Chapter on the Reason for the Obligation of Fasting

إِنَّمَا فَرَضَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ الصِّيَامَ لِيَسْتَوِيَ بِهِ الْغَنِيُّ وَ الْفَقِيرُ وَ ذَلِكَ أَنَّ الْغَنِيَّ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِيَجِدَ مَسَّ الْجُوعِ فَيَرْحَمَ الْفَقِيرَ لِأَنَّ الْغَنِيَّ كُلَّمَا أَرَادَ شَيْئاً قَدَرَ عَلَيْهِ فَأَرَادَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَنْ يُسَوِّيَ بَيْنَ خَلْقِهِ وَ أَنْ يُذِيقَ الْغَنِيَّ مَسَّ الْجُوعِ وَ الْأَلَمِ لِيَرِقَّ عَلَى الضَّعِيفِ فَيَرْحَمَ الْجَائِعَ.

Hadith.1766 - Hisham ibn al-Hakam asked Abu Abdullah Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) about the reason for fasting. Imam (as) said: "Allah (swt), the Almighty, prescribed fasting so that the rich and the poor may become equal. This is because the rich would not experience the pain of hunger to have mercy on the po

وَ كَتَبَ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُوسَى الرِّضَا ع إِلَى مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ فِيمَا كَتَبَ مِنْ جَوَابِ مَسَائِلِهِ‌ عِلَّةُ الصَّوْمِ لِعِرْفَانِ مَسِّ الْجُوعِ وَ الْعَطَشِ لِيَكُونَ ذَلِيلًا مُسْتَكِيناً مَأْجُوراً مُحْتَسِباً صَابِراً وَ يَكُونَ ذَلِكَ دَلِيلًا لَهُ عَلَى شَدَائِدِ الْآخِرَةِ مَعَ مَا فِيهِ مِنَ الِانْكِسَارِ لَهُ عَنِ الشَّهَوَاتِ وَاعِظاً لَهُ فِي الْعَاجِلِ دَلِيلًا عَلَى الْآجِلِ لِي

Hadith.1767 - Abu al-Hasan Imam Ali ibn Musa al-Ridha (as) wrote to Muhammad ibn Sinan in response to his questions: "The reason for fasting is to understand the feeling of hunger and thirst, so that one becomes humble, submissive, rewarded, mindful, and patient. It serves as a reminder of the hardships of the Hereafte

وَ كَتَبَ حَمْزَةُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ إِلَى أَبِي مُحَمَّدٍ ع‌ لِمَ فَرَضَ اللَّهُ الصَّوْمَ فَوَرَدَ فِي الْجَوَابِ لِيَجِدَ الْغَنِيُّ مَسَّ الْجُوعِ فَيَمُنَّ عَلَى الْفَقِيرِ[3].

Hadith.1768 - Hamza ibn Muhammad wrote to Abu Muhammad (as) asking: "Why did Allah (swt) make fasting obligatory?" The response came (from Imam (as)): "So that the rich may feel the pain of hunger and thus show generosity to the poor."

جَاءَ نَفَرٌ مِنَ‌ الْيَهُودِ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص فَسَأَلَهُ أَعْلَمُهُمْ عَنْ مَسَائِلَ فَكَانَ فِيمَا سَأَلَهُ أَنَّهُ قَالَ لَهُ لِأَيِّ شَيْ‌ءٍ فَرَضَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ الصَّوْمَ عَلَى أُمَّتِكَ بِالنَّهَارِ ثَلَاثِينَ يَوْماً وَ فَرَضَ اللَّهُ عَلَى الْأُمَمِ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ص إِنَّ آدَمَ ع لَمَّا أَكَلَ مِنَ الشَّجَرَةِ بَقِيَ فِي بَطْنِهِ ثَلَاثِينَ يَوْماً فَفَرَضَ اللَّهُ عَل

Hadith.1769 - It is narrated from Imam al-Hasan ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib (as) that he said: "A group of Jews came to the Messenger of Allah (swt) (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), and the most learned among them asked him about certain matters. Among the questions he asked was: 'Why did Allah (swt), the Al