The Significance of the Fast will only be realised at the moment of death

One will know how well he observed the fast at the moment he dies; it is then that prayers will take a form and stand at his right, as he lies in his grave, and zakat on his left, while his benevolence and good treatment of his parents will look him in the eyes. Everything will be personified in the life hereafter, starting from the moment of death.

The fast will then be personified as perseverance, the exercise in patience as one faces thirst and hunger; it will stand not far away, urging prayers and zakat to help the deceased person, telling them that if they did not, he would. It is in such dire situation that the true value of fast is realized—when it is too late for many. And one will feel the profound pain of regret for not having observed the fast and the prayers as he should have when questions are put forth to him by the two angels Munldr and Nakeer who will come to him in the most horrific form, addressing him in a voice louder than thunder and looking at him with eyes emitting lightning, asking him one question after another. Nothing can compare with the agony of death for those with whom Allah is not pleased, absolutely nothing.

A dying person, as we are told in many books dealing with death and the hereafter, will encounter agonies the extent of which is known only by the Almighty. Life, real life, starts at the moment of death. A dying person is like one awakening from a brief dream.

This brief dream is life, as we know it here on earth. Shaykt al Ohazali had made a very terse statement in this regard when he said, on p. 445, Vol. 4. of his book Al-Alwa, "Had a servant of Allah had no more than the agony, the horror, and the torment of the moments of death, he would have found no joy in his life at all, and he would not have felt happy for a moment, and he would not have become indifferent or negligent [with regard to his obligations] in the least." Prophet Moses (as) was asked by the Almighty how he found death. "I found it," he said, "like a live bird being fried in a pan; it neither dies so it can rest, nor does it fly away and be saved." He also is quoted saying that he found it like a live sheep being skinned by a butcher. It is during moments Jike these that a servant of Allah wishes he had spent his entire life in fast and prayers. Abraham (Prophet Ibrahim, peace be upon him), as we are told on p. ‘79 of Ibrahim Muhammad al-Jamal’s book on life .after death, asked the angel of death (as) to show him how he takes away the soul of a good servant of Allah, one who has performed his prayers and observed the fast and all other obligations, so he told him to look the other way. He did, then he looked at the angel and saw a young man wearing good clothes, smelling good, and his complexion was radiant.

Ibrahim (as) said, "By Allah! Had a believer enjoyed nothing more than casting a look at your face, he would have felt contented." Then he asked him how he took the souls of the disbelievers away. "Look the other way," said the angel of death to Ibrahim (as). When Ibrahim (as) looked again, the angel of death appeared to him in human form: a person as dark as coal with his feet on earth and head in the skies, the ugliest the eyes can ever see; each hair on his body was a flame of fire. Ibrahim (as) then said, "By Allah! Had a disbeliever cast one look at you, it would have sufficed him."

What is Sirat Al-Mustageem?

The significance of fast will be realised during a much more critical time: when the souls are to pass on al-Sirat al-Mustaqeem, the Straight Path, the path regarding which the believers pray Allah to keep their feet firm as they pass on it, the one mentioned in Surat al-Fatiha and regarding which they plead to the Almighty at least ten times a day (twice in each rek’a) saying: "Guide us to the Straight Path (al-Sirat al-Mustaqeem)" (Holy Qur’an, 1:6). Imam Ja’fer al-Sadiq (as), as recorded on p.41, Vol. 1, of Tabatabai’s (¹His full name is: Muhammad I-Iusain ihn Sayyid Muhammad ibn Sayyid Husain ibn Mirza Ali Asgher al-Tabrizi al Tabatabai, the judge.

He was born in 1892 in Tabriz and died in Oum in 1981. His ²l-Volume exegesis, AlMizan, is only one of his numerous works. The edition utilized for this book was published in 1991 by AI-A’lami Establishment of Beirut, Lebanon. Hujjatul-Islam Saeed Akhtar Rizvi, founder of the Bilal Muslim Mission of Tanzania, has for years been translating this valuable exegesis into English) Al Mizan fi Tafsiral-Qur’an, was asked once about the meaning of this verse; he said, "It means: Guide us to upholding the path that leads to Your pleasure, that ends at Your Paradise, that prohibits us from following our own desires and thus deviate, or follow our own views and thus perish." In his Tafsir, al-Ayyashi quotes Imam Ja’fer al-Sadiq (as) saying that al-Sirat at-Mustaqeem is the Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali (as). Al-Sirat al-Mustageem described in Surat al-Shura and in other verses where it is described as the Sabeel, another word for path, leading to the Almighty.

Sharing Iftar with Others

The Almighty and Praised One has said, "O people-you are the ones who stand in need of Allah, while Allah is the self-Sufficient One, the Praised" (Holy Qur’an, 35:15). Islam, which has carried the banner of protecting the poor, the indigent, the orphans, ad the wayfarers, has urged the faithful to share the iftar with one another, to visit each other, and to invite others to break their fast with them. Islam, which does not favor an Arab over a non-Arab except on the basis of piety, according to the tradition of His greatest Prophet Muhammad ibn Abdullah (pbuh), has established the fast in order to remind the rich of what the poor have to endure. The greatest Prophet Muhammad ibn Abdullah (pbuh) has said, "No poor person feels hungry except due to what another rich one is enjoying." Islam has informed us of all of this through the Islamic code of ethics, i.e., the Holy Qur’an, and through the revered Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh) and his progeny (as), about whom the greatest Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) has said, "I am leaving among you the Two Weighty Things: the Book of Allah, and my progeny, that is, my family; you shall never go astray so long as you follow them both."

The Early Meal of the Month of Ramadhan (Suhoor)

The Exalted and Praised One has said in His Glorious Book: "... and eat and drink till the whiteness of the day becomes distinct from the blackness of the night at dawn, then complete the fast till nighttime" (2:187). He has also said, "Little did they sleep during the night, and they sought their Lord’s forgiveness in the early hours of the morn" (Holy Qur’an, 51:17-18). And the Almighty has also said, "Those who persevere, and the truthful, and the obedient (to Allah), and those who spend (benevolently), and those who ask forgiveness during the timL of the morn" (Holy Qur’an, 3:17).

Suhoor is the meal comprised of food and water taken before daybreak by a Muslim who intends to perform the. obligation of the fast. It helps him while abstaining from eating aid drinking during daytime. This is the suhoor in its absolute meaning. Its timing has been defined by the Almighty thus: "... and eat and drink till the whiteness of the day becomes distinct from the blackness of the night at dawn" (Holy Qur’an, 2:187). This means that suhoor can be eaten at any time during the night till a short time before daybreak. But what about this "short time" defined before daybreak? Anas ibn Zaid ibn Thabit, may Allah be pleased with him, once said, "The Prophet (pbuh) ate suhoor with us once, after that he stood for the prayers. lie was asked, "What was the length of time from the suhoor till the adhan?" He answered, "About the time it takes one to recite fifty Quranic verses." This tradition is recorded by al-Bukhari, Muslim, and Ibn Khuzaymah.

Muhammad ibn Ya’qub quotes Abu Yahya al-San’ani quoting Imam Abu Abdullah al-Sadiq (as) saying, "lf a believer fasts and reads Surat al-Qadr during the time of his iftar and suhoor, he will be rewarded with the rewards due to a martyr." This tradition is recorded on p. 344, Vol. 94, of Bihar al-Anwar.

The real meaning of suhoor transcends the physical and nutritious benefits with which it provides the person who observes the fast. Quoting what the Almighty has said explains the real meaning of suhoor: "Little do they sleep during the night, and they seek their Lord’s forgiveness in the early hours of the morn" (Holy Qur’an, 51:17-18). He has also said, "The patient, and the truthful, and the obedient (to Allah), and those who spend (benevolently), and those who ask forgiveness during the time of fthe morn" (Holy Qur’an, 3:17). The first verse tells us that nighttime is the time for sleep, and the zenith of times to adore the Almighty and seek His forgiveness is during the Suhoor the plural of which is ashar The second verse contains the definition of the status of those who seek their Lord’s forgiveness during the as/tar times, a status which is quite lofty and is compared only to those to whom the Almighty refers as "those who persevere, and the truthful, and the obedient (to Allah)." We may derive the following conclusions from the above-quoted verses:

1) The time of suhoor has its own status and function which transcends eating and drinking, which help the fasting person during his daytime abstention from both, and this function is to wake up during the night to perform an act of worship.

2) The epic of adoration and the seeking of His forgiveness, which the Almighty, out of His divine wisdom, has decreed, is during the time of as/Jar otherwise, why has He not specified other periods during which His servants adore Him during the glorious month of Ramadhan?

3) Allah, the Almighty, has granted those who seek His forgiveness during the times of al-fajar a status which comes out of His blessing, and He includes them among those whom He describes as "those who persevere, and the truthful, and the obedient (to Allah)."

Probably one of the greatest blessings of the Almighty is that He has included those who eat their suhoor among those who shall receive His forgiveness so that they will be the ones freed by the Most Merciful One from the fire during the month of the Glorious Qur’an. The commander of the faithful Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib, peace be upon him, quotes the holy Prophet (pbuh) saying, "Allah, the Praised and the Exalted, and His angels send blessings unto those who take their suhoor meal and seek His forgiveness; so, let each one of you observe suhoor even by drinking some water.~i Ali ibn Muhammad, quoting al-Nawfali who quotes al-Sukooni who quotes hadith number 1062 in Saidi al-Targheeb wal.Tarteeli turn quotes his forefathers, Allah’s blessings and peace be upon them all, has cited the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) saying, "There is a great deal of bliss in three things: the congregational prayers, the dish of sopped bread and meat (thireed), and the suhoor" Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as recorded on pages 1063-1064 of Sahih atThrgheeb wal Tarheeb, has also said, "The best a believer can eat during the suhoor is dates; but if he cannot do so, then let him at least drink some water.( This is hadith number 1057 among the hadiths of Sahik al-Targheeb wa! Tar/teeli, and hadith number 1045 among the "Series of sahib hadiths)"

Prayers during the Glorious Month of Ramadhan

As regarding prayers during the nights of the month of Ramadhan, these are documented by al-Kaf’ami in Vol. 2 of his Misliali. On pp. 657-660, he cites al-Shaheed’s book on the forty ahadich which quotes the Prophet (pbuh) saying that whoever says his prayers during the first night (of the month of Ramadhan, reciting the Fatiha once and the chapter of Tawheed (Unity, Chapter 112) twenty-five times, will receive the rewards of all those who were foremost in testi%uing to the truth of Allah’s prophets and those who sacrificed their lives for Aliaft’s cause; moreover, all his sins will be forgiven, and he will on the Day ot Judgment be among the winners.

Anyone who says his prayers during the second night, repeating the Fatiha four times and the Qadr twenty times, will have all his sins forgiven and his sustenance increased, and he will be regarded as one who followed the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh). Anyone who says his prayers during the third night repeating the Fatiha ten times and the Chapter of Ikhlas fifty times will be addressed on the Day of Resurrection and told that Allah has set him free from the fire, and seven gates of heaven will be opened for him. Whoever spends the entire night saying optional prayers will have all his sins forgiven. Anyone, who says his prayers during the fourth night reciting the Fatiha once and the Qadr twenty times, his deeds will be presented before Allah together with those of His prophets. Whoever says his prayers during the fifth night making two rekats while reciting the Fatiha once and the Chapter of Tawheed fifty times, once he sends salutations unto the Prophet (pbuh) and his progeny a hundred times, will be beside the Prophet (pbuh) as he enters Paradise.

Anyone who says his prayers during the sixth night reciting the Fatiha four times and Tabarak once will be regarded as though he were doing so during the Night of Destiny (LailatulQadr) Whoever says his prayers during the seventh night reciting the Fatiha once and the Qadr thirteen times, the Almighty will build him in the Garden of Eden a mansion of gold and he will be in security from Allah’s Wrath till the next year. Anyone who says his prayers during the eighth night making two rek’ats in which he recites the Fatiha once and the chapter of Tawheed eleven times, then when he sends salutations unto the Prophet (pbuh) and his progeny he praises the Almighty a thousand times, the gates of Paradise will be opened for him to enter from whichever he wishes.

Anyone who says his prayers during the ninth night reciting during the time from sunset till nighttime the Fatiha once and ayat al-Kursi seven times, sending salutations unto the Prophet (pbuh) and his progeny fifty times, his deeds will be raised as those of the siddeeqs, the martyrs, and the righteous. Whoever says his prayers during the tenth night for twenty rek’ats, repeating the Fatiha once and the Tawheed thirty-one times, Allah will expand his sustenance and he will be (on the Day of Resurrection) among the winners. Whoever says two rek’acs during the eleventh night, reciting the Fatiha once and Surat al-Kawthar twenty times, all his sins will be forgiven that day.

Whoever says his prayers during the twelfth night eight times, reciting the Fatiha once and the Qadr thirty times, will be granted the rewards of those who have thanked Allah as He ought to be thanked, and he will be regarded on the Day of Resurrection as one of those who persevered. Whoever says his prayers during the thirteenth night in four rek’ats, reciting the Fatiha once and the Tawheed twenty-five times, will pass on the right path (al-Siren) as swiftly as lightning. Whoever says his prayers during the fourteenth night six times, reciting the Fatiha once and the Zalzala thirty times, Allah will make the hours of death, and [his being questioned by] both Munkir and Nakeer, easy for him. Whoever says his prayers during the fifteenth night in four rek’ats, repeating in the first two of them, after reciting the Fatiha, the chapter of Tawheed a hundred times, and after the Fatiha of the other two the Tawheed fifty times, will be granted what nobody knows except Allah. Whoever says his prayers during the sixteenth night in twelve rek’ at. Reciting the Fatiha once and the Takathur twelve times will leave his grave like one whose thirst has been quenched, repeating the shahada till he reaches Paradise and enters it without reckoning.

Whoever says his prayers during the seventeenth night in two rek’at, reciting in the first one the Fatiha and whatever he wishes after it, and in the second the Fatiha once and the Tawheed one hundred times, then, after having sent salutations unto the Prophet (pbuh) and his progeny, acknowledging tthe unity of his Lord (i.e., by saying: La illaha il-Allah!) a hundred times, will be granted the rewards of performing the pilgrimage a million times, and the rewards of a million ‘umras, and the rewards of a millionghazwas.

Whoever says his prayers during the eighteenth night in four rek’acs reciting the Fatiha once and the Kawthar twenty-five times, the angel of death will bring him the glad tidings that the Almighty is pleased with him. Whoever says his prayers during the nineteenth night fifty times, reciting the Fatiha once and the Zalzala fifty times, will be regarded as though he had performed the pilgrimage and the ‘wnra a hundred times, and Allah will accept all his deeds. Anyone who performs his prayers during the twentieth night in eight rek’ats reciting whatever Qur’anic chapters he wishes, his sins will be forgiven.

Anyone who says his prayers during the twenty-first night in eight rek’ats reciting whatever he pleases, the gates of heaven will be opened for him, and his plea will be answered, and he will have even more rewards from Allah. Whoever says his prayers during the twenty-second night in eight rek’ats, reciting whatever he pleases, will be regarded as one who performed both hajj and ‘umra. Anyone who performs his prayers during the twenty-fifth night in eight rek’ats, reciting in each the Fatiha once and the Tawheed ten times, Allah will grant him the rewards of the pious.

Whoever says his prayers during the twenty-seventh night in four rek’ats reciting the Fatiha once and Tabarak once, but if he does not memorize Tabarak, then let him recite the Fatiha twenty-five times, he and his parents will be forgiven. Anyone who says his prayers during the twenty-eighth night in six rek’ats reciting the Fatiha once and ten times Surat al-Kursi, al-Kawthar and al-Tawheed, then after he sends salutations unto the Prophet (pbuh) and his progeny a hundred times, he will surely be forgiven.

Whoever says his prayers during the twenty-ninth night in two rek’ats reciting the Fatiha _Once and Tawheed twenty times will receive mercy, and his book of reckoning will be raised to ‘illieen. Whoever says his prayers during the thirtieth night in twelve rek ‘gus reciting the Fatiha once and th Tawheed twenty times, his deeds will be sealed with mercy from Allah after he sends salutations unto the Prophet (pbuh) and his progeni a hundred times.