What is the meaning of “Whoever fasts a day in the cause of Allah, Allah will distance Him from the Fire on the Day of Resurrection by seventy autumns,” and does fasting in the cause of Allah mean jihad or
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The questioner : What is the meaning of: ? And does fasting a day in the cause of Allah mean jihad or does it mean ordinary days? We ask you to provide us with information.
The Shaykh : Fasting in the cause of Allah means fasting in jihad in the cause of Allah, because fasting along with jihad involves hardship. Therefore, the reward for one who fasts while fighting in the cause of Allah is that Allah will distance his face from the Fire by seventy autumns.
And the meaning of: is seventy years. The Arabs used to apply the term “autumn,” which is one of the seasons of the year, to the entire year, by way of mentioning the part to imply the whole, and this is a known expression among the Arabs.
If someone were to ask: Why was this specified as seventy autumns?
We would say: It is not possible to answer questions like this, because our minds are limited in grasping the wisdom behind restricting it to seventy autumns. Even if the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had set it at a lesser or greater number, we would not have knowledge of the wisdom behind that. In matters like these, a person must submit completely to what the Shari'ah has brought, whether as a report or a command. Even the command now requires us to pray five prayers every day and night. Why were they five prayers? Why were they four in the midday, afternoon, and night prayers, and two in the dawn prayer? Why were they not eight and four in the dawn prayer? And similar matters in which we have nothing to do but submit and say:[Al-Baqarah 2:32].
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
Whoever fasts a day in the cause of Allah, Allah will distance Him from the Fire on the Day of Resurrection by seventy autumns
من صام يوماً في سبيل الله أبعد الله عنه النار يوم القيامة سبعين خريفاًThe Shaykh : Fasting in the cause of Allah means fasting in jihad in the cause of Allah, because fasting along with jihad involves hardship. Therefore, the reward for one who fasts while fighting in the cause of Allah is that Allah will distance his face from the Fire by seventy autumns.
And the meaning of:
seventy autumns
سبعين خريفاًIf someone were to ask: Why was this specified as seventy autumns?
We would say: It is not possible to answer questions like this, because our minds are limited in grasping the wisdom behind restricting it to seventy autumns. Even if the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had set it at a lesser or greater number, we would not have knowledge of the wisdom behind that. In matters like these, a person must submit completely to what the Shari'ah has brought, whether as a report or a command. Even the command now requires us to pray five prayers every day and night. Why were they five prayers? Why were they four in the midday, afternoon, and night prayers, and two in the dawn prayer? Why were they not eight and four in the dawn prayer? And similar matters in which we have nothing to do but submit and say:
Exalted are You; we have no knowledge except what You have taught us. Indeed, it is You who is the Knowing, the Wise."
سُبْحَانَكَ لا عِلْمَ لَنَا إِلَّا مَا عَلَّمْتَنَا إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْعَلِيمُ الْحَكِيمُThe questioner : May Allah bless you.