Sawm: Fasting
Introduction
The noble Prophet
Muhammad (s.a.w.) gave an impressive sermon welcoming the month of Ramadhãn.
He said:
“O people! The
month of Allãh with its blessings, mercy and forgiveness has come upon
you. It is the most preferred of all the months with Allãh; its days
are the best of days, its nights are the best of nights, and its hours are the
best of hours. It is a month in which you have been invited as guests of Allãh
and have been placed among those honoured by Allãh. Your breathing in
it is [like] an act of praising [Allãh], your sleep an act of worship;
your good deeds are accepted, and your prayers answered. Therefore, ask Allãh
with sincere intentions and pure hearts to help you in fasting and recitating
His Book during this [month]. Indeed damned is he who is deprived of Allãh’s
forgiveness during this august month.
“O people! The
gates of Paradise are wide open
during this month; therefore, ask your Lord not to close them in your face and
the gates of Hell-Fire are locked; therefore, ask your Lord not to open them
for you. Satans are chained; therefore, ask your Lord not to unfetter them upon
you.
“O people! Whosoever
among you improves his character during this month, he shall have the pass [to
cross] over the Bridge (sirãt) on the day when [people’s] feet
shall slip. Whosoever is lenient with his slaves during this month, Allãh
will be lenient with him in the reckoning of his [deeds on the Day of Judgement].
Whosoever checks his evil deeds during this month, Allãh shall withhold
His anger from him on the day he meets Him. Whosoever honours an orphan during
this month, Allãh shall honour him on the day he meets Him. Whosoever
maintains, during this month, contact with his relations, Allãh will
maintain His mercy for him on the day he meets Him. Whosoever recites a verse
from the Qur’ãn during this month, his reward will be like one who has
completed the recitation of the Qur’ãn during the other months.”
Imam ‘Ali (a.s.) said, “There are some who fast
but will gain nothing from their fasting except thirst; and there are some who
pray but will gain nothing from their prayer except tiredness.”
Imam as-Sãdiq (a.s.) said, “When you fast, your ears, eyes, hair, skin, and all your limbs should also fast.” He also said, “Fasting is not only [abstaining] from food and drink alone. When you fast, protect your tongue from lying; lower your eye-glances from what Allãh has forbidden [you to see]; do not fight with one another; do not be jealous of one another; do not backbite one another; do not abuse one another; and do not be unjust to one another. Refrain from false accusation, lying, fighting, suspicion, backbiting, and slandering. Be those who look forward to the hereafter, and wait for your days, waiting for what Allãh has promised for those who have prepared to meet Allãh. You must have tranquility, sobriety, humility, servility, and submissiveness of a slave who fears his master; and be fearful [of Allãh’s chastisement] as well as hopeful [in His forgiveness].”*
* For these and other similar ahadith in the books of hadith and in Mafatihu 'l-Jinan of 'Abbas al-Qummi, p. 235-237.