The Worship Allah Claimed for Himself

DAILYREFLECTION

Allah, in His mercy, did not give us only one way to show love and obedience. He knew we get tired, so He opened many doors. Prayer, charity, dhikr, service to others. When one door feels heavy, another may feel light.

Among all of these, fasting is described in a very special way.

In a famous hadith, the Prophet ﷺ tells us that Allah rewards the actions of the children of Adam from ten times up to seven hundred times. Every prayer, every sadaqah, every good deed is multiplied.

Then comes a different sentence.

“Except for fasting. It is for Me, and I Myself reward it.”

Fasting is singled out. Allah does not say this about any other act of worship. He calls the Ka‘bah His House, but He calls fasting His worship.

Why

Most of our worship is doing. We stand and recite. We walk in tawaf. We give money. We speak kind words. These are all actions.

Fasting is the opposite. It is a sacred non action. You could eat, but you do not. You could drink, but you do not. You could follow desire, but you hold back, and you do it only because Allah sees you.

The believer leaves food, drink, and desire purely for His sake. That empty space in the day, that hunger and thirst, quietly imitates something of the divine attribute. Allah is absolutely independent. We are completely in need. In fasting we remember our need by feeling it, and we remember His independence by choosing Him over our urges.

Every time your stomach tightens in a fast, you can quietly intend, “Ya Allah, this is for You.” The world might not notice. Allah always does.

REFLECT ON THIS:

When hunger or thirst rises during your next fast, what intention do you want to place in that moment so it becomes an offering to Allah rather than an irritation to endure?

^{Share your reflections in the poll at the end of the email.}

WATERMELONWATCH

• Israeli strikes intensified overnight in northern Gaza according to Al Jazeera, displacing more families toward makeshift shelters. Aid workers say that despite dwindling supplies, volunteers continue organizing small community kitchens to ensure children receive at least one warm meal a day.

• UNRWA teams report rising cases of dehydration and respiratory illness in crowded shelters, especially among infants. Still, mobile medical caravans run by local nurses are treating dozens daily, a sign of extraordinary resilience amid collapsing health systems.

• Ceasefire discussions resumed in Cairo, with mediators urging both sides to expand humanitarian corridors. Activists from around the world are organizing digital campaigns that have already raised funds for winter blankets and hygiene kits.

• OCHA updates warn that fuel shortages continue to hinder hospital generators. Yet solar-powered microgrids installed earlier by NGOs have kept a few neonatal units operational, protecting some of Gaza’s most vulnerable infants.

• BBC reports growing concern over food scarcity as commercial trucks remain restricted. In response, grassroots farmers in southern Gaza are working together to revive small plots of land, hoping to create community-grown produce for displaced families.

QURANCORNER

Idhā (إِذَا) — When (in the future)

Idhā signals a moment not yet here but certain. When the earth quakes… When the trumpet is blown… When the help of Allah comes… It marks the turning points, the signs that awaken, the events that shake, the promises that unfold. Idhā reminds us that some days arrive quietly, and others split history in two. And when Idhā comes… the truth will no longer hide.