in Paradise there is a gate called Ar'Rayyan, it will be said on the Day of Resurrection: "Where are those who used to fast? Would you like to enter through Ar-Rayyan?" whoever enters through it will never thirst again. Then when they have entered it will be closed behind them, and no one but they will enter through it.
The Excellence of Fasting and the Gate of Ar-Rayyan
This narration from Sunan an-Nasa'i 2237 in The Book of Fasting describes a magnificent, exclusive reward in Paradise reserved specifically for those who faithfully observed fasting in the worldly life.
Scholarly Commentary (Tafsir)
The name Ar-Rayyan (الرَّيَّان) is linguistically derived from the root meaning "to be well-watered" or "quenched of thirst." This is profoundly significant, as fasting involves abstaining from drink, and this gate is the divine recompense that eternally removes the very sensation of thirst.
The scholars, such as Imam an-Nawawi, explain that this exclusive honor is a manifestation of Allah's boundless generosity (Karāmah). It is a public honor and distinction for the fasting people on the Day of Judgment, a day of immense fear and hardship, where their righteous deed will be their salvation and glory.
The phrase "it will be closed behind them" signifies the permanence and exclusivity of this reward. It is a blessing that is secured forever and will not be shared by any other group, making the community of those who fasted a uniquely honored group in the eternal abode.
Spiritual and Legal Implications
This hadith serves as a powerful motivator (targhīb) for Muslims to perfect their obligatory fasts (e.g., Ramadan) and to increase in voluntary fasts (e.g., Mondays and Thursdays, the White Days, the Day of Arafah).
It teaches that acts of worship are not merely abstentions but are investments for an everlasting life. The temporary hardship of thirst and hunger is transformed into an eternal state of satisfaction and honor, a direct correlation between the action and its reward from the All-Wise.