Quotes About Sawm (Fasting)

“Fasting is a spiritual exercise, a tiring of the body, and a subversion of the animal element in man.

“And Ruh bin Zinba’ was traveling between Makkah and Madinah on a very hot day. A herder living on a mountain approached him, and he said to him: “O herder, come eat with me.” The herder said: “I’m fasting.” Ruh said: “You’re fasting in this heat?” The herder replied: “Should I let my days pass by in vain?” So, Ruh said: “You have used your days wisely, O herder, while Ruh bin Zinba’ has wasted his.”

Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali

“And al-Qasim bin Muhammad said that ‘A’ishah would fast in the intense heat, and he was asked: “What drove her to do this?” He replied: “She would take advantage of the days before death.” And some of the righteous women would choose the hottest days and fast them, saying: “If the price is low, everyone will buy,” meaning that she wanted to do those actions that only a few were capable of due to how hard it was to do them, and this is indicative of the high aspirations these women had.

Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali

“Ibn ‘Umar went on a trip once with some companions, and they saw a sheep-herder who they invited to eat with them. He said: “I am fasting,” and Ibn ‘Umar said: “You are fasting in heat like this, and while you are between all these plants and sheep?” The herder replied: “I’m taking advantage of my remaining days.” Ibn ‘Umar was impressed by this reply and said: “Can you sell one of your sheep to us? We’ll feed you from its meat when you break your fast, and we’ll also pay you for it.” The herder said: “It doesn’t belong to me. It belongs to my master.” Ibn ‘Umar said: “What would your master say if you told him that it was eaten by a wolf?” The herder raised his finger to the sky and said: “What about Allah?” Ibn ‘Umar kept repeating this phrase that the herder was saying, and when he got to the city, he went to the herder’s owner and bought him and his sheep from him. He then freed the herder and gave him his sheep as a gift.

Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali

“Whoever does not leave sinful words and acts [when fasting], God has no need for him to leave his food and drink.

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ

“It is reported that al-Ahnaf ibn Qays was once told: “You are an aged elder; fasting would enfeeble you.” But he replied: “By this I am making ready for a long journey, Obedience to God, Glorified is He, is easier to endure than His punishment.”

Al-Ahnaf ibn Qays

“Fasting is a shield; so when one of you is fasting he should not use foul or foolish talk. If someone attacks him or insults him, let him say: “I am fasting, I am fasting!

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ

“To fast means to free society from artificial collective emotions, consumerism, insane competition and love of power.

Tariq Ramadan

“The fast calls upon our heart to live and fast for the One, for our self, with the intention to find again the inner reality.

Tariq Ramadan

“One who emerges from Ramadan without concern for poverty must question himself about the meaning of his fast.

Tariq Ramadan

“To fast is to say 'Dear God, I love food. I love drink. I love to fulfill my desire. But I love you more. So I give up what I love for what you love.'

Yasmin Mogahed

“Fasting is all about detachment. It is the detachment from food, drink, sexual intimacy, vain speech. By restraining our physical self, we ennoble, purify and exalt our spiritual self. Through fasting we are forced to detach ourselves from our physical needs, desires, and pleasures.

Yasmin Mogahed

“After my khutbah today, a 93-year old man walked up to me asking if he had to fast. When I told him that Allah has given him a concession and he can feed a poor person instead, he demanded to know which verse in the Quran gave this concession.

After I showed it to him, he hugged me and began crying - said this was the first time he was unable to fast in his life and was feeling very guilty. He had woken up for suhoor but wasn't able to continue.

Truth be told, I felt more guilty - knowing that he had fasted more than three times the amount I had fasted in my entire life and yet still was attempting to go strong. His Iman put me to shame.

Yasir Qadhi

“Muslims! Remember that the purpose of the fast is to minimize our physical needs in order to concentrate on our spiritual ones.

Yasir Qadhi

“The ability to fast long hot summer days and still continue our lives normally is yet another manifestation of Allah's blessings on us.

Yasir Qadhi

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