This Hadith is mentioned in Sahih Muslim (Book 13: The Book of Fasting / كتاب الصيام / Chapter 31: The Virtue of Fasting for in the cause of Allah, for those who are able to without suffering any harm or neglecting other duties / باب فَضْلِ الصِّيَامِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ لِمَنْ يُطِيقُهُ بِلاَ ضَرَرٍ وَلاَ تَفْوِيتِ حَقٍّ / as Hadith 1153a, given herein under:
Abu Sa'id al Khudri (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:
Every servant of Allah who observes fast for a day in the way of Allah, Allah would remove, because of this day, his face farther from the Fire (of Hell) to the extent of seventy years' distance.
Arabic Text:
وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رُمْحِ بْنِ الْمُهَاجِرِ، أَخْبَرَنِي اللَّيْثُ، عَنِ ابْنِ الْهَادِ، عَنْ سُهَيْلِ بْنِ، أَبِي صَالِحٍ عَنِ النُّعْمَانِ بْنِ أَبِي عَيَّاشٍ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ، - رضى الله عنه - قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَا مِنْ عَبْدٍ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ إِلاَّ بَاعَدَ اللَّهُ بِذَلِكَ الْيَوْمِ وَجْهَهُ عَنِ النَّارِ سَبْعِينَ خَرِيفًا " .
This hadith underscores the immense reward and mercy Allah grants to those who fast sincerely in His way.
Explanation of the Hadith:
- Fasting for the Sake of Allah: The key phrase here is "in the way of Allah." Fasting with sincerity for the sake of Allah—meaning with the intention of obeying Him and seeking His pleasure—brings a great reward. It’s not just about abstaining from food or drink; it is a complete act of devotion, including avoiding sinful actions and focusing on worship.
- Distance from Hellfire: The hadith mentions that for every day a person fasts, Allah will remove their face from the Fire of Hell by a distance of seventy years. This metaphorical distance illustrates the immense protection and reward Allah grants to those who fast sincerely in His way. It emphasizes that fasting is not just a temporary spiritual exercise but something that can have long-lasting, eternal effects—protecting the person from the torment of Hell.
- Seventy Years: The number seventy years in the hadith is a symbolic representation of a very long distance. It demonstrates the significance of fasting as an act of worship and its impact on a person’s eternal fate. The specific number may not be literal, but it conveys that the reward for fasting is immense.
This hadith reinforces the idea that fasting is not just about abstaining from food and drink but is a deeply spiritual act of devotion that brings immense protection from Hellfire. It purifies the soul, increases righteousness (taqwa), and aligns the believer with Allah’s mercy. By fasting sincerely for the sake of Allah, a person can hope for Allah’s immense reward—distancing them from the punishment of the Hellfire, as emphasized in both the Qur'an and the hadith.
May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door.
وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ
(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”
That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.
May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.
Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.
Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.
Please refer to our reference page: Collection of Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ about Saum - Fasting in Ramadan for more Hadiths on the subject
Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references as given above. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors. If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.
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