Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books A Short Treatise on The Divine Invitation The Most Specific Fast The highest level of fasting is to disengage oneself from other than Allāh (SwT). Every thought, speech, action, etc. is solely for Allāh (SwT). The fasting one in this level ensures that not only does he observe the first two levels of fasting, but protects his heart from other than Allāh (SwT).
Perhaps this noble dictum of Imām al-Sādiq (‘a) refers to this very station: أَلْقَلْبُ حَرَمُ اللٌّهِ، فَلاََ تُسْكِنْ فِي حَرَمِ اللٌّهِ غَيْرَ اللٌّهِ. “The heart is the sanctuary of Allāh; therefore do not make other than Allāh reside in the sanctuary of Allāh.[^1]” The result of such a fast is ‘the Paradise of Divine Encounter’[^2] ( Jannat al-Liqā’ ).
If we ponder over the supplications of the Holy month of Ramadān and try to understand what kind of reception and banquet we can anticipate, we would realize that it is this level of fasting that we must struggle to attain. Imām Khumaynī in one of his sermons to the seminarians in Najaf al-Ashraf says: وأَنِرْ أَبْصَارَ قُلُوْبِنَا بِضِيَاءِ نَظَرِهَا إِلَيْكَ، حَتّى تَخْرِقَ أَبْصَارُ الْقُلُوبِ حُجُبَ النُّورِ فَتَصِلَ إِلـى مَعْدَنِ الْعَظَمَة. ضيافة اللّه همان «معدن عظمت» است.
خداوند تبارك و تعالى براي ورود به معدن نور و عظمت از بندگانش دعوت فرموده است. “And enlighten the eyes of our hearts with the light of Your vision, until the vision of the hearts tears through the curtains of light and reaches the Source of Greatness ( ma’din al-’azamah ).’[^3] The banquet of Allāh (SwT) is that very “source of greatness.” God, the Blessed and Exalted, has invited His servants to enter the source of light and greatness.”[^4] He also says: و جزاي چنين روزهاي خداست چنانكه فرموده است: أَلصَّوْمُ لِي وأَنَا أَجْزِي بِهِ.
چيز ديگر نمي تواند پاداش چنين روزهاي باشد. جنات نعيم در مقابل روزه او بىارزش بوده نمي تواند پاداش آن به حساب آيد. ولى اگر بنا باشد كه انسان به اسم روزه دهان را از مطعومات ببندد و به غيبت مردم باز كند و شبهاي ماه مبارک رمضان، كه مجالس شب نشينى گرم و داير بوده وقت و فرصت بيشتری است، با غيبت، تهمت و اهانت به مسلمانان به سحر انجامد، چيزي عايد او نمي شود و اثري بر آن مترتب نمیگردد.
“ The reward of such a fast is God , as He has stated: “The fast is for Me and I am its reward.”[^5] Nothing else could be the reward of such a fast. The Gardens of Blessings would not count as a worthy reward for such a fast.