Meaning that hopefully you can safeguard yourselves from the Fire through fasting; fasting is a means to the forgiveness of sins, and sins lead one to the Fire.
The Two Sahîhs record the hadîth in which the Prophet (sallAllâhu 'alayhi wa sallam) said,
He (sallAllâhu 'alayhi wa sallam) also said, relating from His Lord, Mighty and Magnificent,
He (sallAllâhu 'alayhi wa sallam) also said,
He (sallAllâhu 'alayhi wa sallam) said,
In another version the wording is,
With regards the'opening of the gates of Paradise', this is a phrase that points to the increase of actions of obedience that in turn lead to the opening of the gates of Paradise. 'Locking the gates of the Fire' is a phrase that points to the decrease, and lack of therewith, of sins which in turn leads to the locking of the gates of the Fire. 'The chaining of the devils' is a phrase that points to the termination of their whisperings, and temptations, to those who are fasting because they give up hope of receiving a favorable response.
His saying, " All of the actions of the son of Adam are for him except the fast for that is for Me and I will reward it," fasting has been specifically adjoined to Him in order to honour it because the hidden nature of fasting prevents ostentation entering it, and moreover, hunger and thirst are not used as means to draw closer to any king of this world nor any idol.
His saying, " And I will reward it," even though He rewards all actions of obedience, this phrase points to the greatness of the reward of fasting.
His saying, " Fasting is a protecting shield " means that fasting serves as barrier erected between the person and the punishment of Allâh.
His saying, " let him say, 'I am fasting,' " means let him remind himself that he is fasting so that this would serve to prevent him from repaying like with like.
His saying, " The smell emanating from the mouth of the one fasting is better with Allâh then the smell of musk," meaning that the reward for the smell emanating from the mouth of the fasting person is better with Allâh than the smell of musk. [This explanation is a point of some difference and was the cause of a famous debate between ibn as-Salâh and the author, may Allâh have mercy on both.]
As for the two times of joy, the first is because the one fasting has been granted the divine accord to complete this act of worship and the second is because of the reward he will attain when Allâh rewards him.
His saying, " He left his desires and food for My sake " meaning that he chose the obedience of his Lord over the obedience of the call of his soul, whoever chooses Allâh, Allâh chooses him. This is why when someone desires to commit a sin, then leaves committing it for fear of Allâh, He says to the recording Angels, 'Record it as a good deed, for he only left giving in to his lusts for My sake.'
With regards their being specified to enter Paradise through the gate of ar-Rayyân, this specification is because of the greatness of this act of fasting and its unique character.
With regards the Angels invoking blessings upon the one fasting, in whose presence food is eaten, this is because on such an occasion he has to exert himself more in fighting his desire to eat. Their invoking blessings upon him is a phrase denoting their asking for his forgiveness and mercy to be bestowed him.
It is mentioned in a hadîth,
so constrain the passages of Satan through hunger.[Bukhârî and Muslim. The last sentence is the statement of one of the narrators of the hadîth mistakenly added into the main text.]
Fasting has many more benefits, such as refining the mind and strengthening the body, it is mentioned in a hadîth, " Fast for you will become healthy." [at-Tabarânî and its isnâd is da'îf]
From the greatness of fasting is that the whoever cause a fasting person to open fast, he has the same reward as the one who fasted. He (sallAllâhu 'alayhi wa sallam) said,
So whoever provides food for thirty six fasting people in one year, it will be as if he fasted for the whole year. And whoever provides food for many fasting people with this intention, Allâh will record for him the fasting of many years. [Because a good deed is multiplied ten-fold]
2. If one is invited to eat while he is fasting, let him say, 'I am fasting' The Messenger of Allâh (sallAllâhu 'alayhi wa sallam) said,
3. What should be said when one breaks the fast. He (sallAllâhu 'alayhi wa sallam) used to say upon breaking fast,
It is also reported that he said,
In another hadîth, it is reported that he said,
4. What the fast should be broken with. The fast should be broken with fresh dates, or slightly older, drier, dates, or water. It is reported that he ( sallAllâhu 'alayhi wa sallam) would break fast with
5, 6. Hastening the iftâr (breaking of fast) and delaying the suhûr (pre-dawn meal) The Messenger of Allâh (sallAllâhu 'alayhi wa sallam) said,
'Amr bin Maymûn said,
The iftâr was hastened because it is possible that some physical harm arise from hunger and thirst, hence there is no need to put the soul through such difficulty in a time [after the time of breaking fast] in which hunger and thirst is no longer an action that would draw one closer to Allâh. One of the wealthier people amongst the Salaf was seen eating in the market place and when asked why he replied [by quoting the hadîth],
Continuous fasting was prohibited because it weakens the person and emaciates his body by reason of something other than worship. As for the Messenger of Allâh (sallAllâhu 'alayhi wa sallam) then if it is literally true that his food and drink was with his Lord, he cannot be said to have fasted continuously; but if 'food and drink' is a phrase used to denote the strength of his closeness and communion ( uns) with his Lord and the joy he felt at this closeness, then this takes the place of food and drink in revitalizing his strength, indeed this uns is better than food and drink in this respect,
Therefore whoever is old, able to control his desires and hence not ruin his fast, there is no harm in his kissing. If one is young and not sure that he can control his desires, it is disliked for him to kiss due to his subjecting his action of worship to the danger of something that could break it. 3. Cupping It is authentically reported that the Messenger of Allâh (sallAllâhu 'alayhi wa sallam) was cupped while fasting. [Bukhârî] Anas was asked,
Hence whoever is physically weakened by cupping, it is disliked for him to do so, because in his weakened state he is more likely to break fast or find the action of fasting extremely difficult for him and hence become averse to it. 4. Applying Kohl.
al-A'mash said,
Having said this, it is safer not to apply it so as to steer clear of the difference that the scholars have concerning this issue. 5. Snuffing the nose during ablution The Messenger of Allâh (sallAllâhu 'alayhi wa sallam) said to Laqît bin Sabrah,
So he prohibited from exertion when snuffing the nose while fasting, the reason for this is that through exertion one puts his fast to risk [because the water could reach the back of the throat]. Allâh knows best.
If a person was to suffice with praising Allāh, this would be better due to the hadīth in which it is reported that the Prophet ( sallAllāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) said, “Whoever is diverted by making dhikr of Me from asking of Me, I would grant him the best of what I grant those asking.”
I’tikāf is to visit Allāh in one of His houses and to seclude oneself with Him, it is duty upon the host to honour his guest. It is mentioned in an authentic hadīth that the Prophet ( sallAllāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) said, “each time someone goes to, and comes from, a Mosque, Allāh prepares for him a feast in Paradise.” [Bukhārī and Muslim] It is recommended to perform I’tikāf in the last ten days of Ramadān so that a person can seek after Laylatu-l-Qadr, this was when the Prophet ( sallAllāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) would perform I’tikāf towards the end of his life. ‘A’ishah said, ‘the Prophet ( sallAllāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) would perform I’tikāf in the last ten days of Ramadān until Allāh caused him to pass away, then his wives after him would similarly perform I’tikāf.’ [Bukhārī and Muslim] She also said, ‘when the last ten days came, he ( sallAllāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) would spend the night in worship, awake his family, exert himself in worship and tighten his waist-wrapper’ [Bukhārī and Muslim] in another report, ‘the Messenger of Allāh ( sallAllāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) would exert himself in worship in the last ten nights in a way that he never did in any other night’ [Muslim] The meaning of ‘tighten his waist-wrapper’ is that he would not take pleasure with his wives or that he would exert and devote himself to worship. In this month, it is recommended to increase in the recitation of the Qur’ān and to be generous, for both the one performing I’tikāf and the one who is not. Ibn ‘Abbās said, ‘the Prophet ( sallAllāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) was the most generous of people, and he was most generous in Ramadān when Jibrīl met him. Jibrīl would meet him in every night of Ramadān until he passed away, and he ( sallAllāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) would recite the Qur’ān to him. When Jibril met him, he would be more generous than the strong wind.’ [Bukhārī and Muslim] The meaning of ‘strong wind’ here is a reference to its wide reach and its swiftness. It is authentically reported that the Prophet ( sallAllāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) would recite the Qur’ān to Jibrīl every Ramadān once, but in the year in which he passed away, he recited the Qur’ān to him twice. [Bukhārī and Muslim]