Abu Umaamah, may Allah be pleased with him, said that he went to the Messenger of Allah and said to him, “Order me to do something that I take from you.” The Prophet said: “Observe fasting, for there is nothing like it (i.e. in reward).” [An-Nasaa’i]=
In another narration, Abu Umaamah, may Allah be pleased with him, said that he went to the Messenger of Allah and said to him, “Order me to do something that I may take from you.” The Prophet said: “Observe fasting, for it has no equivalent.” [An-Nasaa’i]
In another narration, Abu Umaamah, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “O Messenger of Allah, order me to do a deed that leads me to Paradise.” The Prophet replied: “Observe fasting, for it has no match.” The narrator of this incident said that after that, no smoke (from cooking fire) was ever seen during the day in the house of Abu Umaamah and if it was seen, people would be certain that he had guests.[Ibn Hibbaan]
In another narration, Abu Umaamah, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “O Messenger of Allah, command me to do a (good) deed.” The Messenger of Allah said: “Observe fasting for it has no equivalent.” It was said that later neither Abu Umaamah, nor his wife or servant were seen except that they would be fasting. If smoke (of fire for cooking) was noticed during the day in the house of Abu Umaamah, people would be certain that he had guests. He added, “I kept on observing fasting for as long as Allah willed. Then, I went to him and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, you ordered us to fast and I hope that Allah has blessed it for us (i.e. accepted it and rewarded us for it). O Messenger of Allah, order me to do another deed.’He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi was sallam, replied: ‘Know that you do not perform a single prostration to Allah except that He raises you a degree with it and removes a sin because of it.’”[An-Nasaa’i, Ahmad] [ Ibn Khuzaymah, Ibn Hibbaan and Al-Haakim: Saheeh (Authentic)]
Benefits and rulings:
First: The keenness of the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, to ask about whatever would benefit them in the Hereafter.
Second: Fasting is one of the best deeds. It is narrated in another Hadeeth, “Know that prayer is the best of your deeds.” It appears that the best deed varies according to personality. Fasting may be the best deed for some people because it would deter them from being captivated by unlawful desires and purify their hearts for the worship of Allah. Prayer may be the best deed for others whose bodies cannot endure fasting or for whom fasting causes them to be too weak to perform other duties. Ibn Al-Qayyim said, “Fasting is better for those who have strong sexual desire.”
Third: Fasting diminishes desires that are the cause of sinning and aversion from obedience. A young man who cannot afford to marry and fears falling into unlawful acts is ordered to fast. Therefore, fasting is matchless and has no equivalent in this regard.
Fourth: The submission of Abu Umaamah and his family, may Allah be pleased with them, to the order of the Prophet of fasting. This indicates the readiness of the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, to submit and apply the orders of the Sharee’ah.
Fifth: The permissibility of entertaining guests, and one aspect of such entertainment is to abandon voluntary fasting in order to entertain them.