Fasting [Sawm]
59 sayings · page 1 of 2
Keep fast and be healthy.
Nahj al Fasahah, Tradition No. 1128, Page No. 161 link
Fasting is incumbent upon you, for verily it severs the roots [of desires] and removes wildness.
Kanz al-`Ummal, no. 23610; Mizan ul Hikmah page No. 308 link
"One who applies perfume at the start of the day while fasting, his intelligence won't decrease."
Sawab al-A`amal, Page 84 link
Imam Ja'far Sadiq (a.s.) narrates from his predecessors that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said, "The sleep of a fasting person is like worship and his breath is like glorification of Allah."
Sawab al-A`amal, Page 82/83 link
"The sleep of a fasting person is worship, his silence like the glorification of Allah, his deeds are accepted and his wishes, fulfilled."
Sawab al-A`amal, Page 83 link
"The smell of the mouth (breath) of a fasting person is dearer to Allah than the fragrance of musk."
Sawab al-A`amal, Page 83 link
"Take a nap in forenoon; for Allah provides food and water to the fasting person in his sleep."
Sawab al-A`amal, Page 83 link
Imam Ja'far Sadiq (a.s.) narrates from his father that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said, "There is no man that fasts and is abused and in response he says: I am fasting, peace be on you, but that the Lord, the Blessed and the High says to His angels: 'My slave took refuge with his fast from this person, you save him from My fire and make him enter My Paradise'."
Sawab al-A`amal, Page 83 link
"One who observes a fast in the way of Allah is like a person fasting for a whole year."
Sawab al-A`amal, Page 83 link
"One who observes fast for a single day during summer and feels extremely thirsty, Allah, the Mighty and Sublime appoints a thousand angels to go to him, move their hands on his face and give him glad tidings. When he intends to end his fast, Allah says, 'How good your soul and your smell are! O angels! I hold you witness that I have forgiven this person'."
Sawab al-A`amal, Page 83/84 link
"If the last deed of a person in his life is a fast he would directly enter Paradise."
Sawab al-A`amal, Page 84 link
Imam Ja'far Sadiq (a.s.) narrates that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said, "If a person observing fast is present among those who are eating, the parts of his body glorify Allah and angels send salutations and seek peace for that person and the salutations of angels is forgiveness."
Sawab al-A`amal, Page 84 link
Fasting in winter is a cold (easily-earned) gain.
Nahj al Fasahah, Tradition No. 591, Page No. 86 link
Fasting is a shield against Fire. Whoever fasts on a certain day, should not commit frivolity that day, and if somebody does something wrong to him, he should not revile or abuse him but should only say, "I am fast."
Nahj al Fasahah, Tradition No. 592, Page No. 86 link
Fasting is a shield against God's punishment.
Nahj al Fasahah, Tradition No. 593, Page No. 86 link
"Ending the fast with water washes the sins of the heart."
Sawab al-A`amal, Page 116 link
when the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) used to fast, he used to do it so much that people used to say that he doesn't miss fasts any time. And when he didn't fast for a few days, the people used to say that he is not fasting. He brought a change in his schedule after some time. Now he used to fast on alternate days. Then he started fasting every Sunday and Thursday only. Again he changed his ways and started fasting first Thursday, mid Wednesday and last Thursday of a month. He used to say that the reward of observing these fasts is equal to fasting for an age. Imam (a.s.) narrates that his father used to say, "I won't get more angry with a person other than one who points out the way in which the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) used to perform his deeds being confident that Allah won't punish him for the sake of his Salaat. That person is like one who is trying to say that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) used to miss out excellent deeds due to some weakness."
Sawab al-A`amal, Page 116/117 link
The narrator asked Imam Musa Kazim (a.s.), "How can one gain the reward of fasting for a month?" Imam (a.s.) replied, "By observing fast for three days of every month because the Almighty Allah has said that one who does a good deed would get ten rewards for it. Hence observing fast for three days of a month is equal to fasting for an age."
Sawab al-A`amal, Page 117 link
Imam Ja'far Sadiq (a.s.) narrates that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) was asked about fasting on two Thursdays and a Wednesday in between them. "The specialty of Thursday is that one's deeds are presented on this day while Wednesday is characterized by the creation of Hell on this day. Hence a fast on Wednesday is shield against Hell."
Sawab al-A`amal, Page 117/118 link
Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali [a] said
Imam Ja'far Sadiq (a.s.) was asked regarding fasting on Wednesday. He replied that Ali (a.s.) used to say, "The Almighty Allah created Hell on Wednesday. He likes the person fasting on this day seeking protection against the fire of Hell."
Sawab al-A`amal, Page 118 link
The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) used to fast so much that people used to say that he does not miss any fast. Then he used to discontinue observing fast for so many days that people used to say that he does not observe fast. Then he started observing fast for alternate days like Dawood (a.s.). When he passed away from this world, he was fasting (one of the three fasts of a month). He said that these fasts are equal to the fasts of an age and it kills the evil thoughts arising in one's heart." The narrator asked, "May I be sacrificed on you, what are those days?" Imam (a.s.) replied, "First Thursday of every month, the Wednesday coming after first ten days of a month and last Thursday of the month?" The narrator asked, "Why are these days selected?" Imam (a.s.) replied, "The communities before us had to bear the chastisement on these days. Hence the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) used to fast during these days and they are the days of fearing Allah."
Sawab al-A`amal, Page 118 link
The narrator asked Imam Ja'far Sadiq (a.s.) the reason behind recommendation of the fast on Wednesday. Imam (a.s.) replied, "This is so because Hell was created on Wednesday."
Sawab al-A`amal, Page 118 link
The narrator asked Imam Ja'far Sadiq (a.s.), "What is recommended in a fast?" Imam (a.s.) replied, "Fasting on three days every month." The narrator asked, "Are you talking about recommended fasts?" Imam (a.s.) replied, "Yes."
Sawab al-A`amal, Page 119 link
The narrator asked Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s.) or Imam Ja'far Sadiq (a.s.), "Can I postpone fasting for three days of a month till winter for I would find it easier to fast then?" Imam (a.s.) replied, "Yes, but do not reduce their number."
Sawab al-A`amal, Page 119 link
The narrator asked Imam Ja'far Sadiq (a.s.), "O master! It is difficult for me to fast during summer and my head starts aching." Imam (a.s.) replied, "Do what I do. When I go on a journey, for each day I give in Sadaqah one Mudd (750 grams) of food as I give to my family members."
Sawab al-A`amal, Page 119 link
The narrator asked Imam Ja'far Sadiq (a.s.), "It is difficult for me to fast for three days every month. Is it enough that I give one dirham in charity for every fast?" Imam (a.s.) replied, "Giving a dirham in charity is better than fasting for a day."
Sawab al-A`amal, Page 119 link
"The reward of doing Iftar at the house of a brother in faith is seventy or ninety times the reward of a fast."
Sawab al-A`amal, Page 119 link
"One who goes to a brother in faith fasting and does Iftar at his house and does not tell him about his fast Allah grants him the reward of fasting for a year."
Sawab al-A`amal, Page 119/120 link
Fasting is a shield as long as lying or backbiting does not tear it off.
Nahj al Fasahah, Tradition No. 594, Page No. 86 link
Fasting is half of patience. For everything some alms are due, and for the body, fasting.
Nahj al Fasahah, Tradition No. 595, Page No. 87 link
Fasting is half of patience.
Nahj al Fasahah, Tradition No. 596, Page No. 87 link
Everything has a zakat, and the zakat of the bodies is to fast
Faza'il al-Ashhur al-Thalatha, p. 75, no. 57; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 308 link
Fast and you will be healthy.
al-Da`awat, p. 76, no. 179; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 308 link
The fasting person is in constant worship of Allah, even when he is sleeping in his bed, as long as he does not backbite a fellow Muslim.
Sawab al-A`amal, p. 75, no. 1; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 308 link
No sooner does a fasting person come upon a group of people eating than his limbs glorify Allah on his behalf, the angels invoke blessings on him, and this invocation of theirs is counted as seeking forgiveness on his behalf.
Sawab al-A`amal, p. 77, no. 1; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 309 link
Fasting acts as a shield from the Fire.
al-Kafi, v. 4, p. 62, no. 1; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 309 link
Allah made fasting obligatory in order to reinforce sincere devotion [to Him].
Bihar al-Anwar, v. 96, p. 368, no. 4; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 309 link
The fast and the obligatory pilgrimage (Hajj) pacify the heart.
Amali al-Tusi, p. 296, no. 582; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 309 link
Verily Allah, Blessed and most High, says, 'The fast is solely for Me and I am its reward.
al-Kafi, v. 4, p. 63, no. 6; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 309 link
A fasting person's sleep is worship, his silence is glorification of Allah, his good deeds are accepted, and his supplication is answered.
al-Faqih, v. 2, p. 76, no. 1783; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 309 link
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