The Virtues of Fasting in the Summer
Ramadan ,The month of glory almost upon us,and all too soon it will be over,Ramadan is derived from the root word “Ramad” which indicates”heat”and this is perhaps why in one of his traditions our holy prophet (sal) has said that “Ramadan burns the sins and shortcomings as fire burns wood. “…And from the acts of worship whose reward is multiplied during the heat is fasting, and this is because of the thirst that one experiences in the mid-day heat.
This is why Mu’adh bin Jabal expressed regret on his deathbed that he would no longer experience this mid-day thirst, as did other early Muslims.
And it was related that Abu Bakr would fast in the summer and not fast in the winter, and ‘Umar advised his son ‘Abdullah on his deathbed: “Try to obtain the characteristics of faith,” and the first one he mentioned was fasting in the intense summer heat.
al-Hasan said: “A maiden of Paradise will speak to the Wali of Allah while he is laying with her on the shore of a river of honey in Paradise while she hands him a glass of the sweetest drink, and she will ask him: “Do you know what day Allah married me to you? He saw you on a long summer day while you were thirsty in the mid-day heat, and He called the Angels and said: “Look at My slave. He has left his wife and pleasure and food and drink for Me out of his desire for what I have for him. Bear witness that I have forgiven him,” and He forgave you on that day and married you to me.””
Al-Qasim b. Muhammad relates that ‘A’ishah, may God be pleased with her, would fast in the searing heat. It was asked of him: What made her do that: He said: “She would take advantage of [the days before] death.” … And one of the pious women [of the past] would choose the hottest days to fast. On being asked why, she replied: “If the price is cheap, then everyone would purchase it.” What she meant was that she wanted to do those deeds that very few people would be able to do, because of the huge difficulty involved. And this was from her lofty resolve (‘uluw al-himmah). …
Abu’l-Darda would say: “Fast on the days that are very hot, in preparation for the heat of the Day of Resurrection. Pray two rak‘ahs in the darkness of night, in anticipation of the darkness in the grave.”When those who fast for Allah in the heat are patient despite their intense thirst, He will set aside a specific gate of the gates of Paradise for them. This is the gate called Rayyan, and whoever enters through it will drink, and whoever drinks after entering it will never be thirsty again. When they enter through it, it will be locked for those after them, and none will enter through it except them…”
