Abū Hurayrah (radiyallahu ‘anhu) narrated that Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ said:

رُبَّ صَائِمٍ حَظُّهُ مِنْ صِيَامِهِ الْجُوعُ وَالْعَطَشُ، وَرُبَّ قَائِمٍ حَظُّهُ مِنْ قِيَامِهِ السَّهَرُ

“Perhaps a fasting person will receive nothing from his fasting except hunger and thirst. Perhaps a person performing the night prayer will receive nothing from his prayer except sleeplessness.”

[Sunan Ibn Mājah (no. 1690), Albānī: Ḥasan Ṣaḥīḥ]

‘Allāmah Muḥammad ibn Ismā’īl al-Ṣan‘ānī  (rahimahullah):

This hadith is regarding an individual who fasts without a sincere intention for Allāh or fasts sincerely but does not abstain from false statements, lies, slander, backbiting and other forbidden acts. Such a person will only obtain hunger and thirst from his fast and will not receive any reward from Allāh.

Source: Al-Tanwīr Sharḥ al-Jāmi‘ al-Ṣaghīr (6/224)

Originally published: 28 April 2021