بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

الْحَمْدُ للهِ الَّذِي أَعْظَمَ عَلَى عِبَادِهِ الْمِنَّةَ بِمَا دَفَعَ عَنْهُمْ كَيْدَ الشَّيْطَانِ وَفَنَّهُ وَرَدَّ أَمَلَهُ وَخَيَّبَ ظَنَّهُ إِذْ جَعَلَ الصَّوْمَ

Praise be to Allah, who bestowed great favor upon His servants by warding off the guile and deceit of Satan from them, and by frustrating his hopes and disappointing his expectations when He made fasting

حِصْنًا لِأَوْلِيَائِهِ وَجُنَّةً وَفَتَحَ لَهُمْ بِهِ أَبْوَابَ الْجَنَّةِ وَعَرَّفَهُمْ أَنَّ وَسِيلَةَ الشَّيْطَانِ إِلَى قُلُوبِهِمُ الشَّهَوَاتُ

a fortress and a shield for His allies, and through it, He opened the gates of Paradise for them, and let them know that Satan’s means to their hearts are the desires

الْمُسْتَكِنَّةُ وَإِنَّ بِقَمْعِهَا تُصْبِحُ النَّفْسُ الْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ ظَاهِرَةَ الشَّوْكَةِ فِي قَصْمِ خَصْمِهَا قَوِيَّةَ

that lie hidden, and that by suppressing them, the tranquil soul becomes powerful and formidable in crushing its adversary, and strong

الْمِنَّةِ وَالصَّلَاةُ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ قَائِدِ الْخَلْقِ وَمُمَهِّدِ السُّنَّةِ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَأَصْحَابِهِ ذَوِي الْأَبْصَارِ الثَّاقِبَةِ

in favor. And prayers be upon Muhammad, the leader of creation and the establisher of the Sunnah, and upon his family and companions, those of keen insight

وَالْعُقُولِ الْمُرَجَّحَةِ وَسَلَّمَ تَسْلِيمًا كَثِيرًا أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنَّ الصَّوْمَ رُبْعُ الْإِيمَانِ بِمُقْتَضَى قَوْلِهِ صَلَّى

and sound intellects, and may he be granted abundant peace. To proceed: fasting is one-quarter of faith in accordance with his saying, may Allah bless him

اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الصَّوْمُ نِصْفُ الصَّبْرِ وَبِمُقْتَضَى قَوْلِهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الصَّبْرُ نِصْفُ الْإِيمَانِ

and grant him peace: 'Fasting is half of patience,' and in accordance with his saying, may Allah bless him and grant him peace: 'Patience is half of faith.'

ثُمَّ هُوَ مُتَمَيِّزٌ بِخَاصِّيَّةِ النِّسْبَةِ إِلَى اللهِ تَعَالَى مِنْ بَيْنِ سَائِرِ الْأَرْكَانِ إِذْ قَالَ اللهُ تَعَالَى فِيمَا

Furthermore, it is distinguished by the unique attribution to Allah the Almighty among all the other pillars, for Allah the Almighty said, as

حَكَاهُ عَنْهُ نَبِيُّهُ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كُلُّ حَسَنَةٍ بِعَشْرِ أَمْثَالِهَا إِلَى سَبْعِمِائَةِ ضِعْفٍ إِلَّا الصِّيَامَ

narrated from Him by His Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace: 'Every good deed is multiplied tenfold up to seven hundred times, except for fasting,

فَإِنَّهُ لِي وَأَنَا أَجْزِي بِهِ وَقَدْ قَالَ اللهُ تَعَالَى (إِنَّمَا يُوَفَّى الصَّابِرُونَ أَجْرَهُمْ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ) وَالصَّوْمُ

for it is Mine, and I shall reward for it.' And Allah the Almighty has said: '(Only those who are patient shall be given their reward in full without account).' And fasting