Chapter on the Reason for the Obligation of Fasting
Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh|Volume 2|Book 2|Chapter 1
Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh
Volume 2, Book 2, Chapter 1
Chapter on the Reason for the Obligation of Fasting
4 hadiths
سَأَلَ هِشَامُ بْنُ اَلْحَكَمِ أَبَا عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: عَنْ عِلَّةِ اَلصِّيَامِ فَقَالَ «إِنَّمَا فَرَضَ اَللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ اَلصِّيَامَ لِيَسْتَوِيَ بِهِ اَلْغَنِيُّ وَ اَلْفَقِيرُ وَ ذَلِكَ أَنَّ اَلْغَنِيَّ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِيَجِدَ مَسَّ اَلْجُوعِ فَيَرْحَمَ اَلْفَقِيرَ لِأَنَّ اَلْغَنِيَّ كُلَّمَا أَرَادَ شَيْئاً قَدَرَ عَلَيْهِ فَأَرَادَ اَللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَنْ يُسَوِّيَ بَيْنَ خَلْقِهِ وَ أَنْ يُذِيقَ اَلْغَنِيَّ مَسَّ اَلْجُوعِ وَ اَلْأَلَمِ لِيَرِقَّ عَلَى اَلضَّعِيفِ فَيَرْحَمَ اَلْجَائِعَ».
Hisham ibn al-Hakam asked Abu Abdullah Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام about the reason for fasting. Imam عليه السلام said: "Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Almighty, prescribed fasting so that the rich and the poor may become equal. This is because the rich would not experience the pain of hunger to have mercy on the poor, as the rich, whenever they desire something, can obtain it. Thus, Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Almighty, willed to make His creation equal and to let the rich taste the pain of hunger and suffering so that they would feel compassion for the weak and have mercy on the hungry."
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh
وَ كَتَبَ أَبُو اَلْحَسَنِ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُوسَى اَلرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ إِلَى مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ فِيمَا كَتَبَ مِنْ جَوَابِ مَسَائِلِهِ: «عِلَّةُ اَلصَّوْمِ لِعِرْفَانِ مَسِّ اَلْجُوعِ وَ اَلْعَطَشِ لِيَكُونَ ذَلِيلاً مُسْتَكِيناً مَأْجُوراً مُحْتَسِباً صَابِراً وَ يَكُونَ ذَلِكَ دَلِيلاً لَهُ عَلَى شَدَائِدِ اَلْآخِرَةِ مَعَ مَا فِيهِ مِنَ اَلاِنْكِسَارِ لَهُ عَنِ اَلشَّهَوَاتِ وَاعِظاً لَهُ فِي اَلْعَاجِلِ دَلِيلاً عَلَى اَلْآجِلِ لِيَعْلَمَ شِدَّةَ مَبْلَغِ ذَلِكَ مِنْ أَهْلِ اَلْفَقْرِ وَ اَلْمَسْكَنَةِ فِي اَلدُّنْيَا وَ اَلْآخِرَةِ.
Abu al-Hasan Imam Ali ibn Musa al-Ridha عليه السلام wrote to Muhammad ibn Sinan in response to his questions: "The reason for fasting is to understand the feeling of hunger and thirst, so that one becomes humble, submissive, rewarded, mindful, and patient. It serves as a reminder of the hardships of the Hereafter. Additionally, it breaks one’s desires and acts as a preacher in this world, guiding toward the Hereafter. Through fasting, one comprehends the severity of the state of the poor and destitute in this world and the Hereafter."
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh
وَ كَتَبَ حَمْزَةُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ إِلَى أَبِي مُحَمَّدٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: لِمَ فَرَضَ اَللَّهُ اَلصَّوْمَ فَوَرَدَ فِي اَلْجَوَابِ «لِيَجِدَ اَلْغَنِيُّ مَسَّ اَلْجُوعِ فَيَمُنَّ عَلَى اَلْفَقِيرِ.
Hamza ibn Muhammad wrote to Abu Muhammad عليه السلام asking: "Why did Allah سبحانه وتعالى make fasting obligatory?" The response came (from Imam عليه السلام): "So that the rich may feel the pain of hunger and thus show generosity to the poor."
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh
وَ رُوِيَ عَنِ اَلْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: «جَاءَ نَفَرٌ مِنَ اَلْيَهُودِ إِلَى رَسُولِ اَللَّهِ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ فَسَأَلَهُ أَعْلَمُهُمْ عَنْ مَسَائِلَ فَكَانَ فِيمَا سَأَلَهُ أَنَّهُ قَالَ لَهُ لِأَيِّ شَيْءٍ فَرَضَ اَللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ اَلصَّوْمَ عَلَى أُمَّتِكَ بِالنَّهَارِ ثَلاَثِينَ يَوْماً وَ فَرَضَ اَللَّهُ عَلَى اَلْأُمَمِ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ اَلنَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ «إِنَّ آدَمَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ لَمَّا أَكَلَ مِنَ اَلشَّجَرَةِ بَقِيَ فِي بَطْنِهِ ثَلاَثِينَ يَوْماً فَفَرَضَ اَللَّهُ عَلَى ذُرِّيَّتِهِ ثَلاَثِينَ يَوْماً اَلْجُوعَ وَ اَلْعَطَشَ وَ اَلَّذِي يَأْكُلُونَهُ بِاللَّيْلِ تَفَضُّلٌ مِنَ اَللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ عَلَيْهِمْ وَ كَذَلِكَ كَانَ عَلَى آدَمَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ فَفَرَضَ اَللَّهُ ذَلِكَ عَلَى أُمَّتِي ثُمَّ تَلاَ هَذِهِ اَلْآيَةَ: « كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ اَلصِّيٰامُ كَمٰا كُتِبَ عَلَى اَلَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ. `أَيّٰاماً مَعْدُودٰاتٍ » » قَالَ اَلْيَهُودِيُّ صَدَقْتَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ فَمَا جَزَاءُ مَنْ صَامَهَا فَقَالَ اَلنَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ «مَا مِنْ مُؤْمِنٍ يَصُومُ شَهْرَ رَمَضَانَ اِحْتِسَاباً إِلاَّ أَوْجَبَ اَللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى لَهُ سَبْعَ خِصَالٍ أَوَّلُهَا يَذُوبُ اَلْحَرَامُ فِي جَسَدِهِ وَ اَلثَّانِيَةُ يَقْرُبُ مِنْ رَحْمَةِ اَللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ اَلثَّالِثَةُ يَكُونُ قَدْ كَفَّرَ خَطِيئَةَ آدَمَ أَبِيهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ وَ اَلرَّابِعَةُ يُهَوِّنُ اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ سَكَرَاتِ اَلْمَوْتِ وَ اَلْخَامِسَةُ أَمَانٌ مِنَ اَلْجُوعِ وَ اَلْعَطَشِ يَوْمَ اَلْقِيَامَةِ وَ اَلسَّادِسَةُ يُعْطِيهِ اَللَّهُ بَرَاءَةً مِنَ اَلنَّارِ وَ اَلسَّابِعَةُ يُطْعِمُهُ اَللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ مِنْ طَيِّبَاتِ اَلْجَنَّةِ » قَالَ صَدَقْتَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ ».
It is narrated from Imam al-Hasan ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام that he said: "A group of Jews came to the Messenger of Allah سبحانه وتعالى (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), and the most learned among them asked him about certain matters. Among the questions he asked was: 'Why did Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Almighty, prescribe fasting during the day for your community for thirty days, while He prescribed fasting for more than that for other nations?' The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said: 'When Adam عليه السلام ate from the tree, the effect of it remained in his stomach for thirty days. Therefore, Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Almighty, prescribed for his progeny thirty days of hunger and thirst. And what they eat at night is a favor from Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Almighty, upon them. The same was the case with Adam عليه السلام. Thus, Allah سبحانه وتعالى prescribed it for my Ummah.' Then he recited this verse: "Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may attain taqwa. [It is for] a fixed number of days." (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:183) The Jewish man said: 'You have spoken the truth, O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم. What is the reward for one who fasts them?' The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) replied: 'No believer fasts the Month of Ramadan sincerely, seeking its reward, except that Allah سبحانه وتعالى, Blessed and Exalted, grants him seven virtues: 1. The first is that the forbidden (haram) in his body melts away. 2. He will draw closer to the mercy of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Almighty. 3. He will have atoned for the sin of his father, Adam عليه السلام. 4. Allah سبحانه وتعالى will ease for him the throes of death. 5. He will have security from hunger and thirst on the Day of Resurrection. 6. Allah سبحانه وتعالى will grant him immunity from the Fire. 7. Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Almighty, will feed him from the pure delights of Paradise.' The Jewish man said: 'You have spoken the truth, O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم.'"
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh