The Blessings of Fasting

The benefits of the month of fasting are too many to be counted. If one does recognize them and realize their importance, he wishes to have the month of Ramadan to be throughout the whole year.
These blessings are given by Allah to the fasting Muslims, who are to fast with full faith and expectation.
These blessings and benefits of the month of fasting during Ramadan have been grouped and summarized into different categories. They are summarized here without commentary. It should be remembered that all of these blessings were taken directly from Qur'an and Hadith.

The following is a partial list for the blessings and benefits of the month of fasting during Ramadan:

1. Taqwa:

This concept may mean the following complementary descriptions:

- Fearing Allah (SWT)
- Practicing the Revelations of Allah (SWT)
- Accepting the little things that one has achieved
- Preparing for departure from this world to the Hereafter
- Self-discipline
- Self-control
- Self-restraint
- Self-education
- Self-evaluation

By accepting these criteria and by practicing them, the Muslim will achieve the concept of Taqwa in his private and public life.

2. Protection:

This idea is to mean the following complementary explanations:

- Avoiding Immorality
- Avoiding outcry/uproar
- Avoiding stupidity
- Avoiding all makrooh/mashbooh/haram

By achieving these good manners, a Muslim will come out of fasting a better human being in the society.

3. Revelation of Qur'an:

The Quran was revealed during the month of Ramadan.

The Qur'an is meant to be:

- A Guidance to mankind
- A Manifestation of right from wrong
- A Summation, purification and culmination of all previous revelations
- A Glad-tiding to the believers
- A Healer
- A Mercy

4. Doors of heaven are open

5. Doors of hell are closed

6. Devils are chained down

7. Fasting with iman (faith) and expectation:

Such type of intention leads to forgiveness by Allah (SWT) to the individual's sins.

8. Door of Rayyan:

There is in Paradise a door called Al-Rayyan. It is for the fasting Muslims. Only those who fasted the month of Ramadan are the ones to enjoy the bliss of Paradise inside that area.

9. Rejoices:

There are two types of rejoices for the Muslims who fast. These are:

- When breaking fast
- When meeting Allah (SWT)

10. Mouth Smell:

The smell of the mouth of the fasting Muslim will be better than the smell of musk during the day of judgement

11. Glad-Tidings:

These glad-tidings are given to the well-wishers while the ill-wishers are to be stopped during fasting.

12. Ramadan-Ramadan:

Whoever fasts two consecutive fastings of Ramadan with good intention will receive forgiveness for the mistakes committed throughout the year.

13. Multiplication of Rewards:

Doing good =10x, 70x, 700x or more during the month of Ramadan.

14. Feeding Others:

Whoever invites others to break the fast, and whoever takes care of the hungry, needy, during the last ten days of Ramadan will receive equal rewards to the fasting person(s).

15. Fasting Muslims are in Good When They:

- Hasten their Iftar
- Delay their Sahoor

16. Blessings of Sahoor (The Afternight Breakfast):

- Night Prayers
- Zikr, Remembrance, Contemplation
- Recitation of Qur'an
- Food for Sahoor
- Fajr Salat in Jamaat
- Du'a' of Fajr
- Preparation for assuming leadership

17. Night Prayers:

Whoever performs the Night prayers with sincerity and good intention will receive forgiveness of his past mistakes.

18. Shafa'at (Pleading One's Case for Forgiveness):

Whoever fasts Ramadan will receive the Shafa'at of:

- Ramadan
- Qur'an

19. Ihya' (Passing Nights Awake):

Last ten days of Ramadan. When a Muslim makes this type of effort, he will get rewards, forgiveness, and multiples of blessings.

20. Itikaf (Retreat):

A Muslim who performs I'tikaf during the last ten days of Ramadan will get:

- Blessings and rewards
- Peace of mind
- Contemplation and evaluation
- Better citizen

21. Lailatul Qadr (The Night of Power):

Whoever observes it with sincerity and good intention will get the following benefits:

- Forgiveness of mistakes
- Better than 1,000 months
- Du'a'
- Zikr
- Prayers
- Reading Qura'n
- Rewards
- Blessings
- Better human being

22. Generosity:

Kindness, hospitality, visitation, etc. All of these and many more are among the benefits of Ramadan.

23. Sadaqatul Fitr (Charity During Fasting):

The benefits of paying such as charity to the needy are tremendous, among which are the following:

- Purity
- Feeding the needy
- Sharing happiness
- Improving human relations
- Improving society

24. Zakat (Religious Tax Payment):

The benefits of paying Zakat are many. These are summarized as follows:

- Purity
- Flourishing of wealth
- Improving economy
- Circulation of wealth
- Elimination of inflation
- Elimination of poverty

25. Fasting and Health:

By fasting, one gets the following benefits:

- Purification of body from toxins
- Reducing of weight
- Purity of brain
- Rejuvenation of body
- Living of life with happiness
- Looking younger

26. Change of Lifestyle:

By living a different life style, one gets rid of the monotony of life and hence enjoys his life span.

- Night-living
- Shops closed in morning

27. Sharing-Living:

Of hunger, thirst and rituals with others in the society.

28. Eid-Ul Fitr (Feast):

Sharing of happiness and visitation of one another as members of the society.

29. Graveyards Visitation:

One will get the following benefits by visiting graveyards.

- Du'a' for the deceased
- Preparing oneself for departure from this world
- Feeling respect for the deceased
- Making the person to be humble in his life

30. Du'a' at Iftar is Accepted by ALLAH (SWT):

The duas of a fasting person is accepted by Allah (SWT) at Iftar time.

31. 'Umrah in Ramadan:

Visiting Makkah during the fasting month of Ramadan is:

- Equal to one Hijjah (pilgrimage)
- Equal to one Hijjah with Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)

32. Successes in Ramadan:

Muslims throughout their history received many benefits during the month of fasting, among which are the following:

- Battle of Badr
- Battle of Khandaq
- Conquest of Makkah
- Battle of Tabuk
- Tariq Ibn Ziyad opened Europe
- Salahuddin liberated Jerusalem from the crusaders
- Egypt and Israel, 1973--Egyptians kicked the Israelis out of Egypt during Ramadan

33. Learning lessons from historical incidents that happened during the month of Ramadan, e.g.

- Wafat of Bibi Khadija (as).
- Wiladat of Imam Hassan bin Ali (as).
- Shahadat of Imam Ali bin Abu Taleb (as).
- Yawm-ul-Quds.