worldly betterment, but these great personages think about the grave, Day of Judgement and the Hereafter. For us, life is colourless without worldly luxury and wealth and for those pious people life is colourless without Salahs, fasts and other acts of worship.

Sayyiduna Abu Darda رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ used to say: If there were not three things, I would prefer death. It was humbly asked: What are those three things? He replied: To perform Sajdahs before Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ day and night, to remain thirsty in very hot days (i.e. to observe fast) and to sit in the gatherings of those who speak good things as nicely as we choose nice fruit.

(Az-Zuhd-ul-Kabeer, pp. 324, Hadees 870)

Sayyiduna ‘Ali-ul-Murtada کَـرَّمَ الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَـالٰی وَجۡـھَـهُ الۡـکَـرِیۡم has said: I like three things in the world: (1) ‘اَلضَّرْبُ بِالسَّیْفِ’ i.e. to perform Jihad with the sword (2) ‘اَلصَّوْمُ بِالصَّیْفِ’, to observe fast in summer and (3) ‘اِکْرَامُ الضَّیْفِ’, to extend hospitality to a guest.

(Ruh-ul-Bayan, vol. 62, pp. 264)

صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب       صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد

Let’s listen to more virtues and rewards for fasts.

Gift for fasting in summer

Faqih Abul Lays Samarqandi رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه has said: On the Day of Judgement people will be raised hungry and thirsty from their graves, the person who observed Nafl fast in the hot days of summer, for him, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ will send Heavenly food and drinks; his fast will come and will give him a goblet full of water keeping people away from Hawd (pond).

(Qurra-tul-‘Uyoon, pp. 396, Raqm 202)