The Benefits of Fasting

Fasting has numerous characteristics and virtues. Suffice it would be to mention the following few:

1. Fasting leads to Allah’s forgiveness
2. Fasting protects one from Hellfire
3. Fasting causes one to enter Paradise
4. The reward of fasting is immense
5. Fasting will intercede for a person



1. FASTING LEADS TO ALLAH’S FORGIVENESS

Fasting in the month of Ramadan leads to Allah’s forgiveness. He, the Exalted, will forgive all sins in this month. Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates that the Messenger of Allah said: “Whosoever fasts [the month of] Ramadan with iman and with the hope of seeking the reward [of Allah], all his sins will be forgiven.” (Bukhari)

2. FASTING PROTECTS ONE FROM HELLFIRE

Abu Sa’id, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Messenger of Allah, said: “Whoever fasts a day for the sake of Allah, his face will be distanced from the Hellfire [at a distance equaling] seventy years.” (Bukhari). If fasting for a day means that the face of the person fasting has been distanced seventy years away from the Hellfire, what then of the one who fast all of Ramadan for the sake of Allah?

3. FASTING CAUSES ONE TO ENTER PARADISE

Abu Umamah, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, tell me of an action by which I may enter Paradise.’ He replied: ‘Take to fasting, there is nothing like it.’” (An‐Nasa’i)

Furthermore, in Paradise itself a special gate has been reserved for those who fast and it is through this gate that such people will enter Paradise. Sahl Ibn Sa’d, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Messenger of Allah, said: “Indeed there is a gate of Paradise called Ar‐Rayyan. On the day of Resurrection, those who fast will enter through it; no one enters it except for them, and when they have entered, it is closed so that no one enters it.” (Bukhari)

4. THE REWARD OF FASTING IS IMMENSE

Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Messenger of Allah, said: “Allah said that all of the actions of the son of Adam are for him except for fasting, for it is for Me and I will recompense it.” Fasting is a shield and when it is the day when one of you fasts, then let him not speak indecently or argue, and if anyone abuses or seeks to fight him then let him say ‘I am fasting’. By Him in whose hand is the soul of Muhammad the smell coming from the mouth of the fasting person is better in the sight of Allah than the smell of musk. For the fasting person there are two times of joy, when he breaks his fast he is happy and when he meets his Lord he is happy due to his fasting.” (Bukhari)

5. FASTING WILL INTERCEDE FOR A PERSON

Fasting will intercede for the believer on the Day of Judgement. Amru Ibn Al‐Aas, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Messenger of Allah, said: “Fasting and the Qur’an will intercede for the servant on the Day of Judgment. The fast will say: ‘O My Lord, I prevented him from [eating] food and indulging in his desires during the day, so allow me to intercede for him.’ The Qur’an will say: ‘I prevented him from sleeping at night so allow me to intercede for him.’ They will both [then be given the permission to] intercede for him.” (Ahmad)

Source: Fasting & Ramadan: The Essentials, SM Hasan Al‐Banna