صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب                 صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلٰى مُحَمَّد

Fasting in the summer

Dear Islamic brothers, just as Amīr al-Muʾminīn Sayyidunā Abū Bakr Ṣiddīq رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ would worship in abundance, he would also observe many fasts. It is narrated that he would observe (nafl) fasts in summer and leave them in winter.^[1] Certainly, it was the passion of Sayyidunā Abū Bakr Ṣiddīq رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ towards worship that caused him to cry whilst reciting the Quran and caused him to observe voluntary fasts in the heat of summer in addition to the obligatory fasts.

However, if we were to ponder upon our state today, we display laziness in observing obligatory fasts during the winter, even though the days are usually short, the nights are long during winter months, and one does not feel thirsty in the day. On the other hand, the days are very long and the nights are very short during summer, and one feels intense thirst.

The heat of this world is nothing in comparison to the heat of the Hereafter, for when the Day of Judgement takes place, the sun will only be one and a quarter miles away and will give off immense heat. Due to intense thirst, people’s tongues will hang out, they will be submerged in their own sweat, and we will be unable to bear the heat at that time. Therefore, we should strive to perform good deeds in the world for the sake of Allah. 

Strive to earn the pleasure of Allah and His Messenger صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, and in order to receive the shade of the ʿArsh on the Day of Judgement through the mercy of Allah, we must perform an abundance of good deeds in the world today. In order to gain this religious mindset, we should remain associated with the religious environment of Dawat-e-