Worth and Recompense in Fasting

It is related by Abu Hurairah (RA) that the Apostle of Allah (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) said: "The reward on every virtuous deed is increased from ten to seven hundred times (i.e., the general principle of Divine recompense on all the good deeds of the Muslims is that on every good deed of theirs the reward will, at least, be ten times as compared to the earlier communities, and sometimes even more, so much so that some chosen bondsmen will receive seven hundred times of reward on their virtuous acts), but the standing command of Allah (about Fasting) is that the fast is an exception. It is a special gift of the bondsman for Me and I shall reward him directly for it (as I please). The bondsman forgoes food and drink solely for My sake. (I shall therefore, recompense him for the sacrifice according to My pleasure)."

"There are two moments of special joy for the man who fasts. One is when he breaks the fast, and this he experiences in his earthly existence, and the other will be in the Hereafter when he will be presented before the Lord; and I swear that the bad odour emanating from the mouth of a person who is fasting (which is generally due to an empty stomach) is more pleasant in the judgement of Allah then the sweet smell of musk; and fast is a shield (for protection, in this world, against the assaults of the shaytaan, and in the Hereafter, against the fire of Hell; and when anyone of you keeps a fast, he must not utter a filthy or indecent word nor engage in a noisy scene, and were anyone to quarrel with him and call him names he should simply say, ‘I am keeping a fast.’"

Commentary: The exhortation at the end of the tradition about abstaining from falsehood and backbiting and wrangling and uttering a foul or profane word makes it clear that the exclusive blessings of fasting are only for those who, in addition to shunning food and drink and staying away from sexual gratification, avoid all evil and undesirable things. In another tradition, it is stated that God has no need for him to go hungry and thirsty (fasts), but does not refrain from evil doing.