Islamic Revival

Part 4: “Fasting Elevates the Rank” – Imam al-`Izz Ibn `Abd Al-Salam *** “Fasting has many benefits: [ fawa’id ; s: one of them is] elevating of rank [...] and this is based on his – Allah bless him and grant him peace – saying:  ‘when Ramadan arrives, the doors of Paradise are flung open, the doors of Hellfire are bolted shut and the devils are all shackled’ [1]  [...] as for the doors of Paradise being opened, this is an expression for positive acts of worship being increased which causes the doors of Paradise being opened. The doors of Hellfire being shut is an expression in disobedience being reduced as a consequence of the doors being shut. The devils being chained up is an expression of their whisperings being cut off from influencing those who are fasting because they feel no desire or temptation to respond to commit acts of disobedience…” [2] Notes : Fasting in Ramadan brings with it an explicit gesture of Allah’s Mercy which is not worded so for other acts of devo

SHAYKH `ATA IBN KHALIL (Allah preserve him) TAFSIR  of SURAT AL-BAQARA:  THE NOBLE VERSE OF FASTING   Allah states in the Qur’an: { O believers! Fasting has been mad obligatory for you just as it was made obligatory for those before you so that you may attain  taqwa  [Q. 2:183-187] } Notes of Shaykh `Ata’s  tafsir  of the noble verse : The verse establishes the obligation to fast but not the number of days or what month. [1] { ya ayyuha’lladhin amanu : ‘o believers’; grammatically it is the vocative address, referring to the Muslim  umma  as a whole. [2] The evidence for the obligation of fasting from the verse : Shaykh `Ata’ writes: “As for why the verse establishes the obligatory nature of fasting, it is because of the following: [1] { Fasting has been  written / prescribed  ( kutiba  ` alaykum ) for you [Q. 2:183] }. This is an informative statement that denotes a request ( talab ), i.e. ‘fast!’ [2] the need to make up for the fast later ( qada’ ) when one does

Part 3: “Fasting repels Sinful Thoughts” – Imam al-`Izz Ibn `Abd Al-Salam *** “As for fasting repelling sinful thoughts and bad behaviour, this is because if the  nafs  [s: appetites, lower self; ego-soul] is gratified or satiated, it inclines towards and directs itself to disobedience as well as bad behaviour. If it is made to feel hungry or thirsty, it will long for food and drink. The inclinations and desires of the  nafs  towards spirituality and to busy it with that is better than its inclination towards and desire for disobedience and lapsing into sin. This is why some of the  Salaf  preferred fasting over the other acts of worship. One was asked about that and he replied: ‘because I would prefer Allah looking at my  nafs  while it is in conflict with me over food and hunger than when it is in conflict with me over disobedience to Him [after] having been satiated…” [1] قدم بعض السلف الصوم على سائر العبادات فسُئل عن ذلك فقال: لأن يطّلع الله على نفسي   وهي تنازعني إلى ا