Many hadiths have been narrated about the significance and merits of Siam in general. A number of authentic hadiths are mentioned below –
Hadith #01
Narrated Abu Huraira:
Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “Allah said, ‘All the deeds of Adam’s sons (people) are for them, except fasting which is for Me, and I will give the reward for it.’ Fasting is a shield or protection from the fire and from committing sins. If one of you is fasting, he should avoid sexual relation with his wife and quarreling, and if somebody should fight or quarrel with him, he should say, ‘I am fasting.’ By Him in Whose Hands my soul is’ The unpleasant smell coming out from the mouth of a fasting person is better in the sight of Allah than the smell of musk. There are two pleasures for the fasting person, one at the time of breaking his fast, and the other at the time when he will meet his Lord; then he will be pleased because of his fasting.
Hadith #02
Hudhaifa(R.A.) said,
“I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying, ‘The affliction of a person in his property, family and neighbors is expiated by his prayers, fasting, and giving in charity.”
Hadith #03
Narrated Sahl (R.A):
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “There is a gate in Paradise called Ar-Raiyan, and those who observe fasts will enter through it on the Day of Resurrection and none except them will enter through it. It will be said, ‘Where are those who used to observe fasts?’ They will get up, and none except them will enter through it. After their entry the gate will be closed and nobody will enter through it.”
Hadith #04
Narrated Abu Sa`id (R.A):
I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying, “Indeed, anyone who fasts for one day for Allah’s Pleasure, Allah will keep his face away from the (Hell) fire for (a distance covered by a journey of) seventy years.”
Purpose, Aim, Benefits and Rationale of Fasting
Fasting which Allah Ta’ala has made compulsory and prescribed for His servant has unimaginable rationality and unimaginable benefit.such as :
Number 01
Fasting is an act of worship through which the servant is able to get close to the Lord. In this he renounces that which he naturally loves; By abstaining from all kinds of drinking and sexual activity. And through this he seeks the satisfaction of his Lord. Hoping for success and paradise in the hereafter. It is clear that he prefers the beloved things of the Lord over his own beloved things and prefers the life of the hereafter to the life of this time.
Number 02
“If the fasting person observes the fast according to the rules, then the fasting helps him to become a muttaqi and a pious person. The light of piety and piety spread throughout his life. Almighty Allah says,
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ
“O believers! Fasting is enjoined upon you, as it was enjoined upon the Ummah before you. So that you may be righteous.”
So the fasting person should bring ‘Taqwa’ in every thought, word and action of his life – this is desirable. And ‘Taqwa’ is the name of the fear of God, through which the servant will keep all His commands as best as possible and stay away from all prohibited actions. Needless to say, this is the great purpose and main goal of fasting. The purpose of fasting is not to make people suffer unnecessarily by forbidding food, drink and sexual activity.
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Whoever does not give up false statements (i.e. telling lies), and evil deeds, and speaking bad words to others, Allah is not in need of his (fasting) leaving his food and drink.”
Number 03
Fasting invigorates the soul, makes the character civilized and idealistic and brings consistency of excellence in the behavior of the faster. Fasting has a profound effect on all aspects of a Muslim’s character. The reforming message of fasting left a deep impression on his heart. It creates such an awakening in the heart of the fasting person and erects such a mystical guard at the door of his mind that he is able to keep his soul under control and neither will nor attempt to do any immoral act in the eyes of this guard.
Number 04
Fasting is a special training to have strong faith in Allah. Because fasting is secret worship. Since people cannot keep hypocrites in this worship. He can eat or drink secretly if he wishes, or break his intention even from fasting. Therefore, if there is no strong faith and true fear of Allah, fasting cannot be done properly.
Needless to say, fasting is a sincere act of worship, which is a secret between the servant and the Lord.Therefore, Allah Ta’ala has given special characteristics to fasting; 10 times to 700 times the reward of every act of the servant; Rather, they increase many more times. But not fasting. He has taken fasting for himself. And no one knows the extent of his reward except him.
The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Allah says, every action of the son of Adam is for himself; His reward is increased from 10 to 700 times. But not fasting. Fasting is for me. And I myself will repay him”.
Number 05
Fasting teaches complete surrender to Allah and complete servitude to Him. Fasting gives the Muslim the practice of true servitude. So he eats and drinks at night. Because his Lord said,
وَكُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ الْخَيْطُ الْأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الْخَيْطِ الْأَسْوَدِ مِنَ الْفَجْرِ
“And eat and drink until the white line of dawn becomes clear to you from the darkness (of the night).”
Needless to say, this is why eating during Iftar and Sehri is Sunnah and Mustahab and fasting for consecutive days without eating is Makruh. Therefore, eating Sehri to break the fast and eating Iftar at the end of the fast is a form of worshiping Allah and obeying His instructions.
Similarly, when Fajr dawns, the Muslim stays away from all things and things, including food and drink, that spoil the fast. And in spite of this, he gives charity and obedience to Allah alone. Because, he says,
ثُمَّ أَتِمُّوا الصِّيَامَ إِلَى اللَّيْلِ
“Then you fast until the night.”
So in this way the Muslim receives a long training in total servitude and obedience to Allah Almighty.
Number 06
Fasting is the expiation of sins. Because good deeds destroy the sins of evil deeds. And fasting is a great deed. Almighty Allah says:
إِنَّ الْحَسَنَاتِ يُذْهِبْنَ السَّيِّئَاتِ
“Surely, meritorious deeds remove sins.”
Al Qur’an 11 : 114
Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “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 forgive.”
Number 07
Fasting is for the sake of happiness and happiness in this and the hereafter. As the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “There are 2 pleasures for fasting; The first happiness is the time of breaking the fast and the second happiness is the time of meeting the Lord.”