It is stated in hadiths that one of the ways of being protected from Satan is to perform fasting. Will you explain how fasting prevents Satan?

Dear Brother / Sister,

Fasting is an important type of worship. Since fasting is a “shield or barrier”(1) against lust, sins and some urges of the soul, it helps man increase his willpower against Satan. The Prophet (pbuh) states that the activities of Satan are restricted on the Night of Power (Laylatul-Qadr) and they are not allowed to spoil people (2) and that Satan gets furious in humiliation since Allah forgives sins on the day of Arafah and sends His mercy down to the world.(3)

The Prophet (pbuh) states the following:

“When it is the month of Ramadan, the gates of Paradise are opened, the gates of Hell are locked and the devils are chained.”(4)

According to the hadiths mentioned above, the evil and ferocious devils are chained in the month of Ramadan. Therefore, devils can harm believers in Ramadan less than other months and days.  

If we take into consideration the fasting performed by believers, the Quran read, the supplications made, tarawih and other nafilah prayers performed by them in the month of Ramadan, it is clearly seen that devils are chained in this month.  

Footnotes:

(1) Bukhari, Sawm, 2, 9.
(2) Ahmad bin Hanbal, Musnad, V, 324.
(3) Imam Malik, Muwatta, Hajj, 81/245.
(4) Bukhari, Sawm, 425; IV/312; V/411.

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