বাংলা 
English 
The third of the five fundamental pillars of Islam is fasting (Roza). The word 'Roza' is Persian; its Arabic equivalent is Sawm. The literal meaning of Sawm is to stop, to desist or to abstain. In Islamic Shariah, Siyam or Roza is the name of abstaining, with intention, from food and drink, sin and vice from true dawn until sunset. Siyam is not merely the name of spending the day without food. Fasting may yield some health benefits, but moral and spiritual progress may not be attained through fasting alone.
The significance and importance of Roza (fasting) and Tarawih are immense. The observance of Siyam by day and the devotion of Qiyam (night prayer) by night are the chief characteristics of Mahe Ramadan. Through Roza and Tarawih there is Allah Ta'ala's promise of forgiveness for all the sins of one's past life. Those who perform Roza and Tarawih solely to please the Lord of the worlds, the gates of mercy and forgiveness of the Sustainer of the pure shall be opened wide for them. It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Hurayrah (RA): he said, the Messenger of Allah (SAW) used to encourage people towards Tarawih in Ramadan Sharif. He commanded: whoever stands in Tarawih prayer during the nights of Ramadan with faith and in hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven (Muslim Sharif).
The Prophet (SAW) said: O people! A month of immense dignity and blessing has come to you. In this month there is a night which is better than a thousand months. The entire month of Ramadan is, for us, supremely sacred and immensely conducive to earning reward. And within this month there is a night in which worship brings greater virtue than the worship of a thousand months. That night is the night of 27 Ramadan. The night is so honourable because it was on that very night that the Noble Quran was sent down; and the Quran is the guide to the right path for mankind.
The Creator of the universe, Almighty Allah Rabbul Alamin, has granted His servants a special opportunity through Mahe Ramadan. The Prophet (SAW) commanded: the first portion of Ramadan is mercy, the middle portion is forgiveness, and the last portion is deliverance from Hell.
It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Hurayrah (RA): the Prophet (SAW) said, everything has its Zakat, and the Zakat of the body is fasting. (Ibn Majah) In the light of modern medical research it has been proven that fasting is beneficial for health and delivers one from complex diseases.
Fasters are generally of three kinds:
- First, those who are free of sin and await Ramadan with eager longing. For them Ramadan arrives bearing a message of unending mercy.
- Second, those who are steeped in sin, but on the occasion of Ramadan's arrival turn to repentance and keep begging Allah for forgiveness in order to stay away from sin. When, after the first decade of fasting, the second decade begins, a proclamation of forgiveness is sounded for them.
- Third, those people whose burden of sin is exceedingly heavy. But with the coming of Ramadan they repent and begin fasting with devotion. Upon reaching the final decade, deliverance from Hell is destined for these people too.
According to the words of authentic Hadith, it is narrated from Hazrat Abu Hurayrah (RA) that the beloved Prophet (SAW) said: Allah says, every deed of the children of Adam is for himself except fasting; fasting is for Me, and I Myself shall reward it. (Bukhari Sharif)
The virtue of the month of Ramadan and of fasting is boundless. Narrated Abu Hurayrah (RA): the Prophet of the worlds (SAW) said — when the month of Ramadan begins, the devils and the defiant, unruly jinn are chained. The gates of Hell are closed (until the end of Ramadan). And a herald keeps making this proclamation: O seeker of good! Press forward. O seeker of evil! Desist. And Allah delivers groups of sinners from Hell. This proclamation is made every night. (Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, Ahmad)
It is narrated from Hazrat Sahl ibn Sa'd (RA): the beloved Prophet (SAW) commanded, Paradise has eight gates, one of which is named 'Rayyan'. Only the fasters will enter through that gate. (Bukhari, Muslim Sharif)
It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Hurayrah (RA): he said, Hujur Akram (SAW) commanded, the faster has two joys — one at the time of his Iftar, and the other at the time of meeting his Lord. (Bukhari, Muslim) The faster will attain the first of these great joys in this world, and the second in the Hereafter.
It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Hurayrah (RA): he said — the beloved Prophet (SAW) commanded, by Him in Whose hand is the life of Muhammad, the odour of the faster's mouth is better before Allah Ta'ala than the fragrance of musk. (Bukhari, Muslim)
Ramadan is the month of mercy and blessing, the month of the forgiveness of sins. The month of deliverance from Hell. The month of attaining Allah's pleasure. The month of increase in provision. The month of mutual sympathy and equality. The month in which reward is multiplied seventyfold. It is in this month that all the gates of Paradise are opened and all the gates of Hell are closed. The month of Shab-e-Qadr. On that very night the Noble Quran was revealed. The month of abundant voluntary (Nafl) worship. It is stated in Hadith Sharif: the reward of Nafl worship in Ramadan is given as the reward of a Fard deed, and the reward of a Fard deed increases tenfold. (Mishkat)
The Prophet of the worlds (SAW) commanded: when a person performs the first fast of Ramadan, Allah Pak removes him to a distance of seventy years from the fire of Hell. (Bukhari Sharif)
The Prophet (SAW) commanded: the reward of a person's deeds is increased from tenfold to seven hundredfold. Allah Ta'ala says: the servant abstains from sensual pleasure and from food and drink solely with the aim of attaining My pleasure.
It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Hurayrah (RA): the beloved Prophet (SAW) said, if a person tells lies and does not abandon falsehood, if he abandons food and drink only, and engages in backbiting and slander, Allah has no need of his fasting. (Bukhari Sharif). The Prophet (SAW) also said: there are many fasters who gain nothing from their fasting but thirst. (Darmi)
Almighty Allah Ta'ala says: when you fast, do not indulge in indecent talk. Do not shout and quarrel. If anyone picks a quarrel with you or abuses you, say to him: I am fasting. (Quarrelling does not befit me.) (Bukhari, Muslim)
It is narrated from Hazrat Abdullah ibn Umar (RA): the beloved Prophet (SAW) commanded, mercy is sent upon those who take Sahri, and the angels keep praying for mercy on their behalf. (Tabarani)
It is narrated from Hazrat Sahl (RA): the Prophet (SAW) commanded, people will remain in well-being so long as they give importance to breaking the fast promptly at the appointed time. (Bukhari, Muslim)
It is narrated from Hazrat Salman ibn Amr (RA): the Prophet (SAW) commanded, break your fast with dates, for the date is a most blessed fruit. If you do not find dates, break your fast with water, for water purifies the body within and without. (Tirmidhi)
It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Hurayrah (RA) that Rasul Pak (SAW) said, the prayer of three persons is never refused — among them the person who fasts:
- The prayer of the fasting person at the time of Iftar,
- the just and righteous ruler, and
- the person who is oppressed.
Whoever is able to stay awake in the nights of holy Ramadan and offer the Tarawih and Tahajjud prayers, all the sins of his life are forgiven. Likewise, whoever offers Nafl prayer on Shab-e-Qadr with full faith, all the sins of his life will be forgiven too. (Bukhari, Muslim). The last ten days of holy Ramadan are of utmost importance, for within those ten days lies Laylatul Qadr. (Bukhari Sharif)
Worship on Laylatul Qadr forgives all the sins of the servant. (Bukhari Sharif)
In the last decade of Ramadan the Prophet (SAW) sought Shab-e-Qadr through I'tikaf and commanded others to do so.
In the holy month of Ramadan the virtue of paying the obligatory Zakat is far greater. Zakat is a special provision, from Allah Ta'ala, for the orphans, widows, the poor and the deprived and helpless. It is the rightful due of the poor class upon the well-to-do and wealthy; it is not a gift of grace. If the rightful dues are discharged in the month of Ramadan, then just as it multiplies the giver's reward seventyfold, it also gives special support to the helpless rightful claimants in keeping their fasts and enjoying the joys of Eid.
