Karim Abd Farkhani
Know that fasting (Saum) is a special quality not found in anything else. And that is its close connection with Allah, so He says: “Fasting (Saum) is for me and I will reward you.”
This connection is enough to show the great benefit of fasting.
In fact, fasting is only a meaningful concept under:
It is a means of subjugating the enemies of Allah. This is because the way that the enemies of Allah used to mislead people is the desire. And eating and drinking strengthens the desires.
There are many reports indicating the merits of fasting, and they are all well known.
The recommended acts of fasting
Delay pre-dawn meal (suhoor) and hasten to break the fast are actions preferable.
It is also recommended to give generously in Ramadan, and perform good deeds and increasing acts of helping others, as did the Messenger of Allah (PBUH).
It is also recommended to study the Koran and perform I `tikaaf during Ramadan, especially in the last ten days.
In both Saheehs, `A’isha said:
“When they reached the last ten days of Ramadan, the Prophet tightened its belt (izaar), he lived in the practice of Salat, and wake his family for prayer.” (Saheeh al-Bukhari)
The scholars have mentioned two views on the meaning of “tighten his belt”
The first: It means moving away from women.
The second: It is an expression denoting their diligence by performing good deeds.
It is also said that the reason for his effort in the last ten days of Ramadan was due to his search for Laylatul-Qadr.
An explanation of the inner secrets of fasting and its characteristics:
There are three levels of fasting: Fasting general, the specific fast, and fasting more special.
Fasting is usually abstain from food and innermost desires.
The specific fast is the restraining gaze, tongue, hands, feet, ears and eyes, and the rest of your body away from acts that involve the emergence of desires.
As for fasting more special, is to abstain from the heart of their yearning for worldly affairs and the thoughts that distance themselves from Allah, and its (the heart) to abstain from all things that Allah has placed on the same level.
Of the clearest signs of the specific fast is the lower their gaze and guard the language of discourse repulsive, or no benefit, as well as control the other parts of the body.
In a hadith related by Al-Bukhari, it states the following:
“Whoever does not abandon false speech and action that entails, it is not necessary for God to stop eating and drinking.”
Another feature of the specific fast is not overfilled with food at night. On the contrary, should be eaten in the right balance.
If you eat their fill the first part of the night, we could not spend the rest of the night to Dikr and Salat. Similarly, if you eat their fill before suhoor, we are not in very good condition until the afternoon, this is due to the lethargy that causes overeating. Therefore, the objective of fasting disappears due to excess supply, the objective of fasting is none other than savor the taste of hunger and the desire to leave.
Recommended Fasts:
As for the recommended fasts, fasting will be set on certain days outstanding. Some of these days occur every year, such as fasting the first six days of Shawaal after Ramadaan, fasting the day of `Arafah, the day of` Aashoora, and ten days of Dhul-Hijjah and Muharram.
Some of them can be given every month, as the first of the month, the mean part of it, and the last part of it. So whoever fasts the first part of the month, or half of the month or the last part really works well.
Some occur every week, with every Monday and Thursday.
The most virtuous of the recommended fasts is the fast of Dawood (aleihisalam). He fasted one day and break your fast the next day. This achieves the following three objectives:
The soul gets its benefit on breaking the fast. And on the day of fasting, is when he makes the biggest surrender to Allah.
The day of eating is the day of Thanksgiving and the day of fasting is the day of having patience, and the magnet is composed of two halves – the gratitude and patience.
However, in regard to fast every day, is something that has no value or meaning, a hadith tells Omar (radiallahu anhu) asked the Prophet (PBUH): “What if one fasts all day?” He (sas) said: “No fasting or breaking their fast” It seems clear that fasting is to break the fast.
The characteristics of the special fast:
He that hath understanding, knows the objective behind fasting. Therefore, we will conclude that we can not deprive us of doing something that is so beneficial to us.
