The Hadith: A Promise of Protection

This profound statement comes from Sahih Muslim, where the Prophet ﷺ said:

مَنْ صَامَ يَوْمًا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ بَعَّدَ اللَّهُ وَجْهَهُ عَنِ النَّارِ سَبْعِينَ خَرِيفًا

“Whoever fasts one day for the sake of Allah, Allah will keep his face away from the Fire for seventy years.” (Sahih Muslim 1153)

This hadith encapsulates the mercy of Allah and the immense reward tied to sincerity. The phrase “in the way of Allah” (fī sabīl Allāh) has been interpreted by scholars as fasting purely for Allah’s pleasure, free of ostentation, habit, or worldly intent. It includes not only fasting in battle or service of Islam but every fast done sincerely for His sake.

The distance mentioned, seventy years away from the Fire, represents complete safety and distance from punishment. Imam an-Nawawī, in his commentary on Sahih Muslim, explains that this expression signifies the immense mercy and magnitude of Allah’s reward for the fasting person. A single day can shield a believer from decades of distance from Hellfire, a symbolic measure of protection beyond human comprehension.

Understanding the Meaning of the Hadith

At first glance, one might think: how can a single day of fasting carry such enormous reward? Imam Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqalānī, in Fath al-Bārī, notes that the secret lies in the purity of intention and the nature of fasting itself. Unlike other acts of worship that can be outwardly displayed, fasting is hidden, known only between the servant and his Lord. This secrecy elevates its sincerity and multiplies its reward.

The Prophet ﷺ also said in a hadith qudsi recorded by both al-Bukhārī and Muslim:

“All the deeds of the son of Adam are for him except fasting; it is for Me, and I shall reward it.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 1904)(Sahih Muslim 1151)

Allah attributes fasting directly to Himself. Scholars like Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn al-Qayyim remarked that this means fasting contains no trace of showing off, it’s purely for Allah. When a believer restrains his desires, curbs his appetite, and endures thirst out of love for Allah, he’s practising one of the most profound forms of devotion.

That’s why this hadith isn’t simply a description of distance but of divine protection. Fasting builds a spiritual wall between the believer and sin. When the heart is purified through restraint, the whispers of Shayṭān weaken, and the Fire’s pull is diminished.

Qur’anic Support for the Virtue of Fasting

The Qur’an frequently highlights fasting as a means of attaining taqwā, God-consciousness. In Quran, Allah says:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ

“O you who believe, fasting has been prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become righteous.”

(Surah al-Baqarah 2:183)

This verse reveals fasting’s purpose, not merely hunger or thirst, but purification of the heart. The one who fasts gains discipline, humility, and remembrance of Allah. Each pang of hunger reminds him of his dependence on the Creator, and every withheld desire strengthens his patience.

Elsewhere, Allah connects fasting directly with forgiveness and salvation from the Fire. In Quran, He says:

وَسَارِعُوا إِلَىٰ مَغْفِرَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا السَّمَاوَاتُ وَالْأَرْضُ أُعِدَّتْ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ * الَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ فِي السَّرَّاءِ وَالضَّرَّاءِ وَالْكَاظِمِينَ الْغَيْظَ وَالْعَافِينَ عَنِ النَّاسِ وَاللَّهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ

“And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and a Garden as wide as the heavens and the earth, prepared for the righteous, those who spend in prosperity and adversity, who restrain anger and pardon people and Allah loves the doers of good.”

(Surah Āl-‘Imrān 3:133-134)

The people of taqwā, those trained through fasting, are the very ones promised Paradise. By controlling the self and curbing anger, the fasting person walks the path to divine mercy and away from the Fire.

The Spiritual Dimension of Fasting

Fasting isn’t just about abstention; it’s about transformation. The Prophet ﷺ described fasting as a shield:

“Fasting is a shield, so when one of you is fasting, he should not use foul language or behave ignorantly. If someone fights or insults him, let him say: ‘I am fasting.’” (Sahih al-Bukhari 1894) (Sahih Muslim 1151)

This shield protects from sin in this life and from Hellfire in the next. Shayṭān, whose whispers circulate through the blood of the son of Ādam, finds his influence weakened during fasting. Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله explains that fasting “narrows the passageways through which Shayṭān flows,” hence reducing his power over the believer (Majmū‘ al-Fatāwā 25/246).

When the body is weakened by hunger, the soul strengthens. Fasting quiets the ego, that restless self always seeking pleasure and allows the heart to listen again. The result? Clarity, calmness, and closeness to Allah. As the Prophet ﷺ said in another hadith recorded by Muslim:

“In Paradise there is a gate called ar-Rayyān. Those who fast will enter through it, and none but they shall enter.” (Sahih Muslim 1152)

The one who fasts not only escapes the Fire but is given an exclusive entrance to Paradise. What greater honour could there be?

Scholarly Explanations and Reflections

Classical scholars expanded beautifully on this hadith. Imam an-Nawawī wrote that the expression “seventy years” isn’t an exact numeric limitation but a figure representing an immense, immeasurable distance, a way of expressing how far Allah keeps His servant from punishment.

Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqalānī observed that fasting’s protection stems from both physical and spiritual restraint. The body weakens and thus commits fewer sins, while the heart becomes humbled and more aware of Allah’s presence. The fasting person, he said, “draws near to Allah through abstaining from what his nature inclines to.”

Meanwhile, Ibn al-Qayyim emphasised that fasting disciplines the heart and purifies it from arrogance and self-worship. Hunger reveals dependency, a reminder that every morsel is a gift. When the believer realises this, gratitude replaces pride, and his heart becomes illuminated with submission.

All three scholars point to one central truth: fasting isn’t punishment, it’s refinement. It strips away the distractions of the body so the soul can rise unburdened.

Fasting as a Means of Purification

Every act of worship in Islam purifies something, prayer purifies the limbs, charity purifies wealth, and fasting purifies the soul. Through fasting, a believer cleanses his inner self from arrogance, impatience, and indulgence. When the body is deprived, the heart becomes illuminated. It’s almost paradoxical, the less one consumes, the more one receives spiritually.

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Whoever fasts Ramadan out of faith and seeking reward, his past sins will be forgiven.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 38) (Sahih Muslim 760)

This purification isn’t limited to Ramadan. Every voluntary fast, whether on Mondays and Thursdays or the three white day, renews the soul’s connection with Allah. Ibn al-Qayyim beautifully described fasting as “a means of attaining the nourishment of the heart while the body experiences hunger.”

He explained that fasting is a dual act, it weakens the desire that leads to sin while strengthening the light of faith. It’s no coincidence that the Prophet ﷺ said to young men struggling with temptation:

“O young men, whoever among you can afford marriage, let him marry; but whoever cannot, let him fast, for it will be a shield for him.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 5066) (Sahih Muslim 1400)

Here, fasting doesn’t just control physical impulses, it reshapes one’s inner state. It reminds a person that the soul, not the body, is meant to lead. This self-mastery is the essence of taqwā.

Reflection: Fasting as a Sign of Sincerity

One of the most remarkable aspects of fasting is that it’s invisible. Nobody can truly know if someone is fasting except Allah. You could eat or drink in secret, and no one would know. But when you refrain purely out of obedience, that is ikhlāṣ, true sincerity.

This sincerity is why fasting is tied so directly to Allah’s reward and protection. The believer who fasts without show or complaint lives a day entirely for his Creator. That’s why the Prophet ﷺ said:

“There are two joys for the fasting person: one when he breaks his fast, and one when he meets his Lord.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 1904) (Sahih Muslim 1151)

That second joy, the meeting with Allah, is the moment the promise of seventy years’ distance from the Fire is fulfilled. Fasting is a quiet struggle, but it’s also a loud statement of faith. Each fast declares: “My Lord matters more than my comfort.”

As Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali wrote, “The fasting person’s hunger in the day becomes his sweetness in the Hereafter.” When he stands before Allah, he will find every pang of hunger transformed into mercy, every moment of restraint into reward.

So, the next time you fast, whether in Ramadan or voluntarily, remember this: that single day might be the one Allah uses to save you from the Fire entirely.

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