Disciplines During Fasting

“Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘When you fast, your ears, eyes, hairs and skin must also fast . . counting other things also, the Imam said that ‘the day of your fast should not be just like any other day.”’

“Abu Ja’far (a.s.), has said, ‘The Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, once said to Jabir ibn ‘Abd Allah, “O Jabir, this is the month of Ramadan. Anyone who fasts during its days, stands for salat (prayer) during its nights, maintains his stomach and private parts chastely and controls his tongue, comes out of his sins just like his coming out of the month.” Jabir then said, “How beautiful is this Hadith, O the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause.” The Messenger of Allah said, “O Jabir, how strict these conditions are!”’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that fasting is not fasting from food and drink only.” He then said, “Mary had said, ‘I have made a vow (promise) before the Beneficent to fast,’ meaning not to speak to anyone and remain silent, according to another script. When you fast, you should control your tongue, cast down your eyes, you must not quarrel and you must not be jealous.” The Imam then said, “The Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, once heard a woman abusing her fasting servant. The Messenger of Allah asked for food and then asked the woman to eat. She said, ’I am fasting.’ He then said, ‘How can you be fasting while speaking words of abuse against your housemaid? Fasting is not fasting from food and drink only.’” He (the narrator) has said, that abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), then said, “When you fast, your ears and eyes must also stop committing unlawful acts and evil matters. You must not quarrel or hurt your servant. You must maintain the dignity of fasting and you must not make your day of fasting just like another day.”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that if anyone of you fasts for three days of a month, you should not quarrel with anyone or act ignorantly. He should not be hasty to swear or to swear by Allah, and if anyone else may act ignorantly, he should exercise forbearance.”

The Messenger of Allah (sw) said, "There is no righteous servant who is insulted and responds by saying, 'I am fasting, may peace be upon you, I do not insult you as you have insulted me,' except that the Lord, Blessed and Exalted, says, 'My servant has sought protection in fasting from the evil of My servant; thus, I grant him protection from the Fire.'"

“Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘You must not read poems during the night. You must not read poems in the month of Ramadan during the night or during the day.’ Isma‘il then said, ‘Father, but it is in our praise.’ The Imam said, ‘Even if it is in our praise, do not read poems.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that ’Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), has said, ‘In the month of Ramadan you should increase asking forgiveness from Allah and offering prayer before Him. Prayers repel misfortunes, and asking forgiveness deletes your sins.’”

“Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.), in the month of Ramadan would not speak anything other than prayer, Tasbih (Allah is free of all defects), ’Istighfar, (O Allah, I appeal before You for forgiveness) and Takbir (Allah is great beyond description). After breaking his fast, he would say, ‘O Allah, if You want to do something, You just do it without fail.’”

“I heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), say, ‘Fasting is not abstaining from food and drink only. Mary had said, “I have made a vow before the Beneficent to fast,” meaning thereby to remain silent. You must control your tongues and cast down your eyes. You must not be jealous and you must not quarrel. Jealousy consumes belief just as fire consumes fire wood.’”

“I heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), say, ‘Speaking lies invalidates Wudu’ and fasting.’ I (the narrator) then said, ‘We are destroyed.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not the way you think it is. It means speaking lies against Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, His Messenger and ’A’immah, ‘Alayhim al-Salam.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, ‘Allah dislikes the existence of six things with me. I dislike such things to exist in the executors of the will in my descendants and their followers after me. One such matter is carnal relations during fasting.’”