Evidence from Qur'an and Sunnah

 

The obligation of fasting:

Allah says:

]يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ[ (البقرة: 183)

This means: “You who believe! Observing As-Sawm (the fasting) is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqun (the pious).” (2, Al-Baqarah: 183)

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

“Islam is raised on five (pillars): The testification that there is no god but Allah, that Muhammad is His bondsman and Messenger, the establishment of prayers, the payment of Zakah, performance of pilgrimage to the House of Allah (Ka`bah), and fasting during Ramadan.” (Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

The grace of fasting:

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

“Every servant of Allah who observes fast for a day in the Way of Allah, Allah will remove, because of this day, his face farther from the Fire (of Hell) to the extent of seventy years' distance.” (Reported by An-Nasa`i)

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

“In Paradise, there is a gate which is called Ar-Rayyan through which only the observers of fast will enter on the Day of Resurrection. None else will enter along with them. It will be proclaimed: ‘Where are the observers of fast who should be admitted into it?’ And when the last of them will enter, it will be closed and no one will enter it.” (Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

“Fasting is a protection against sins.” (Reported by Abu Dawud)

The Prophet (SAWS) said, "A fasting person has a nonrejected supplication when he breaks his fast." [Ibn Majah]

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

“The five (daily) prayers and from one Friday prayer to the next, and from Ramadan to (next) Ramadan, there is expiation for the sins committed in between (their intervals) provided one shuns the major sins.” (Reported by Muslim)

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

“Whosoever fasts during the month of Ramadan because of faith and seeking reward from Allah, his past sins will be forgiven.”
(Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

“When there comes the month of Ramadan, the gates of mercy are opened, and the gates of Hell are locked and the devils are chained.” (Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

  The grace of giving charity in Ramadan:

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

“If one provides something to the faster for breaking the fast, he earns the same reward as the one who was fasting without decreasing in any way the reward of the latter.”
(Reported by At-Tirmidhi)

Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:

“Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) was the most generous of people and he was the most generous during Ramadan. Gabriel used to meet him every night and he recited the Holy Qur’an to him. During this period, the generosity of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was faster than the ever blowing wind.” (Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim(

Night voluntary prayers and invocation of Allah:

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

“He who performs the optional prayer during Ramadan out of faith and hoping to earn a reward, his past sins will be pardoned.”
(Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

`A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated:

“When the (last) ten (nights of Ramadan) would come, the Prophet (peace be upon him) would spend the night in worshipping, awaken his family (to perform acts of worship), and tighten Al-Mi’zar (loin cloth) (this is a metaphor of doing one’s best, or of refraining from sexual intercourse.).” (Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

The recitation of Qur’an:

`Abdullah Ibn `Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

“The fast and the Qur’an are two intercessors for the servant of Allah on the Day of Resurrection. The fast will say, ‘O Lord, I prevented him from his food and desires during the day. Let me intercede for him.’ The Qur’an will say: ‘I prevented him from sleeping at night. Let me intercede for him.’ And their intercession will be accepted.” (Reported by Ahmad)

Retiring in a mosque:

`Abdullah ibn `Umar narrated that:

“Allah's Apostle used to practice I`tikaf in the last ten days of the month of Ramadan.” (Reported by Al-Bukhari)

Performing `Umrah in Ramadan:

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

“Performing `Umrah during Ramadan is equal to performing Hajj (or is equal to performing Hajj with me).” (Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Ascertaining the beginning of Ramadan:

Allah says:

]فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُمُ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ[
(البقرة: 185)

This means: “So whoever of you sights (the crescent on the first night of) the month (of Ramadan i.e. is present at his home), he must observe Sawm (fasts) that month.” (2, Al-Baqarah: 185)

Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said:

“Fast when you see the new moon and break it on sighting it (the new moon of shawwal), but if the sky is cloudy for you, then complete the number (thirty).” (Reported by Muslim)

Licenses of breaking the fast:

Allah says:

]فَمَن كَانَ مِنكُم مَّرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَى سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ وَعَلَى الَّذِين يُطِيقُونَهُ فِدْيَةٌ طَعَامُ مِسْكِينٍ[
(البقرة: 184)

This means: “But if any of you is ill or on a journey, the same number (should be made up) from other days. And as for those who can fast with difficulty, (e.g. an old man, etc.), they have (a choice either to fast or) to feed a Miskin (poor person) (for every day).” (2, Al-Baqarah: 184)

Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:

“We went out on an expedition with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) during Ramadan. Some of us observed the fast and some of us broke it. Neither the observer of the fast had any grudge against one who broke it, nor the breaker of the fast had any grudge against one who had fasted. They knew that he who had strength enough (to bear its rigor) fasted and that was good, and they also found that he who felt weak (and could not bear the burden) broke it, and that was also good.”
(Reported by Muslim)

Ibn-`Abbas explaining the verse; (meaning) "For those who can do it (with hard-ship) is a ransom," he said, “This was a concession granted to the aged man and woman; they were allowed to leave the fast and instead feed an indigent person for each day; (and a concession) to pregnant and nursing woman when they apprehended harm (to themselves)." [Abu-Dawud]

Redemption instead of others:

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

“If a person dies and fasting is due on him, his heir should fast on his behalf.” (Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:

“A man came to the Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him) and said: Messenger of Allah, my mother has died (in a state) that she had to observe fast of a month (of Ramadan). Should I complete (them) on her behalf? Thereupon, he (the Prophet) said: Would you not pay the debt if your mother had died (without paying it)? He said: Yes. He (the Prophet) said: ‘The debt of Allah is more proper to be paid.’” (Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

The Sunnahs of fasting:

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

“My people will continue doing good deeds as long as they hasten in breaking the fast.” (Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:

“The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to break his fast before offering prayers with some fresh dates, but if there were no fresh dates, he would have a few dry dates, and if there were no dry dates he would sip water.” (Reported by At-Tirmidhi)

Mu`adh Ibn Zuhrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:

“The Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him) used to say when he broke his fast: O Allah, for You I have fasted, and with Your provision I have broken my fast.” (Reported by Abu Dawud)

Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said:

“The limit between our fast and that of the People of the Book is taking predawn meal.” (Reported by Muslim)

Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said:

“Take a predawn meal because there is a blessing in it.”
(Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Zayd Ibn Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:

“We took the Suhur with the Prophet. Then he stood for the prayer. Anas asked, ‘What was the interval between the Suhur and the Adhan?’ I replied, ‘The interval was sufficient to recite fifty verses of the Qur'an.’”
(Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Acts permissible during observing fasting:

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

“If anyone eats or drinks forgetfully while observing fast, he should complete his fast, for it is only Allah Who has fed him and given him drink.” (Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Acts offensive during observing fasting:

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

“And sniff your nose, but be careful when you are fasting.”
(Reported by At-Tirmidhi)

Nullifiers of fasting:

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

“But if he vomits intentionally, he must make atonement.”
(Reported by At-Tirmidhi)

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:

“A man came to the Prophet and said, ‘I have been ruined for I have had sexual relation with my wife in Ramadan (while I was fasting). The Prophet said (to him), ‘Manumit a slave.’ The man said, ‘ I can not afford that.’ The Prophet said, ‘(Then) fast for two successive months.’ The man said, ‘I can not do that.’ The Prophet said, ‘(Then) feed sixty poor persons.’ The man said, ‘I have nothing (to feed them with).’ Then a big basket full of dates was brought to the Prophet. The Prophet said, ‘Where is the questioner? Go and give this in charity.’ The man said, ‘(Shall I give this in charity) to a poorer person than l? By Allah, there is no family in between these two mountains (of Medina) who are poorer than us.’ The Prophet then smiled till his canine teeth became visible, and said, ‘Then (feed) your (family with it).’” (Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)