1] The punishment for breaking the fast in Ramadaan with no excuse

1]
I do not fast. Will I be punished on the Day of Resurrection?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Fasting in Ramadaan is one of the pillars on which Islam is built.
Allaah tells us that He has prescribed it for the believers of this
ummah [nation], as He prescribed it for those who came before them.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"O you who believe! Observing As-Sawm (the fasting) is prescribed for
you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become
Al-Muttaqoon (the pious"
[al-Baqarah 2:183]
"The month of Ramadan in which was revealed theQur'aan, a guidance for
mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between
right and wrong). So whoever of you sights (the crescenton the first
night of) the month (of Ramadan i.e. is present at his home), he must
observe Sawm (fasts) that month, and whoever is ill or on a journey,
the same number[of days which one did not observe Sawm (fasts) must be
made up] from other days. Allaah intends for you ease, and He does not
want to make things difficult for you. (He wantsthat you) must
complete the same number (of days), and that you must magnify Allaah
[i.e. to say Takbeer (Allaahu Akbar: Allaah is the Most Great)] for
having guided you so that you may be grateful to Him"
[al-Baqarah 2:185]
Al-Bukhaari (8) and Muslim (16) narrated that Ibn 'Umar (may Allaah be
pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) said: "Islam is built on five (pillars): the
testimony that there is no god but Allaah and Muhammad is the
Messenger of Allaah; establishing prayer; paying zakaah; Hajj; and
fasting Ramadaan."
Whoever does not fast has abandoned one of thepillars of Islam, and is
committing a grave majorsin. Indeed some of the salaf were of the view
that he is a kaafir [disbeliever] and apostate– we seek refuge with
Allaah from that.
Abu Ya'la narrated in his Musnad from Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allaah be
pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: "The bonds of Islam and the bases of religion are
three, on which Islam was founded. Whoever gives up one of them
becomes a kaafir thereby and it is permissible to shed his blood: the
testimony that there is nogod but Allaah, the prescribed prayers and
fasting Ramadaan."
This hadeeth was classed as saheeh by al-Dhahabi, and as hasan by
al-Haythami in Majma' al-Zawaa'id, 1/48, and by al-Mundhiri in
al-Targheeb wa'l-Tarheeb,no. 805, 1486. Classed as da'eef by
al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Da'eefah, no. 94.
Al-Dhahabi said in al-Kabaa'ir, p. 64.
Whoever does not fast in Ramadaan without being sick or having any
other excuse that allows him not to fast is more evil than the
adulterer or drunkard, indeed they doubted his Islam and thought that
this was heresy.
A saheeh report which warns against not fasting was narrated by Ibn
Khuzaymah (1986) and Ibn Hibbaan (7491) from Abu Umaamah al-Baahili
who said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) say: "Whilst I was sleeping two men came to me and
took my by the arm and brought me to a cragged mountain. They said,
'Climb up.' I said, 'I cannot.' They said, 'We will make it easy for
you.' So I climbed up until I wasat the top of the mountain. Then I
heard loud voices. I said, 'What are these voices?' They said, 'This
is the howling of the people of Hell." Then I was taken until I saw
people hanging by their hamstrings, with thesides of their mouths
tornand blood pouring from their mouths.' I said, 'Whoare these?' He
said, 'These are people who broke their fast before it was time.'"
Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Mawaarid al-Zam'aan, no.
1509.
Al-Albaani (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: This is the punishment
of those who fasted then broke the fast deliberatelybefore the time
for breaking the fast came, sowho about those who do not fast at all?
We ask Allaah to keep us safe andsound in this world and inthe
Hereafter.
Our advice to the brother who asked this question is to fear Allaah
and to beware of His wrath, vengeance and a painful punishment. He
should hasten to repent to Allaahbefore the destroyer of pleasures
that splits people apart [i.e., death] takes him unawares. Today there
is action and no reckoning, but tomorrow there will be the reckoning
and no action. Note that whoeverrepents, Allaah will accepthis
repentance, and whoever draws closer to Allaah one hand span, Allaah
will draw closer to him one cubit....

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The Great number of inhabitants

"And most of the people are not believers even though you take great
care in this respect."
[Yusuf, 12: 103]
Abu Hurairah (radiAllahu anhu) narrated: "The Prophet (salAllahu
alayhi wasalam) said, 'The first man to be called on the Day of
Resurrection will be Adam, who will be shown his descendants. And it
will be said to them, "This is your father, Adam." Adam will say,
[responding to the call],"Labbayk wa sa'dayk." Then Allah will say [to
Adam], "Bring forth from your descendants the delegations of the
Fire." He will say, "O Lord, how many should I bring?" Allah will
answer, "From every hundred, ninety-nine.'"
The companions said, 'O Messenger of Allah, if ninety-nine out of
every one hundred of us are brought forth , then what will remain of
us?' The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) stated, 'My nation among
other nations is like a white hairon a black bull.'"
[Sahih al-Bukhari]

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How thirty people ate in the dark

Sheikh Abul Hasan Antaki (RA.) lived in Raye, a city in Khorassan. One
day, it chanced that the Sheikh had more than thirty guests, while he
did not have sufficient bread withhim. He could not bake more bread,
for, it was late at night. So, he broke the few loaves he had into
small pieces and spread them over a piece of cloth, which he had
laidbefore his guests. When they were going to start eating, the
Sheikh put outthe lamp. Everybody seemed to start eating and one could
hear the sound of their chewing. After a while, the sound stopped and
it was presumed that everybodyhad finished eating. The Sheikh then
lighted the lamp and they saw that all the pieces were lying
untouched; nobody had eaten anything. Because the food was little,
everyone was thinking about his brothers next tohim and wanted them to
eat instead.
Source: "Fadhail-e-Sadaqaa: Part II" translated by Prof. Abdul Karim.
May Allah make us useful for each other in terms of pleasing Allah.

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Interesting stories about Prophet Muhammad's childhood

Abdul Muttalib (Prophet Muhammad's grandfather) was more passionate
with his grandson (young Muhammad) than with hisown children. He never
left the boy a prey to loneliness, but always preferred him to his own
kids. Ibn Hisham reported:A mattress was put in the shade of Al-Ka'bah
for Abdul Muttalib. His children used to sit around that mattress in
honour to their father, butMuhammad used to sit onit. His uncles would
take him back, but if Abdul Muttalib was present, he would say: "Leave
my grandson. I swear by Allahthat this boy will hold a significant
position." He used to seat the boy on his mattress, pat his back and
was always pleased with what the boy did. Source: Ibn Hihsam, 1/168.
It is also reported that during Amina's (Prophet Muhammad's mother)
pregnancy, she felt no pain or discomfort. She had always heard
womencomplaining about the hardships of pregnancy, but she felt very
well. During these months Amina had many dreams. One night in a dream
she saw a light coming out of her. The light was shining on castles of
Syria. Source:Tabaqat Ibn Sa'd, 1/63.

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