Assalamu'alaikum,

 Today we begin a series on FASTING which will last for most of the month
 of Ramadhan. We will be using Sayyid Sabiq's "Fiqh us Sunnah" which is
 a general reference for lay people. We hope you find the series helpful:


                       Fasting (As-siyam):

 As-Siyam generally means "to abstain from something." For example, a verse
 in the Qur'an says: "I have vowed to the Merciful to abstain--that is,
 from speaking. What is meant here is abstaining from food, drink, and
 sexual intercourse from dawn until sunset with the explicit intention of
 doing so (for the sake of Allah).

                       Types of Fasting:

 There are two types of fasting: obligatory and voluntary. Obligatory can
 be further subdivided into the fast of Ramadan, the fast of expiation and
 the fast of fulfilling a vow. Here we shall discuss the Ramadan and
 voluntary fasts.

                       The Virtues of Fasting:

 Abu Hurairah reported the Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, saying:
 "Allah said: 'Every action of the son of Adam is for him except fasting,
 for that is solely for Me. I give the reward for it.' The fast is a
 shield. If one is fasting, he should not use foul language, raise his
 voice, or behave foolishly. If someone reviles him or fights with him he
 should say, 'I am fasting,' twice. By the One in whose hand is the soul of
 Muhammad, the [bad] breath of the one who is fasting is better in the
 sight of Allah on the Day of Resurrection than the smell of musk. The one
 who is fasting is happy at two times: when he breaks his fast he is happy
 with it, and when he meets his Lord he will be happy that he has fasted."

 This is related by Ahmad, Muslim, and an-Nasa'i. A similar version was
 recorded by al-Bukhari and Abu Dawud, but with the following addition: "He
 leaves his food, drink, and desires for My sake. His fasting is for Me...
 I will give the reward for it, and for every good deed, he will receive
 ten similar to it."

 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr reported that the Messenger of Allah, upon whom be
 peace, 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." Ahmad
 related this hadith with a sahih chain.

 Abu Umamah reported: "I came to the Messenger of Allah and said: 'Order me
 to do a deed that will allow me to enter Paradise.' He said: 'Stick to
 fasting, as there is no equivalent to it.' Then I came to him again and he
 said: 'Stick to fasting."' This hadith is related by Ahmad, an-Nasa'i, and
 al-Hakim who classified it as sahih.

 Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported that the Messenger of Allah said: "No servant
 fasts on a day in the path of Allah except that Allah removes the hellfire
 seventy years further away from his face." This is related by "the group,"
 except for Abu Dawud.

 Sahl ibn Sa'd reported that the Prophet said: "There is a gate to Paradise
 that is called ar-Rayyan. On the Day of Resurrection it will say: 'Where
 are those who fasted?' When the last [one] has passed through the gate, it
 will be locked." This is related by alBukhari and Muslim.

 Series to be continued, inshallah.......

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