The Book of Fasting - Sunan an-Nasa'i

Hadith Reference: Sunan an-Nasa'i 2230

The Hadith Text

'Uthman bin Abi Al-As called for milk to be given to him (Mutarrif) to drink. Mutarrif said: 'I heard the Messenger of Allah say: 'Fasting is a shield like the shield of any one of you in battle."' Abu Hurairah said: "The Messenger of Allah said: 'Fasting is a shield."'

Scholarly Commentary

The noble hadith establishes fasting as a spiritual shield that protects the believer from sins and disobedience. Just as a physical shield protects a warrior in battle from enemy arrows and swords, the fast protects the fasting person from falling into sinful acts and evil desires.

Imam An-Nawawi explains in his commentary that this shield operates in two dimensions: it protects from worldly sins by restraining the limbs and desires, and it protects from the punishment of the Hereafter by being an expiation for sins.

Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali elaborates that this protection manifests through the fast restraining the tongue from false speech, the eyes from unlawful gazes, the ears from listening to prohibitions, and all limbs from sinful acts. The complete fast thus becomes a comprehensive spiritual armor.

The mention of battle emphasizes the continuous struggle against one's base desires (nafs) and the whispers of Satan. The believer engaged in fasting is like a warrior fully equipped for spiritual combat.

Legal Rulings

Scholars derive from this hadith that fasting is not merely abstention from food and drink, but complete abstention from all that Allah has prohibited. The fasting person must guard their tongue, limbs, and senses to make the fast complete and worthy of divine reward.

The shield's effectiveness depends on the quality of one's fast. A complete fast that includes abstaining from forbidden speech and actions provides complete protection, while a deficient fast offers limited protection.