Al-Qur’an:
"Ramadan is the (month) in which the Quran was sent down, as a guide to mankind
and a clear guidance and judgment (so that mankind will distinguish from right
and wrong).." (Q 2:183)
Oh you who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those
before you, that you many learn piety and righteousness" (Q 2:183)
Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that
you may attain taqwaa." (Q2:183)
The most honored by Allah amongst you are those best in taqwaa."(Q 49:13)
..And it is better for you that ye fast, if ye only knew." (Q 2:184)
"Indeed We have revealed it (Qur'an) in the night of Power. And what will
explain to you what the night of Power is? The night of Power is better than a
thousand months. Therein descends the Angels and the Spirit (Jibreel) by Allah's
permission, on every errand: (they say) "Peace" (continuously) till the rise of
Morning!" (Q 97:1-5)
We sent it (this Qur'an) down on a blessed Night. Verily, We are ever warning
(mankind of Our Torment). Therein (that Night) is decreed every matter of
ordainment. Amran (i.e. a command or this Qur'an or His Decree of every matter)
from Us. Verily, We are ever sending (the Messenger). (As) a Mercy from your
Lord. Verily! He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower." (Ad-Dukhaan 44: 3-6)
Hadith
The Messenger of Allah (saw) said, "When the month of Ramadan starts, the gates
of the heaven are opened and the gates of Hell are closed and the devils are
chained." (Imam Bukhari) ...
Narrated Abu Huraira(r.a): The Messenger of Allah (saw) said:"... whoever fasts
during Ramadan out of sincere faith and hoping to attain Allah's rewards, then
all his past sins will be forgiven." (Imam Bukhari).
The Messenger of Allah (saw) addressed his companions on the last day of
Sha`ban, saying, "Oh people! A great month has come over you; a blessed month; a
month in which is a night better than a thousand months; month in which Allah
has made it compulsory upon you to fast by day, and voluntary to pray by night.
Whoever draws nearer (to Allah) by performing any of the (optional) good deeds
in (this month) shall receive the same reward as performing an obligatory deed
at any other time, and whoever discharges an obligatory deed in (this month)
shall receive the reward of performing seventy obligations at any other time. It
is the month of patience, and the reward of patience is Heaven. It is the month
of charity, and a month in which a believer's sustenance is increased. Whoever
gives food to a fasting person to break his fast, shall have his sins forgiven,
and he will be saved from the Fire of Hell, and he shall have the same reward as
the fasting person, without his reward being diminished at all." [Narrated by
Ibn Khuzaymah]
Abu Said al-Khudri reported that the Messenger of Allah (saw), said: "No servant
fasts on a day in the path of Allah except that Allah removes the hellfire
seventy years further away from his face." This is related by "the group,"
except for Imam Abu Dawud.
`Abdullah ibn `Amr reported that the Messenger of Allah (saw), said: "The fast
and the Qur'an are two intercessors for the servant of Allah on the Day of
Resurrection. The fast will say: 'O Lord, I prevented him from his food and
desires during the day. Let me intercede for him.' The Qur'an will say: 'I
prevented him from sleeping at night. Let me intercede for him.' And their
intercession will be accepted." [Imam Ahmad]
Abu Umamah reported: "I came to the Messenger of Allah (saw) and said: 'Order me
to do a deed that will allow me to enter Paradise.' He said: 'Stick to fasting,
as there is no equivalent to it.' Then I came to him again and he said: 'Stick
to fasting."' [Imam Ahmad, Imam Nasa'i, and Imam Hakim].
Sahl ibn Sa'd reported that the Messenger of Allah (saw): "There is a gate to
Paradise that is called ar-Rayyan. On the Day of Resurrection it will say:
'Where are those who fasted?' When the last [one] has passed through the gate,
it will be locked." [Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim].
He who is amongst those who pray will be called from the gate of the prayer (in
Paradise) and he who is from the people of Jihad will be called from the gate of
Jihad, and he who is from those' who give in charity (i.e. Zakat) will be called
from the gate of charity, and he who is amongst those who observe fast will be
called from the gate of fasting, the gate of Raiyan." Abu Bakr said, "He who is
called from all those gates will need nothing," He added, "Will anyone be called
from all those gates, O Allah's Apostle?" He said, "Yes, and I hope you will be
among those, O Abu Bakr." [Imam Bukhari]
Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said : "The time between
the five prayers, two consecutive Friday Prayers, and two consecutive Ramadans
are expiations for all that has happened during that period, provided that one
has avoided the grave (major) sins." [Imam Muslim]
In another hadith, the Messenger of Allah (saw) says, "Ramadan has come to you.
(It is) a month of blessing, in which Allah covers you with blessing, for He
sends down Mercy, decreases sins and answers prayers. In it, Allah looks at your
competition (in good deeds), and boasts about you to His angels. So show Allah
goodness from yourselves, for the unfortunate one is he who is deprived in (this
month) of the mercy of Allah, the Mighty, the Exalted." [ImamTabarani]
Abu Umaamah r.a.a. said: I said: 'O Messenger of Allah (saw), tell me of an
action by which I may enter Paradise'. He said: 'Take to Fasting, there is
nothing like it.' [Imam Nasai’, Ibn Hibbaan, Al-Haakim, Saheeh]
Every action of the son of Adam is given manifold reward, each good deed
receiving then times its like, up to seven hundred times. Allah the Most High
said, 'Except for fasting, for it is for Me and I will give recompense for it,
he leaves off his desires and his food for Me.' for the fasting person there are
two times of joy; a time when he breaks his fast and a time of joy when he meets
his Lord, and the smell coming from the mouth of the fasting person is better
with Allah than the smell of musk." [Imam Bukhari]
"Fasting is a shield with which a servant protects himself from the Fire." [Imam
Ahmad, Saheeh]
On the Day of Judgement, "Fasting will say: O My Lord I prevented him from food
and desires so accept my intercession for him." [Imam Ahmad, Imam Haakim and Abu
Nu'aim, Hasan]
There are in the month of Ramadhan in every day and night those to whom Allah
grants freedom from the Fire, and there is for every Muslim an supplication
which he can make and will be granted." [al-Bazzaar, Ahmad, Saheeh]
The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: He who gives food for a fasting person to
break his fast, he will receive the same reward as him, except that nothing will
be reduced from the fasting persons reward." [Ahmad, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah,
Ibn Hibbaan, Saheeh].