The Meaning of the Hadith: “Fasting is for Me, and I shall reward it”
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner:
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success. He says: It is mentioned in the qudsi hadith that Allah saysSahih al-Bukhari 5927. He asks: Why is fasting singled out for this, when it is like all other deeds? And what is the meaning of “it is for Me”?
The Shaykh:
Its meaning, as stated at the end of the hadith, is that he leftMuwatta Malik 18:64. This is its meaning. Fasting has a special quality because it is a secret between the servant and his Lord, for it is based on the intention, which no one knows except Allah. If you see a fasting man and a man who has broken his fast, you would think he is having lunch; there is no difference between them except by intention. The intention is in the heart. Yes.
The presenter:
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success.
The Shaykh:
You see the one who prays when he prays, you see the one who gives charity when he gives charity, you see all the outward deeds, you see them. But fasting is a secret deed between the servant and his Lord; you do not see it. Yes.
The presenter:
Honorable Shaykh.
The Shaykh:
They said that showing off (riya') does not enter into it. Showing off does not enter into fasting, whereas it enters into prayer, it enters into charity, it enters into outward deeds. But showing off does not enter into fasting, because it is a secret between the servant and Allah. No one fasts out of hypocrisy or showing off, ever. Yes.
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success. He says: It is mentioned in the qudsi hadith that Allah says
Every good deed of Adam's son is for him except fasting; it is for Me. and I shall reward (the fasting person) for it.
كل عمل ابن آدم له إلا الصوم فإنه لي وأنا أجزي بهThe Shaykh:
Its meaning, as stated at the end of the hadith, is that he left
his desires and his food and drink for My sake
شهوته وطعامه وشرابه من أجليThe presenter:
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success.
The Shaykh:
You see the one who prays when he prays, you see the one who gives charity when he gives charity, you see all the outward deeds, you see them. But fasting is a secret deed between the servant and his Lord; you do not see it. Yes.
The presenter:
Honorable Shaykh.
The Shaykh:
They said that showing off (riya') does not enter into it. Showing off does not enter into fasting, whereas it enters into prayer, it enters into charity, it enters into outward deeds. But showing off does not enter into fasting, because it is a secret between the servant and Allah. No one fasts out of hypocrisy or showing off, ever. Yes.
Source
إغاثة اللهفان من مصائد الشيطان 12-02-1435هـ — alfawzan.live (1:06:19)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.