Halaqa - The Wisdom of Fasting
By Yasir Fahmy | 2026-01-13T16:38:36.648604+00:00 | Topic: Ramadan
Halaqa: The Wisdom of Fasting
Shaykh Yasir Fahmy
Opening
Opening Prayer and Introduction
We ask Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala in his infinite grace and boundless mercy to send an abundance of prayers and peace upon our beloved messenger Muhammad Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.
We ask Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to bless us this evening to make this gathering a gathering of righteousness, a gathering of goodness, a gathering of increase, a gathering of light and healing and forgiveness. May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala be pleased with us on this night. May he make this night amongst the blessed nights that will witness for us on the day when it matters - On the day of judgment.
We ask Allah that this night will come forward as we have spent it together in his house for the sole purpose of attaining his pleasure to remember this religion and to study this religion. To reflect on the values and the virtues and the guidance of the Quran and the Sunnah and to be remembered in the remembrance of Allah jalla wa ala and in his messenger Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.
يا الله We thank you for these نعم for these blessings - the blessing of Islam, the blessing of Iman, the blessing of worship, the blessing of prayer in congregation - all of these collective blessings. يا الله، يا کریم، یا رحمن، یا رحیم We thank you and we praise you a praise that you are due, a praise that our tongues, our hearts and our minds simply cannot do sufficiently.
يا الله ، we cannot sufficiently praise you and so you are as you have praised yourself. يا الله، يا الله، يا الله لا إله إلا أنت سبحانك
الحمد لله ، we are really just around the corner from the greatest month of our year. And so we thank Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala for that hopeful hopefulness that we have that inshallah ta'ala we will be amongst those who fast in the month of Ramadan.
And so we ask Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to not deprive us of that opportunity. We ask him that he does not deprive us of the opportunity to worship him in the month of Ramadan because there is no greater blessing, virtue or gift that a believer can hope for than an opportunity of wondrous worship and the month of Ramadan undeniably, unequivocally is a majestic moment in the year of the believer.
So may Allah subhanahu wa taala
O Allah bless our month of Sha'ban and allow us to be amongst those who will be blessed with the honor of worshiping you in the month of Ramadan. اللهم آمين يا رب العالمين
Introduction to the Treatise
So inshallah today I actually wanted to read with you selections from a beautiful treatise that's written by one of the great scholars of our ummah - al-Imam Sultan al-Ulama al-Izz ibn Abd al-Salam. Who is a scholar of the 7th century of the hijri calendar? He died in 660 of the hijri calendar, born in 577.
He was an erudite scholar of fiqh, of Islamic law, of Islamic spirituality, of maqasid, of usul, of language of many, many, many disciplines. He was a master and he was a mujtahid. He was a scholar of excellent standing where he was able to make ijtihad and he was truly, truly one of the great giants of our ummah and I advise all of us to go back and to read about his life.
He was born in Damascus, Syria, although he comes from Moroccan roots. So he is actually of Moroccan heritage. However, he was born and he was raised in Syria and then he ultimately had to transition to Egypt where he spent many, many years. He was the khatib of the imam of the masjid known as Amr ibn al-Aas - the mosque that Sayyidina Amr ibn al-Aas founded in the early days and he ultimately became an imam and a faqih there and died and is buried in Egypt. May Allah Subhan Allah have mercy upon him.
He was also known as Qahir al-Muluk. He was a scholar who was known to be someone who stands firmly in the face of anyone including kings and rulers if any of them ever transgressed against the sharia. He had no inhibition from going to them and saying to them what you have done is wrong.
Especially there was one time when there was a king who had allowed for certain muharramat - certain prohibited matters of drinking and gambling and otherwise to be, and he went and he said to him "You know, oh king" and his king had this, you know big qafila - these massive motorcades if you will of that time traveling and he stopped the motorcade and he called out to the king and the king looked at him.
And he said how dare you allow? So al-Izz ibn Abdus-Salam said how dare you allow for such things to be in our ummah, in our country, right in our lands and so out of the fear that the muluk had of him because of his izzah, because of his honor and his dignity, he shut them down.
He strict, you know, he spoke to him in a way that was so confident. That was so profound and it's ultimately one of the reasons he was kicked out of Syria because of his fervor and his strength.
And so when one of the people asked him, you know "يا إمام، how did you have the confidence to do what you did?" He says when I put this quote-unquote king in comparison to the king of all kings, then this so-called king became a هرة - became a small kitten in my eyes compared to the king of all kings and that is Allah jalla wa ala.
So the believer and the greatest form of struggle is (كَلِمَةٌ حَقِّ عِنْدَ سُلْطَانٍ جَائِرٍ - kalimat haqqin 'inda sultanin ja'ir) - to speak the truth in the face of the oppressive ruler.
So inshallah. This is his treatise that he has written. It's a very short treatise. It's titled مقاصِدُ الصَّوْمِ - The word maqsad means purpose and in this context, it means the wisdoms and the wise purposes behind fasting.
So he wrote an entire treatise roughly 70-80 pages. I'm only going to read selections from it that speaks about the wisdoms behind fasting so inshallah, I hope that this is a benefit to all of us.
And there is to me in my humble estimation there's nothing more beautiful than to read to you the works of our pious predecessors. It's one thing to go and prepare a few words and come and deliver them in a nice way, but to study the works of our ulama is a practice that I hope that all of us pick up and we take on. Because in their words is much wisdom and when you see that a book like this one has been studied and processed and read throughout the centuries and clearly there are gems and wisdoms in it for us to benefit from bi-idhnillahi ta'ala.
The Quranic Foundation of Fasting
بسم الله والصلاة والسلام على سيدنا محمد وعلى آله وسلم تسليماً كثيراً :So he begins
الفصل الأول - the first chapter in the obligation of the fast and he brings the verse that Imam Muhammad just recited for us:
So this is the principle verse that is brought to institute the obligatory nature of the fast. That for the believers - for the believing men and women - those who love and fear Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. Who believe in his majesty and his omnipotence? We believe in that Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala has prescribed for us things that we must fulfill and that we have no choice but to fulfill.
And I know that this sounds very novice and simple, but sometimes these simple meanings they tend to be neglected at times where we don't recognize and realize that Allah jalla wa ala has made obligatory upon us as his humble servants in this world certain things that he commands us that he has prescribed upon us.
So when you are the object of Allah jalla wa ala's divine discourse that should motivate your heart - كتب عَلَيْكُم - prescribed upon you.
So, you know what that requires us to do? To surrender our hearts in our minds in our ears our bodies and say "O Allah You have you have prescribed upon us (كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامِ - kutiba 'alaykumu-s-siyam)."
So so we you know very often especially in the modern times when we think about fasting very very quickly our minds go to what? Some dietary restriction, you know something about dieting something about physical health and those things are obviously good in the material realm. But for us, this is a deeply spiritual theological reality. It's a prescription from Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala and he says ultimately the ultimate purpose for why this fast is prescribed - it is for the distinct, the distinct spiritual theological goal of taqwa.
Understanding Taqwa
And this is something that for the believer is everything. Everything to the believer is a question of taqwa. Taqwa very often is simply translated as fear of Allah. There's no doubt that taqwa a part of it is a fear of Allah. But taqwa in its true essence and its true meaning as the verses of the Quran and the guidance of the Sunnah has been processed is much more about a distinct type of God consciousness.
But the goal of the believer is to be amongst the muttaqin and this is what you when you when you analyze the words of the Quran in the context in which taqwa was brought in you will see that Allah wants you to be someone who is always conscious of him, always conscious of him - never mindless, never forgetful.
So what about the fast makes it that we are conscious of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala? Everything about the fast of Ramadan. From the first second to the last second from the beginning of the day to the end of the day everything about the fast of the month of Ramadan instills within us God consciousness, awareness of Allah because if we think of our day-to-day lives very often our realities are one where we are forgetful of Allah.
No, none of us here will say it's okay to be mindless of Allah. No, we all know we are supposed to be mindful of Allah. We all know that but we regularly become forgetful.
Ramadan comes in with the fast of Ramadan and it makes it that you can't be forgetful. There's always a moment where you're remembering Allah. When you restrict yourself from food and drink simply because Allah has commanded you to and then when you think of eating or drinking you say no why? Because of Allah.
There is no other time in the year where you will do that. Where you will not eat or drink because of Allah jalla wa ala. But every moment in the day of Ramadan, you will find yourself in a state of restriction. Why? Because of Allah.
All of us we find ourselves more spiritually inclined in Ramadan. We find ourselves praying far more in Ramadan. Why? Because of an idea of getting close to Allah.
I want to recite the Quran more. Why? Because I want to be close to Allah. I find myself making far more dua, much more dua because I know there is a certain type of acceptance that is present and ready for me in the month of Ramadan and so I'm running towards dua. We make dua in the month of Ramadan
like no other time of the year and the list goes on of all of the qualities that Ramadan has that compels us to be mindful of Allah jalla wa ala.
So when we look at the physical realities of Ramadan when we look at the spiritual realities of Ramadan. We look at all of the qualities of Ramadan. We find it that it really is all pointers telling us Allah - think of him, remember him, don't forget him, be mindful of him. You are his, you are his servant, you are to surrender to him, you are to be fearful of him, you are to love him. You are to dictate your entire life for him. Ramadan is really all about that.
It's an alternating of the life. The schedule, the morning, the evening. You wake up who when else in the year. Do you wake up at 3, 4 a.m. to eat? Where else does that happen other than a Ramadan? You're altering your entire schedule for Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.
So may Allah make us amongst the muttaqin during this blessed month of Ramadan.
Seven Virtues of Fasting
So Imam al-Izz ibn Abdus-Salam then brings a number of virtues فضائل and wisdoms that he wants us to consider as we're thinking about the صيام because I want us to truly transition away from this idea of the fast simply being a restriction of the body from food and drink and that there are undeniably far greater spiritual virtues.
And so that when someone asks you why do you fast? You don't just say so that we can feel what poor people feel. Of course that is one of the virtues. But there are far greater and more important spiritual virtues - not to say that caring about the poor is not important. But just to say that oh we are fasting so that we can feel what poor people feel - yes, that's one virtue, it's nice. But when you read about this when you read the scripture, and you see what Allah says about صيام about fasting you see that it is much more.
So Imam al-Izz ibn Abdus-Salam says that for fasting there are many benefits:
Number one: He mentions them all together, and then he will explain each one in detail:
1. رَفْعُ الدَّرَجَاتِ - the increase of rank
2. تَكْفِيرُ الخَطِيئَاتِ - the expiation of sins and wrongs and sinfulness
3. كَسْرُ الشَّهَوَاتِ - the breaking of desires, and we'll explain why these are so important
4. تَكْثِيرُ الصَّدَقَاتِ - the increase of your charitable giving
5. تَوْفِيرُ الطَّاعَاتِ - doing worship in abundance - prayer, fast, recitation of the Quran, dhikr, dua and so on - there is an increase in an abundance of worship
6. شكْرٌ عَلِيمِ الخَفِيَّاتِ - it is the thankfulness to thee the knower of the hidden things. Who is عليم الخفيات Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala - he is the knower of all things. He is the knower of the seen and the unseen, the prominent and the hidden. So this is صيام amongst its virtues is to thank the knower of all things.
One of the virtues of the fast is that it repels away evil sinful - الإنْزِجَارُ الخَوَاطِرِ المَعَاصِي وَالمُخَالَفَاتِ 7 thoughts. When you become someone who is in surrender to Allah jalla wa ala in a state of restriction for the sake of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala in a state of sacrifice for Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala then what happens is that sinfulness and sinful thoughts start to repel. You start to repel all those types of negative evil thoughts that we want out of our system so that they are no longer compelling us in any which way. We simply want angelic thoughts. Because in the realm of the spirit there are satanic whispers, and there are angelic whispers, and so we want to rid ourselves of those satanic impulses and only be beautified and impacted by the angelic ones. May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala grant us that.
Detailed Explanation: The Increase of Rank
So then he says with regards to number one - the رفع الدرجات - the increase of rank. He says:
It is for the saying of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam:
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 1899)
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam says that when the month of Ramadan enters, the doors of jannah become wide open and the doors of the hellfire become shut closed and the shayateen are shackled - the shayateen are shackled.
So why does he bring this within the context of the increase of rank? Because what the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is telling us is that the unseen realm during the time of Ramadan becomes altered that the unseen realm becomes altered with the with the coming of the month of Ramadan.
So Jannah becomes wide open. Jahannam shut closed and in other narrations Jannah beautifies itself during the month of Ramadan so to welcome Ramadan. Jannah enters into a state of self beautification as it is in joy that the month of Ramadan is coming and lastly the shayateen are shackled and he's going to by the way momentarily describe each one of these in a bit more detail, so I don't want to jump ahead.
So also why is it that the month of Ramadan is a month where the rank is increased? For what the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam says حِكَايَةً عَنْ رَبِّهِ as he re-narrates upon Allah jalla wa ala:
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 1904)
Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala in a hadith Qudsi says: "All of the actions of the son of Adam are for him except for fasting, for it is for me فَإِنَّهُ لِي وَأَنَا أَجْزِي بِهِ and I am the one who distinctly rewards for it."
And why is this unique? Imam al-Izz will say momentarily he will tell you that see all worship all worship obviously is rewarded by Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. No, there's no other person or entity or created being that rewards. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala is the only one who rewards.
But what we are learning in this hadith Qudsi is that because of how virtuous صيام is Allah is almost saying - he's saying to us practically speaking - listen when it comes to the fast I take care of the reward meaning don't even think about the amount because the amount is so remarkable and it is so sufficient and it is so rewarding that Allah is saying I'll take care of it.
It's as if I'm going well you know a wealthy man and I say listen, I have needs I need a home I need a car. I need schooling. I need this and this person who's a billionaire for example says don't worry about it. I'm gonna take care of everything. Don't even think about it and then the next day you just you see you have all these you have a bank account full of money. You have a home you have a car you have this you have that everything's taken care of and some and so that's what it is. That's basically Allah saying I will take care of you and then some so don't even think about it.
Why is this an indicator of the elevated rank of Ramadan? It's clear. It's clear that when Allah speaks about an ibadah when Allah speaks about distinct type of worship with this level of language and care and upliftment no longer is the صيام simply a dietary act. It is a far deeper spiritual act than many of us are aware of. May Allah grant us the understanding that ornates our hearts and animates us in a way that truly feels a sense of indebtedness to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala's grace and his gifts to us.
And so in this hadith it continues to say:
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 1904)
And fasting is a type of protection. فَإِذَا كَانَ يَوْمُ صَوْمٍ أَحَدِكُمْ And if it is the day of fast then none of you should engage in الرفث - roughest - roughest is illicit behavior especially illicit speech فَلَا يَرْفُتْ . You know my even وَلَا يَصْخَبْ when it is the day of your fast, you should not engage in any illicit relationships or behaviors neither speak in any illicit fashion. وَلَا يَصْخَبْ and there is no such thing as fighting and arguing and raising of voices.
All of this. Why do you think it is happening? Why is Allah, of course, we should never fight and of course, we should never engage in illicit behavior but because of the distinct virtue and blessing and increased rank of the month of Ramadan Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala saying be very respectful. Be very careful about how you conduct yourself in this month. I'm watching and I am the one who's rewarding you in an abundance in an abundant way.
So be very thoughtful how you conduct yourself.
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 1904)
And if someone comes and they curse you or they try to physically fight with you right فَلْيَقُلْ say إِنِّي امْرُؤٌ إني صائم إنّي صَائِمٌ I am someone who is fasting - صائم
Well, let me know some Muhammad in be added and then the Prophet saw him then swears and he says:
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 1904)
The prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم says "والذي" that the bad breath الخلوف of the fast - the person - the bad breath of the person who's fasting is more beautiful in scent on the day of judgment to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala than the smell of musk which is amongst the most beautiful scents of the earth.
And so when you fast and you restrict yourself and you have a mouth a smell in your mouth that is not pleasant because of your fast that that is more pleasant to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala on the day of judgment than any other scent.
I mean think about this for a moment subhanallah that our tradition is talking to us about a scent that comes in the mouth because of a restriction in the belly and that we are a spiritual reality a virtuous standing is attached to that scent of a mouth.
So when you sit there and you go you know you think to yourself this is the most beloved scent to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala Allah, you know, I mean Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala is present and he's seeing and he's observing and he knows he knows what we do and he he's experiencing our realities in ways that we don't even comprehend.
What does it mean that this smell is the most beloved scent to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala? May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala allow us the opportunity to understand on the day of judgment what that fully entails. May Allah make it that these scents our sense that we we experience with a sense of spiritual اللهم آمين يا رب العالمين excellence and increase
Now some of you may ask and I just with my bad breath is going to people's faces and all that kind of stuff. No, you don't have to say, you know that Allah loves this. You don't do that. That's Allah's reality is one reality our you know horizontal reality is another one you know, so it's it's from the questions that some people have in this regard can I use like miswak and can I perhaps use a toothbrush? It is okay. You can use a miswak. You can use a toothbrush using toothpaste. I do not - I am of the opinion that you should not use toothpaste. These are fiqh matters. But I just wanted to know this because someone people might think we'll get a little bit too spiritual and start you know breathing in people's faces and that may not be a nice experience, but you and then lastly he says:
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 1904)
And that there are two moments of joy for the believer - a moment of joy when you break your fast in a moment of joy when you meet Allah Subhanahu wa ta'ala with your ibadah.
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 38)
And another hadith where it is said that all of the all the actions of the son of Adam are multiplied and the hasanah - the one good deed will be multiplied upwards of 700 times depending on the types of worship except for الصوم - the fast - except for the fast for it is multiplied far more than 700 times.
And this is why لِلصَّائِمِ فِي الجَنَّةِ بَابٌ يُقَالُ لَهُ الرَّيَّانُ for the fast will be rewarded in multitudes beyond our conception and the reasoning that is given for that pay attention to this يَدَعُ طَعَامَهُ وَشَرَابَهُ وَشَهْوَتَهُ مِنْ أَجْلِي that this person will leave the fast will leave will leave their desires and will leave food for my sake.
So the reason one of the distinct reasons that Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala multiplies the reward in this way is that he knows how hard it is to leave our base desires. Every single moment of our life that we live we have this unending impulse to fulfill base desires. It is it is طاهر right the the impulse to fulfill the base desires is a poverty reality. It is very very aggressive to to dress a certain way to look a certain way to have certain relationships to look at certain things.
We know how strong these impulses are. They're aggressive abrasive invasive every which way and so you leave that and then you leave food as well, which is such a normal human impulse to eat men actually for the sake of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. So you do that for the sake of Allah so Allah says you do that for me. I will reward you in ways that you cannot even comprehend. May Allah grant us that reward.
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 1896)
But I saw a lot of money who assemble in the field but in from also from why reasons in which the month of Ramadan is رفع الدرجات is an elevated month and the fast is an elevated act.
That in heaven there is a door and it is known as the door of الرَّيَّان. الرَّيَّان comes from the word رَيٌ, which is to water. In from that door الصائمون those who fast enter on the day of judgment. So there's a specific door that is designated amongst the doors of Jannah amongst the eight doors of Jannah. One of them is known as باب الريان and it is designated for those who fast.
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 1896)
And when the last person who's fasted who's amongst الصائمون enters this door is closed shut. May Allah make us amongst those who are known as الصائمون who will be gifted and granted the opportunity to enter through the door of الريان
(Sunan at-Tirmidhi, Hadith 784)
إن الصائم تُصَلِّي عَلَيْهِ المَلَائِكَةُ إِذَا أُكِلَ عِنْدَهُ pay attention to this إن الصائم salallahu alayhi wa sallam قال He حَتَّى يَفْرُغُوا that the person who's fasting - let's say you're fasting and there are people around you eating. You're fasting. There are people around you eating that the angels will come and pray for that person. They will pray for that person until the people stop eating.
Why do you think that's the case? Because it's even more difficult because of your utter control and self- discipline in that moment. Allah knows how much you want that food and and we've all experienced this whether at work at school with some of our family members, whatever the case may be we've been in context when we are fasting and then there are people eating around us and we will do anything for that sip of water or in my case that cup of coffee. Let me just take a sip. That was an excuse to take a sip of coffee. There's no self-control yet. We'll postpone that to Ramadan.
You see subhanallah the the challenge or the difficulty is multiplied in that moment because you're it just it triggers you you want it. But you still stop and you don't touch it why for the sake of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. And so what Allah does for you in that regard is he designates an angel for you. And what will this angel do for you? This angel will stay there in your presence praying for you making dua for you asking Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to have mercy upon you.
How generous and kind and loving and tender is Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala with us if we could only see it, you know. It's there it's a reality and unfortunately because so often we are engrossed in the seen world and disconnected from the unseen world, which is the realm of the heart and the soul in the spirit. We don't see it so it doesn't motivate us. But these are truths. These are not just these are not nice things that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam says this is not hyperbole. This is a truth that if you're fasting and there are people so, you know, if you're if you're in the subway or you're on the bus and you're fasting and someone's eating right next to you then you know, there's an angel right there making dua for you.
If someone's you're at school and people are having lunch and you're there and you know there are angels present making dua for you praying for you. There's a gift from Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala and why does that gift exist for the fast? That's why the fast is such an elevated ibadah.
Explanation of Opening and Closing of Doors
So then he starts to explain each one of the details that he mentioned before with regards to the opening of Jannah and the reason why the Jannah is opened as it is because of the increase of worship the increase of worship that necessitates the opening of the doors of Jannah because there is no other time in the year that worship is occurring like in the month of Ramadan and so that necessitates that the doors of Jannah are opened.
And with regards to the closing of the gates of Jahannam it is with regards to the lessening of sinfulness in the month of Ramadan that will necessitate the closing of the doors of Jahannam.
Some people they have misconceptions around this concept. They'll say oh, well if the doors of Jahannam are closed then that means anyone who dies in Ramadan does not go to Jahannam. That is not the case
because there are کفار there are people who reject Allah. There are there are oppressors evil people who will die in the month of Ramadan. Does that mean that they don't go to Jahannam? No, it is a صائم مؤمن a صائم صالح الحق that this applies to it is the righteous believer who is fasting who is in full surrender to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala that these meanings apply to.
So you can't just say oh, well, I'm fasting. So I'm good, you know, or it's Ramadan. So I'm not gonna be touched. No, you have to make sure that your fast is not just a reality. That's simply a restriction of food or staying away from ill behavior. No, make sure that your fast is a spiritual surrender to Allah. jalla wa ala so that you are a صائم.
Because there are different levels of the صائم there is the صائم who is a صائم الحق the true person who's fasting and that is the person who fasts from everything except Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala and this is a very elevated status of fasting. It is the status of the محسنينbut it is when you fast in a way that you are fasting from everything. But Allah You're fasting from every thought every inclination every speech every action every movement other than that which is for the sake of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala may Allah make us amongst those elevated people who fast in that way and may Allah help us to realize these deep spiritual virtues of the fast.
عبارة عن انقطاع وساوسهم عن الصائمين of the shayateen تصفي And so he says and with regards to the لأنهم لا يطمعون في إجابتهم إلا المعاصي and with regards to the whispers of the shaytan so it is with it is a matter of the وسواس the whispers of the shaytan being cut off from the people who are fasting because the shayateen have lost hope from the person who is fasting from them accepting المعاصي
Because the shaytan is always in a state of وسواس always trying to whisper into your ear into your heart into your soul to do vice to commit illicit behaviors to follow your base desires to engage in haram relationships so the shayateen they lose hope in the month of Ramadan.
So people very often will ask well how come we commit sins in the month of Ramadan why is it that we find ourselves sinful in the month of Ramadan because the shayateen may be locked up but our nafs is wide awake and the shayateen are one of the entities that compel us or are one of the impulses that lead us to committing sin the other is النفس الأمارة بالسوء the nafs that compels towards evil.
So may Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala elevate and purify our nafs because by the way what Ramadan shows us implicitly is Ramadan shows us the true state of our nafs because if there is no shayateen then the only thing that's compelling me to do evil is my true self, my nafs.
So you say oh I'm in Ramadan but I really have a desire to have this haram relationship that is because my nafs is in a lower state I haven't been able to elevate my nafs so Ramadan is really a good time to know who you are if you want to really know who you are look at yourself in the month of Ramadan and you see your inclinations and your desires and that's not to say that you should enter into a state of despair no it's good to be real it's good to know where I am where I stand, you go to the doctor you do a full checkup and if the doctor says oh you're perfect and you're fine and you have all these diseases and problems and issues you need to take medications, you need to have an operation and a procedure
you're not going to be happy you say to the doctor please tell me everything that's wrong because I need to fix myself.
So Ramadan comes and shows you who you are so that we can fix ourselves so may Allah help us and inspire us to use the month of Ramadan and before Ramadan to fix our states and elevate the condition of our nafs and he continues to say:
All of the actions of the son of Adam are for him except for the fast for it is for me.
This إضافة when Allah says فَإِنَّهُ لِي for this fast is for me this type of association Allah associating the fast with himself saying that the fast is my fast this is to do this is an honorific quality for the month of Ramadan this is to honor and uplift the standing of the month of Ramadan just like in Surah Al-Isra where Allah says:
Exalted is He who took His Servant by night from al-Masjid al-Haram to al-Masjid al-Aqsa, whose surroundings We have blessed, to show him of Our signs. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Seeing.
صلى الله عليه وسلم and associates the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم This is when Allah brings the Prophet to himself this is a form of تشریف it is honoring so when Allah associates anything with himself he is honoring that thing and one of the reasons why this is the case and one of the reasons why Ramadan gets this distinct standing:
That with regards to the fast is one of the distinct types of worship that arrogance is very hard to penetrate it's hard to be arrogant while fasting it is also hard to fast for other than the sake of Allah because the only one who truly knows whether or not you're fasting is Allah. He's the only one who knows he's the only one who knows absolutely you could fake the fast with regards to everyone around you you could go take sips of water you could sneak, and we've all done this I'm sure when we were younger if you were fasting at that time where you've snuck a bite or two just to get away from your parents and go to the bathroom this is where bathrooms become a dinner place because you utilize the bathroom space to sneak a lot of food right? At least that's what we used to do back in the day but that's what because you can easily hide it from people and then the fast comes and you get all excited I'm starving but Allah knows your haqiqah.
So because when you truly fast when we've been in the bathroom making wudu and we sit there and we spit a little extra we're doing madman of the mouth and then we go because we don't want to take even a driplet of water into our throat who are we doing that for? Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.
I mean think about how beautiful that is, that type of surrender, when you're in the bathroom no one's around you and you're sitting there and you don't want even a small driplet of water to enter into your
orifice so you don't break your fast the one that only Allah knows that you are truly fully committed to this is why it's of such grand standing.
Sometimes we sit there and we try to theorize like logical reasonings for why the fast scientific benefits to the fast fasting is always in every other year, there's an article that's written about the virtue of the fast and its medical benefits and blah blah blah blah blah and all those things are useful at some level but when you start to analyze the fast in this regard, you begin to see it's not necessarily about the the dietary qualities of the fast, but rather it is the spiritual realities that are coming through when you're fasting because see that subtlety of making sure that you spit out every ounce of water in that moment is all for the sake of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.
You know think any non-Muslim to see you sitting there like, you care even about like a drip that's in your throat that may be there, you care even to that extent, you say yes we do, why? Because Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala commanded so so imagine when you speak that language, you're surrendering to Allah in that way, what does that mean to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala? This is why it is a matter of تشريف
Fasting as Protection
And when it is said that صيام is a type of protection that صيام when you commit yourself to it, it is a protection from the torment of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala because when you're a person who is fasting you are less likely to commit sins and engage in illicit behavior, you are far more likely to engage in spirited acts of worship and so therefore it becomes a type of protection for you.
When you say to someone who is trying to fight you or curse at you when you say to them I am fasting it means someone comes to fight you, number one you say it twice, the first time is for yourself, you're saying to yourself first and foremost, don't forget you are fasting so it's almost like a mantra someone is trying to instigate, someone is trying to fight you, someone is trying to work you up it is a mantra that you tell to yourself and you close your eyes you say إنِّي صائم and then the second one is for the listener to say I am fasting and so imagine what that means to society when people who are fasting الصائمون are out there telling others not in a state of boastfulness you're not boasting, you're not being arrogant you're simply saying that my conduct, my behavior my actions are governed by my fast my surrender to Allah.
So you may try to compel me in this way you're trying to instigate you're trying to push me and prod me to be a certain way but I will not because my fast is present and it will repel that type of behavior so it has a as a social theorist will call a productive quality it produces a spiritual and a social communal reality that lessens and that inhibits and repels these are very beautiful meanings that when the fast is in full effect
that you find harmony you find peace, you find salam because the fasting person is not ever one to be instigated or prodded in a way to compel them to fight back or to be angry.
The Pleasant Scent
And with regards to the statement around the scent of the mouth of the believer once again he says it is because of the reward that is present لَخُلُوفٌ فَمِ الصَّائِمِ وَأَثْوَابٌ because there is a reward that comes about a distinct type of reward because that smell or that scent is coming out of is the result or the product of surrender to Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالٰی so because the product of a type of surrender to Allah scent so it becomes a highly rewarded and obviously as we said a beautiful scent in the sight of Allah سُبْحَانَهُ . وَتَعَالَى
Two Moments of Happiness
As with regards to the two moments of happiness that was mentioned by the Prophet:
And with regards to the two moments of joy that he mentions month long of committed worship, of fast of increased worship of prayer, of recitation of the Qur'an, of spending time in the masjid, of Laylat al- Qadr all of these beautiful moments culminating together on top of that all of the restrictions and the surrender of the self and the body and the base desires to Allah جل جلاله all of that culminates into a moment of joy that is unparalleled every single year when Ramadan ends, we're not just happy that oh I don't have to fast anymore that's not why we're happy we're happy because of the virtue of worship and the virtue of surrender to Allah جل جلاله so there's a distinct type of pleasure that overcomes the person similarly there is a pleasure, a distinct pleasure that comes when you meet Allah جل جلاله and there is a parallel here because the month of Ramadan is a month of surrender, of commitment of worship, of sacrifice of self-sacrifice all of that for the sake of Allah جل جلاله that ends with a moment of pleasure so too is a life lived a life lived 30, 20, 40 100, 120 years a life lived in sacrifice in worship in surrender, in commitment to Allah جل جلاله a life lived in that state will beget the ultimate happiness which is the endless happiness of the afterlife but the endless happiness and the endless joy of the afterlife must be preceded by a dunya-y life that was a commitment to sacrifice a commitment to worship a commitment to surrender and so that's why Allah جل جلاله parallels the two the joy that comes at the end of your fast and the joy that happens and comes when you meet your Lord may Allah جل جلاله make us joyful in both moments may Allah جل جلاله grant us the joy the everlasting joy of the afterlife.
And when he says they leave their desires and their drink and their food for me, it means when this person gave precedence to the worship of Allah جل جلاله pay attention to these words when the person gave precedence and preference to the worship of Allah جل جلاله over the worship of the self with how strong the impulse of the shahwa is and how intense desire is Allah جل جلاله rewards them by taking full control of their rewards those who give precedence to Allah جل جلاله Allah will give them precedence see
there's a very distinct theme that's playing out in the fast and it's all about your willingness and readiness to give precedence to Allah جل جلاله over yourself.
When think about shopping think about clothes shopping when you're out there and you're looking for a pair of pants or a blouse or whatever it is how often do we think about Allah جل جلاله and giving precedence to him over what we want in terms of our base desires and our shahwat think about the food that you consume think about the relationships that you have think about the things that you watch on TV think about the things that you watch while you're walking in the street how often do I say to myself I will lower my gaze and I will not look because I will give preference to Allah جل جلاله over the preference that I will give to myself see that is that is the theme that's playing out in the fast is Allah جل جلاله is telling us your entire life your entire life has to be a life where you give preference to Allah جل جلاله over yourself every single time.
Your spouse angers you and says something that bothers you and instead of surrendering to your base desire of anger and then you lash out you yell you scream you even hit because you're surrendering to your base desires Allah جل جلاله is saying I want you to give preference to me over yourself and that is the journey of the saint that is the journey of the elevated believer the محسن the مؤمن the مسلم the one who lives his or her life saying I will only give precedence to Allah.
I will conduct myself externally يا الله tell me what you want me to do you want me to do with this body tell me what you want me to do with my hair tell me what you want to do with my facial hair tell me what you want to do with my underarm hair Allah wants us to do many many things externally internally يا الله you tell me what you want me to do and I will do it because I give preference to you over myself the fast is something that cultivates that the fast of Ramadan is something that engenders that and that compels you.
When a person when a person let's say I am going towards this of drinking something haram and I'm going towards it and I'm going to do it but I leave that haram I leave that haram because I remembered Allah سبحانه وتعالى I was going to wear something that was haram I was going to say something that was haram, I was going to look at something that was haram, I was going to engage a relationship that is haram but I left it for the sake of Allah, listen to this Allah will command the hafadha, the hafadha are those who who take account of all of what we do and we have angels that are present that are hafadha that take account of every single thing we do Allah will command the hafadha say write that, write it down as a hasana, as a reward because this person left this sinful behavior and left this desire of theirs for my sake Allah will intervene you're going you're going to do something utterly haram, drink alcohol and you put it down and you say AstaghfirullahAllah in that moment intervenes and says to the angels write it down as a reward because this person put down the cup for my sake.
This is however present Allah is fully aware of what we do he knows the good and he knows the bad he knows the whispers in the soul, he knows what we steal with our eye of looks and glances, Allah knows all
may Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala only see within us beauty and may he forgive all of the shortcomings that we commit.
The Expiation of Sins
And with regards to the salah of the malaika ala sa'im and with regards to the angels praying upon those who are fasting and there are people eating around them for verily as we noted earlier it is because of how hard it is to restrict yourself in the face of this food as with regards to the expiation of sins فَلِذُلِكَ قَالَ صلى الله عليه وسلم
(Sahih Muslim, Hadith 233)
That verily from one ramadhan to another ramadhan so first we spoke about, number one was the increase of rank, number two is the expiation of sins, the prophet salallahu alayhi wa sallam says that from the ramadhan to the ramadhan is an expiation of all of your sins if you stay away from the kabair so the kabair, the expiation that happens from ramadhan to ramadhan is all of the sagair, all of the minor sins however major sins major sins are of the like of zina of fornication, major sins of the likes of backbiting and gossiping and so on, rumor mongering, all of these, these are major sins major sins require tawbah right, require repentance the prophet salallahu alayhi wa sallam says:
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 38)
Those who fast the month of ramadhan in a state of iman and in a state of ihtisab one of the greatest rewards that all of us seek in the month of ramadhan is this expiation this forgiveness of sins but Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, the prophet salallahu alayhi wa sallam tells us here that there are two qualities required for us to ensure that this forgiveness is something that we receive I can't just say I fasted therefore that I receive forgiveness no, there are conditions there are states required he says that those who fast in a state of iman in a state of loving surrender that يا الله the reason why I am fasting is because I want your pleasure you created me you commanded me, you sent us revelation, you gifted us the prophet Muhammad salallahu alayhi wa sallam you gifted us the sunnah in your beautiful, majestic merciful, omnipotent fashion you have prescribed for us the fast, and so therefore I fast that is a very simple, subtle way to look at إيماناً مَنْ صَامَ رَمَضانَ so when someone asks you why do you fast try to explore with them the idea of iman because that's really why we fast we fast because Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala wants us to fast we fast because Allah loves us to fast and you tell your friends and your family you tell your co-workers you say the most pleasing thing to me is that Allah is pleased with me that is what pleases me, that is what I care about all of the dietary stuff all of that other stuff, that's nice but what I really care about is that I am in surrender to the will of Allah, and that's what brings pleasure to my heart and try to explore those meanings, number one with yourself.
Breaking of Desires
Explore those meanings with your loved ones try to explain to them what it means to live for the sake of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala and not for the sake of myself because that's everything that Ramadan is about that I no longer live for myself but I live for Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala and as with regards to number three breaking of the desires for verily hunger and thirst, break desire so Imam Ghazali in his book Al-Ihya Ulum Ad-Deen and he speaks about spiritual elevation he speaks about spiritual elevation through the purview of كسر الشهوتين the breaking of the two desires, and go back and check this in the book Al-Ihya Ulum Ad-Deen Imam Ghazali says that the pathway the essential pathway to spiritual excellence is when you break your two desires what are our two desires? The desires of the private parts, الفرج and the desires of the belly, food and drink and these two desires, the desires of the private parts, and the desire of the belly, are the two essential pathways to evil and sinfulness these are the two essential pathways, so a part of our spiritual development in growth, is that we methodically break these desires so amongst the essential virtues and goals of the month of Ramadan is that we begin to learn to break our desires, and this is ever more critical in the moment in time that we live in today in a moment in time where the lives that we live are in large part, all about fulfilling our desires every single inclination that we have today, is about the fulfillment of our desires every commercial we watch every billboard everything that pops up on Facebook and Twitter and whatever is about fulfilling your desires even today in the realm of legislation, social trends and movements, it's all about fulfill your desires never restrict yourself that has become a modern theology fulfill your desires, don't control yourself whereas everything about this religion, is about self control, it's about sacrificing, it is about surrendering to Allah and breaking our desires so I hope and pray that we begin to truly process the month of Ramadan in this light, and the fast in this light, that you know what يا الله I no longer want to be someone who is always in surrender to my desires I no longer want to surrender to the impulses of my lower self rather I want to control my lower self, I want to govern my lower self to be in line with your desires and your wants.
Increase of Charity
And lastly that I share before I take a few questions تكثير الصدقات Adhan the before تكثير الصدقات and as with regards to the increase of charity and as with regards to the increase of charitable giving in the month, during the fast, for verily it is because the person who is fasting when they find hunger in themselves they begin to reflect and think about those who are in hunger, and so you are far more inclined to give and to give in abundance and to give in charity when you find yourself in hunger because you become more you become more familiar you become more sympathetic to those who are in hunger and he brings a beautiful stanza of poetry:
He says that those who who know love they will be merciful with the lovebirds, because you know sometimes you see lovebirds and it gets annoying right? You see lovebirds and it's like alright you just stop that it's annoying, but the person who's been in love knows that feeling, so they'll have mercy they'll say oh they're in love, so some people say oh they're in love, and then some people say stop that, that's
annoying so he's saying that if you're someone who's never been in hunger you've never felt the pains of hunger you've never felt what it means to live in derelict, destitute states then you won't have a lot of and you'll have a lot of willingness to give but if you've experienced pain, you've experienced hunger you've experienced struggle then you will be far more inclined to give and that's why many studies have shown that people who've experienced poverty are far more willing and ready and inclined to give than people who have not subhanallah.
There's a few more points that I wanted to mention but we're going to have to stop here so I can take a few of the Q&A inshallah there are a few more points that Imam Al-Izz mentions that are very beautiful in terms of the increase of worship and how this is a time in the month of Ramadan and the time of the fast is a time where you multiply and you increase your worship and so very briefly this is a month where you recite a lot of Quran this is a month when you make a lot of dua, this is a month when you make a lot of istighfar and tawbah, repentance and seeking forgiveness, this is a month when you do all of your ibadat this is a month when you pray much more so the night vigils, the qiyam al-layl the taraweeh in the community with the imam these are acts that all of us should be very keen on and the reason being is because of the increased rank of this month and the qualities of this month so be sure to find yourself just as you are surrendering and sacrificing during the day that you are so too sacrificing and surrendering in the night.
Communal Virtue of Feeding Others
He also as the benefits just because we mentioned this communal quality in the khutbah and I want to mention it now he speaks about the virtue of feeding those who are fasting so from the virtues is that you feed those who are fasting:
(Sunan at-Tirmidhi, Hadith 807)
That those who feed someone who is fasting, you will receive that person's reward of fasting, so if you if you feed someone who is fasting you will receive their reward غَيْرِ أَنْ يَنْقُصَ مِنْ أَجْرِ الصَّائِمِ شَيْءٌ if you feed someone who is fasting, you will receive the full reward and you will receive your full reward for your fast as well as the full reward for their fast and so that's why pay attention to this:
Those who feed 36 people who are fasting 36 people who are fasting in the year it is as if you have fasted all of eternity why is that the case? Why 36? Can anyone figure it out? Why it's 36? Huh? So he's saying, he's saying here those who feed one person who's fasting, you receive their reward, okay? All of it, so why is it that he's saying if you feed 36 people because of Ramadan in Shawwal because the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم another hadith, what does he say?
Those who fast Ramadan and follows it with the 6 days of Shawwal then it's as if you've done what? You've fasted the entire the entire lifetime so if you feed 36, then you receive it subhanallah, it's as if you've done it the entire, so this is from the beautiful gifts of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم that he grants us, so make sure that you feed people this Ramadan okay.
Q&A Session
Quickly let's just go through these questions: Is it possible to go to work or study and still have highest level of fasting since we still be involved in the dunya? Yes if you need to go to work, you need to study, you need to go to school you can certainly, certainly receive the highest rewards of fasting, the reason being is that if you intend in your work and in your study and whatever actions you are doing if you intend the pleasure of Allah جل جلاله then that is a righteous act the only problem that happens what? Is if you're going to work or you're going to school for yourself you're going to work, going to school for the pleasure of others, then that's when it becomes a problem but if you're going to school and you're working for the sake of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم's pleasure, then even in your work and in your school, can you find the elevated ranks of the sa'im.
There are people who are very ill, so this person is asking please make dua for those who are ill may Allah جل جلاله grant shifa to all of those who are ill.
Is it obligatory for a nursing mom to fast? With regards to mothers who are nursing or mothers who are pregnant, as I've mentioned many times, you have to consult your OBGYN as well as a shaykh in that regard, to see if your condition is one where you should not fast, some people think by default because I'm nursing or because I'm pregnant, I don't have to fast it's not necessarily the case very often it is the case if it will cause you any type of physical hindrance if it will decrease your milk production all of these things, then you don't have to fast but that's not the case for all women so make sure you double check with your OBGYN before doing so.
What age do kids start fasting? You should start to encourage your children to fast when they are 7 years old to do it in a loving way where it becomes a competition, it becomes a joyful thing encourage them from even the younger years 4 or 5, we're all fasting, maybe you fast the last hour in the day, the last 2 hours from Asr until Maghrib from Dhuhr until Maghrib Mashallah, I know many kids who since they were 4 or 5, they were fasting the whole day, and that's not something that we recommend or advise or anything but sometimes when the children feel like oh my God, my parents are doing this, my older siblings are doing this, my family is doing it I want to do it with them, so you should encourage them, you know, you say oh I'm worried about the kid children Mashallah are remarkably resilient, right? They are far more resilient than grown-ups are so I'm not saying to starve them in any way, shape or form, if they need to eat or drink, if they need to break their fast, go ahead but encourage it, encourage it as a practice, and maybe you do it this way when they're younger, from Asr until Maghrib when they're a little bit older, from Dhuhr until Maghrib, and then when they reach the sin of Takleef, which is the age of legal responsibility and obligation, then they have to do it you know, without without question.
So this person is asking a very important question, is how come that we'll find ourselves in the month of Ramadan worshipping in one way and then outside of Ramadan we're worshipping in another way, are we hypocrites? or is this hypocritical? It's not hypocritical the way we worship in Ramadan is unparalleled, who we are in Ramadan is unparalleled, there is no other time period in the year just like the month of Ramadan so it is by default and I'm telling you from now and I'll tell you this and I'll remind you at the end of Ramadan after Ramadan, every single person will go on a dip every single person, why? Because the world is back to normal the Ramadan spirit the Ramadan reality, when the seen and the unseen realm are altered that is only something that is gifted to the month of Ramadan so it is very normal that you will dip, the only problem is if you turn completely away like you were reading Quran and you stop reading Quran, you were praying and you stop praying, you just turn completely away, that's when it becomes a problem that you have to seek Allah's forgiveness.
If you've missed previous fast due to menstruation and you haven't made them up yet, then what you have to do is make them up, right? So if you miss them with no excuse, then after you will have to make them up and pay a kaffarah, so if you've missed these menstruations without excuse, just having missed them, then you will make them up after Ramadan and with that you will pay a kaffarah, right? And which is the feeding of a needy person for each day, for each day that you missed you'll pay a kaffarah, so if you missed 7 days of menstruation, so you'll make up those 7 days, if you've missed 7 days, you can make them up right now, Ramadan is still you know, what is it, 15 days away roughly, and then you'll have to then, if you make them up now, then you're fine, you don't have to pay anything but if you don't make them up until after Ramadan, you'll have to make up those days and pay the kaffarah.
Does anger towards, for example, children or spouse invalidate the fast? No, anger does not invalidate the fast, in the technical fiqh sense right, it doesn't invalidate your fast so it's a sound fast, however it may invalidate the spiritual fast because we said there are levels of the fast so you don't want to find yourself angry, but it doesn't invalidate your fast technically, meaning that you have to make up that day, no it does not.
We ask Allah to bless us in this month of Sha'ban, and allow us to be amongst those who will be gifted the month of Ramadan and they fast and worship during the month of Ramadan, may Allah grant us all of these virtues that we have discussed, help us to internalize them, feel them experience them and practice them in this life, so that we receive the highest levels of Jannah in the afterlife.
Closing
We ask Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to make this gathering a blessing for all of us. May He accept our gathering and our study of His religion. May Allah grant us the tawfiq to implement what we have learned and to be amongst those who fast Ramadan with iman and ihtisab.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Quran and the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) provide a comprehensive guide for Muslims to navigate the complexities of life, emphasizing the importance of maintaining good relations with family members. By understanding and implementing the principles of kindness, respect, and mutual support, Muslims can strengthen their family bonds and contribute to a harmonious society.
May Allah guide us all to fulfill our duties towards our families and to earn His pleasure through our actions. Amin.