In another tradition from Imam 'Ali (a.

In another tradition from Imam 'Ali (a.s) we read that some companions asked the Noble Prophet (s.a.w): “What should we do to keep the Satan away from us?” He (s.a.w) replied: “Fasting blackens the face of the Satan; charity in the way of Allah breaks his back; befriending someone for the sake of Allah and persevering in performing good deeds cuts his roots and seeking forgiveness severs the vein of his heart.” In Nahjul Balagha, while explaining the philosophy of the various acts of worship, the Commander of the Faithful (a.s), says regarding fasting: وَ الصِّيَامَ ابْتِلاَءً لِإِخْلاَصِ الْخَلْقِ.

“Allah ordered the observance of fasts for fostering (the attribute of) sincerity within the people).”[^3] In another tradition of the Noble Prophet (s.a.w), we read: إِنَّ لِلْجَنَّةِ بَاباً يُدْعَى الرَّيَّانَ لاَ يَدْخُلُ مِنْهُ إِلاَّ الصَّائِمُونَ.

“Paradise has a door by the name of 'Rayyan' (the sated one) and none shall enter Paradise through it except those who fast.” The late Sheikh Saduq, explaining this tradition in his book Ma'ani al-Akhbar, says: “The reason for selecting this particular name for this door of Paradise is that the maximum inconvenience suffered by people who fast is caused by thirst; when they pass through this door, they shall be quenched in a manner that they shall never experience any thirst ever again.”[^4] The Social Effects of Fasting The social effects of fasts are evident.

Fasts impart the message of equality amongst the individuals of the society. By acting upon this religious obligation the affluent ones not only get first hand experience of the hunger of the hungry and the impoverished ones of society, but economizing on their daily food also serves to benefit them.

Yes, it is possible to draw the attention of the affluent ones towards the state of the hungry and the deprived ones by describing their conditions to them, but if this aspect were to be experienced physically, the effects would be all the more noticeable. The fasts provide a personal experience to this important social issue. It is for this reason that it has been narrated that when Hisham b.

Hakam sought to know the reason for the legislation of fasting, Imam as-sadiq (a.s) replied: “Fasting has been made obligatory in order to establish equality between the rich and the poor; the rich experience the pangs of hunger and thus fulfil their obligations with respect to the poor.

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