The Meaning of Fasting

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إِنَّمَا مَثَّلَ ﷺ ذَٰلِكَ بِصَاحِبِ الصُّرَّةِ الَّتِي فِيهَا الْمِسْكُ

The Prophet (peace be upon him) used the example of the person with a bag containing musk;

لِأَنَّهَا مَسْتُورَةٌ عَنِ الْعُيُونِ مَخْبُوءَةٌ تَحْتَ ثِيَابِهِ كَعَادَةِ حَامِلِ الْمِسْكِ

because it is hidden from the eyes, concealed under their clothes, as is usual for the musk carrier,

وَهَكَذَا الصَّائِمُ صَوْمُهُ مَسْتُورٌ عَنْ مُشَاهَدَةِ الْخَلْقِ لَا تُدْرِكُهُ حَوَاسُّهُمْ

and so is the fasting person; their fast is hidden from the view of creation, it cannot be perceived by their senses.

وَالصَّائِمُ هُوَ الَّذِي صَامَتْ جَوَارِحُهُ عَنِ الْآثَامِ

The fasting person is the one whose limbs abstain from sins,

وَلِسَانُهُ عَنِ الْكَذِبِ وَالْفُحْشِ وَقَوْلِ الزُّورِ

and whose tongue refrains from lying, obscenity, and false testimony,

وَبَطْنُهُ عَنِ الطَّعَامِ وَالشَّرَابِ

and whose stomach abstains from food and drink,

وَفَرْجُهُ عَنِ الرَّفَثِ

and whose private parts refrain from sexual activity;

فَإِنْ تَكَلَّمَ لَمْ يَتَكَلَّمْ بِمَا يَجْرَحُ صَوْمَهُ

If he speaks, he does not speak with what harms his fast,

وَإِنْ فَعَلَ لَمْ يَفْعَلْ مَا يُفْسِدُ صَوْمَهُ

and if he acts, he does not act with what invalidates his fast,

فَيَخْرُجُ كَلَامُهُ كُلُّهُ نَافِعًا صَالِحًا

so all his speech is beneficial and good,

وَكَذَلِكَ أَعْمَالُهُ

and likewise his actions,

فَهِيَ بِمَنْزِلَةِ الرَّائِحَةِ الَّتِي يَشُمُّهَا مَنْ جَالَسَ حَامِلَ الْمِسْكِ

it is like the fragrance that is sensed by those who sit with the musk carrier,

كَذَٰلِكَ مَنْ جَالَسَ الصَّائِمَ انْتَفَعَ بِمُجَالَسَتِهِ لَهُ

Similarly, those who sit with the fasting person benefit from his company,

وَأَمِنَ فِيهَا مِنَ الزُّورِ وَالْكَذِبِ وَالْفُجُورِ وَالظُّلْمِ

and feels secure therein from falsehood, lying, immorality, and injustice.

هَذَا هُوَ الصَّوْمُ الْمَشْرُوعُ لَا مُجَرَّدَ الْإِمْسَاكِ عَنِ الطَّعَامِ وَالشَّرَابِ

This is the prescribed fasting, not merely abstaining from food and drink.