Sunday, June 12, 2016

Ibn al-Qayyim: Sins reduces the reward and corrupts the fruits of fasting

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله said:

“The (true) fasting individual is the one whose limbs abstain from sins; and whose tongue abstains from lying, profanity, and forged statements; and whose stomach abstains from food and drink; and whose private parts abstain from obscenities.

When he speaks, he does not say things which may harm his fasting; when he does something, he doesn’t do anything which may nullify his fasting. He only says things which are beneficial and good. Similarly, his actions are like the fragrance which a person sitting next to the owner (or seller) of Musk can smell. Likewise, the one sitting with a fasting person benefits from his companionship, and the gathering is safe from falsehood, lies, immorality, and oppression.

This is the fasting that has been legislated and which is not limited to just abstaining from food and drink. In the authentic Hadeeth it is mentioned:

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Whoever does not give up false statements (i.e. telling lies), evil deeds, and speaking bad words (i.e. indulging in obscene language) to others, then Allaah is not in need of his (Fasting) leaving his food and drink.”
[Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (1903, 6057)]

In another Hadeeth it is mentioned:

“There may be a Fasting person who gets nothing more from his Fast except hunger and thirst.”
[Sunan Ibn Maajah (1690) and Musnad of Imaam Ahmad (8856) and graded as “Hasan-Saheeh” by Shaikh al-Albaanee]

So the real fasting is the fasting of the limbs from committing sins, and the fasting of the stomach from consuming food and drink. Like how eating and drinking breaks and nullifies the fast; similarly, the sins reduces the reward and corrupts the fruits (benefits) of fasting. So he becomes like a person who has not fasted in the first place.”


الوابل الصيب 1/26-27

For more narrations on avoiding sins while fasting:

1 comment:

  1. May Allah reward you abundantly for sharing this with Al-ummah and may Allõh preserve us upon khayr and give us steadfastness upon his Deen... Aameen.

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