Commentary on the Hadith of Fasting

This noble tradition from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), transmitted by Imam Bukhari and referenced in Mishkat al-Masabih 1999, addresses the profound spiritual dimensions of fasting beyond mere physical abstinence.

The Essence of True Fasting

The Messenger of Allah indicates that the outward form of fasting - abstaining from food, drink, and marital relations - is incomplete without the inner dimension of abandoning falsehood in speech and action.

God has no need for our hunger and thirst if we persist in false testimony, lying, backbiting, cheating, and other prohibited speech and actions. The physical fast becomes meaningless when accompanied by spiritual corruption.

Scholarly Interpretation

Imam al-Nawawi explains that this hadith emphasizes that the objective of fasting is not merely physical restraint but the attainment of taqwa (God-consciousness). The true faster is one whose limbs fast from sins, whose tongue fasts from falsehood, and whose heart fasts from evil thoughts.

Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali comments that this tradition teaches us that the accepted fast is that which restrains all bodily organs from what Allah has prohibited. The faster must ensure their ears, eyes, tongue, hands, and feet all participate in the fast by avoiding disobedience.

Practical Implications

This teaching requires Muslims to understand that fasting is a comprehensive spiritual training program. One must guard their tongue from lying, gossip, and foul speech; protect their eyes from looking at unlawful things; restrain their ears from listening to prohibited speech; and ensure their hands and feet do not engage in sinful actions.

The complete fast encompasses both the outward physical abstinence and the inward spiritual purification, transforming the individual's entire being in submission to Allah.