholars to say that it is the Only deed a wrongdoer won’t be stripped of on the Day of Judgement. This opinion is sound as fasting isn’t for the Son of Adam. It’s for Allah.
There are 3 kinds of patience found in fasting:
1: Patience in being obedient towards Allah.
2: Patience in refraining from disobeying Allah
3:Patience with what Allah has decreed.[9]
This hadith tells us that the complete fast is carried out when the servant leaves off two things. The things which invalid the fast such as; food, drink and relations. Also, when he abandons the things that decrease the value of good deeds. This includes arguing with someone, being vociferous, or doing something Haraam. Moreover, using the tongue in forbidden acts. The Prophet (ﷺ) said
مَنْ لَمْ يَدَعْ قَوْلَ الزُّورِ وَالْعَمَلَ بِهِ فَلَيْسَ لِلَّهِ حَاجَةٌ فِي أَنْ يَدَعَ طَعَامَهُ وَشَرَابه
“If one does not abandon falsehood and action in accordance with it, then Allah is in no need that he should abandon his food and his drink.”
Whoever fulfils these two things; refrains from all things invalidate the fast and prohibitions, will be rewarded as a person who fasted. The person who doesn’t has no one to blame but himself.[10]
Prepared and translated by
Abu Aaliyah Abdullah ibn Dwight Battle
Ramadan 1444H©
.
[1] Sahih Muslim 1151
[2] مصابح الجامع 4/329
[3] بحجة القلوب الابرار vol 1 pg 82
[4] 2:261
[5] المفاتيح في شرح المصابيح vol2 pg 8
[6] 39:10
[7] شرح الإلمام بأحاديث الاحكام vol3pg 163
[8] بحر المحيط الثجاج شرح صحيح مسلم الحجاج vol 21pg 361
[9] Explanation riyadus Salaheen ibn uthaymeen.
[10] بحجة القلوب الابرار ibid