The Blessings and benefits of Ramadhan Fasting are too many to be counted. If one does recognize them and realize their importance, he wishes to have the month of Ramadhan to be throughout the whole year.
These blessings are given by Allah to the fasting Muslims, who are to fast with full faith and expectation.
These blessings and benefits of the month of fasting during Ramadhan have been grouped and summarized into different categories. They are summarized here without commentary. It should be remembered that all of these blessings were taken directly from Holy Quran and Hadith.
The following is a partial list for the blessings and benefits of Ramadhan Fasting:
01. Taqwa: “O you who believe! Observing As-Saum (the fasting) is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqun (the pious)” [Quran 2/183] – What is Taqwa?
1. Fearing Allah (SWT)
2. Practicing the Revelations of Allah (SWT)
3. Accepting the little things that one has achieved
4. Preparing for departure from this world to the Hereafter
5. Self-discipline
6. Self-control
7. Self-restraint
8. Self-education
9. Self-evaluation
By accepting these criteria and by practicing them, the Muslim will achieve the concept of Taqwa in his private and public life
02. Protection:
1. Avoiding Immorality
2. Avoiding anger/outcry/uproar
3. Avoiding stupidity
4. Avoiding all makrooh/mashbooh/haram
By achieving these good manners, a Muslim will come out of fasting a better human being in the society.
03. Revelation of Holy Quran: The Holy Quran was revealed during the month of Ramadhan.
“The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur’an, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong)” [Quran 2/185] The Holy Quran is meant to be:
1. A Guidance to mankind
2. A Manifestation of right from wrong
3. A Summation and culmination of all previous revelations
4. A Glad-tiding to the believers
5. A Healer
6. A Mercy
04. Doors of heaven are open (Hadith Ahmed, Nasai, Baihaqi)
05. Doors of hell are closed (Hadith Ahmed, Nasai, Baihaqi)
06. Devils are chained down (Hadith Ahmed, Nasai, Baihaqi)
07. Fasting with Iman (faith) and expectation: Such type of intention leads to forgiveness by Allah (SWT) to the individual’s sins. (Hadith Ahmed, Abu Dawood, Ibn Majah)
08. Door of Rayyan: There is in Paradise a door called Al-Rayyan. It is for the fasting Muslims. Only those who fasted the month of Ramadhan are the ones to enjoy the bliss of Paradise inside that area.
09. Rejoices: There are two types of rejoices for the Muslims who fast. These are:
1. When breaking fast
2. When meeting Allah (SWT) on the day of Judgment .(Muslim 6/2568, Ahmed)
10. Mouth Smell: The smell of the mouth of the fasting Muslim will be better than the smell of musk during the day of Judgement.
11. Glad-Tidings: Glad-tidings are given to the well-wishers while the ill-wishers are to be stopped during fasting.
12. Yearly Training of stopping from sins, lying, smoking…
13. Multiplication of Rewards: Doing good = 10x, 70x, 700x or more during the month of Ramadhan.
14. Feeding Others: Whoever invites others to break the fast, and whoever takes care of the hungry, needy, during the last ten days of Ramadhan will receive equal rewards to the fasting person(s).
15. Blessing of Iftar: Dua is accepted by ALLAH (SWT) at Iftar time.
16. Blessings of Sahoor (The late night meal) ” The Prophet (pbh) said, “Take suhur as there is a blessing (Barakah)in it.” (Bukhari 31/146) : This meal time gives the opportunity for:
1. Night Prayers
2. Zikr, Remembrance, Contemplation
3. Recitation of Holy Quran
4. Fajr Salat in Jamaat
5. Dua of Fajr
17. Night Prayers: Whoever performs the Night prayers with sincerity and good intention will receive forgiveness of his past sins. He who observed prayer at night during Ramadan,because of faith and seeking his reward from Allah, his previous sins would be forgiven.(Bukhari , Muslim 4/1662)
18. Shafa’at (Pleading One’s Case for Forgiveness (Hadith Ahmed): Whoever fasts Ramadhan will receive on the day of Judgement the Shafa’at of:
1. Ramadhan (Hadith Ahmed)
2. Holy Quran (Hadith Ahmed)
19. Ihya (Passing Nights Awake): Last ten days of Ramadhan. When a Muslim makes this type of effort, he will get rewards, forgiveness, and multiples of blessings.
20. Itikaf : A Muslim who performs Itikaf during the last ten days of Ramadhan will get:
1. Blessings and rewards
2. Peace of mind
3. Contemplation and evaluation
21. Lailatul Qadr (The Night of Power): Whoever observes it with sincerity and good intention will get the following benefits:
1. Forgiveness of mistakes .(Bukhari 1/34)
2. Better than 1,000 months “The night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is better than a thousand months” [3/97]
3. Dua
4. Zikr
5. Prayers
6. Reading Holy Quran
7. Rewards
8. Blessings
9. Better human being
22. Generosity : Kindness, hospitality, visitation, etc. All of these and many more are among the benefits of Ramadhan.
23. Zakat al-Fitrah (Charity on Eid Day): The benefits of paying such as charity to the needy are tremendous, among which are the following:
1. Purity
2. Feeding the needy
3. Sharing happiness
4. Improving human relations
5. Improving society
24. Sadaqah (Charity): The benefits of paying sadaqah are many. These are summarized as follows:
1. Purity
2. Flourishing of wealth
3. Improving economy
4. Circulation of wealth
5. Elimination of inflation
6. Elimination of poverty
25. Fasting and Health: By fasting, one gets the following benefits:
1. Purification of body from toxins
2. Reducing of weight
3. Purity of brain
4. Rejuvenation of body
5. Living of life with happiness
6. Looking younger
26. Change of Lifestyle: By living a different life style, one gets rid of the monotony of life and hence enjoys his life span.
27. Sharing: Of hunger, thirst and rituals with others in the society.
28. Eid-ul-Fitr (Feast) : Sharing of happiness and visitation of one another as members of the society.
29. Graveyards Visitation: One will get the following benefits by visiting graveyards.
1. Dua for the deceased
2. Preparing oneself for departure from this world
3. Feeling respect for the deceased
4. Making the person to be humble in his life
30. Every breath is Tasbiih. Every breath and even sleep is Ibadah and awarded.
31. Umrah in Ramadhan: Performing umrah during the fasting month of Ramadhan is:
Equal to one Hajj (pilgrimage) ‘Perform `Umra when Ramadan comes, for `Umra in Ramadan is equal to Hajj (in reward) [Bukhari 3/10, Muslim 7/2884]
32. Historical Successes and Victories in Ramadhan: Muslims throughout their history received many benefits during Ramadhan the month of fasting,
33. Learning lessons from historical incidents that happened during Holy Ramadhan the month of fasting