"Allah, may He be exalted, said: 'Fasting is for me and I shall reward for it. The fasting person has two moments of joy: When he breaks his fast and when he meets his Lord. And the smell that comes from the mouth of the fasting person is better before Allah than the fragrance of musk."' '
The Book of Fasting - Sunan an-Nasa'i 2212
This sacred hadith qudsi, narrated in Sunan an-Nasa'i, reveals the exclusive divine connection between fasting and Allah Himself. The declaration "Fasting is for Me" signifies that unlike other acts of worship, fasting is purely inward - hidden from creation's sight, thus preserved from ostentation (riya').
Divine Proximity and Exclusive Reward
Allah's statement "I shall reward for it" indicates the boundless, immeasurable nature of fasting's recompense. While other deeds have specified rewards, fasting's compensation remains with Allah's infinite generosity, beyond human quantification.
The two joys mentioned represent temporal and eternal happiness: the first at iftar (breaking fast) after daylong obedience, the second at divine encounter when the fasting believer receives their complete reward.
The Spiritual Fragrance
The hadith's profound conclusion transforms physical reality into spiritual metaphor. The unpleasant breath resulting from fasting's physical austerity becomes, in divine estimation, more fragrant than musk - demonstrating how Allah elevates the believer's struggles into celestial merit.
Scholars note this teaches that what creation might deem undesirable due to worldly standards becomes precious through sincere devotion to the Creator.