# Episode 3: Fasting While Others Eat

**Author:** Dr. Omar Suleiman
**Series:** Angels in Your Presence
**Published:** 2020-04-26
**YouTube:** https://youtu.be/W7gEyqqSPpU
**URL:** https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/angels-in-your-presence/episode-3-fasting-while-others-eat-angels-in-your-presence
**Topics:** Angels, Faith

## Description
Have you ever felt extra challenged while fasting around people who are eating? You’re also extra blessed!

## Transcript
**[0:00]** Almost every Muslim that lives as a minority has experienced the moment where you're fasting and people are eating around you. So whether that was in your school cafeteria, went to public school as I did my whole life, and at lunch time everybody was eating except

**[0:17]** for me, or whether that's at work, your colleagues are eating and sometimes you even have to attend an important meeting or you've got to go to some sort of function, everybody's eating but you. Those moments are some of the most blessed moments in your life and you probably had no idea.

**[0:36]** So when we're talking about the angels sending salawat, the angels praying on a person, there are a few different times that happens for the fasting person. The Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam talked about as-suhur, when you wake up in the morning and you have your meal before fajr, suhur, and the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam said that look, don't abandon

**[0:55]** that suhur, don't abandon that moment, even if you're just going to drink a sip of water because the angels pray upon the one who eats suhur or takes that suhur whether it's through water or dates or whatever it may be. So you've got the angels praying upon you in the morning

**[1:11]** before you even started your fast, just as you were nourishing yourself for the fast. And then the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam said that a person who is fasting around people that are eating, the angels will pray upon that person until those people have had their

**[1:29]** fill. SubhanAllah, again a person that is fasting and other people are eating around that person, the angels will pray upon that person and seek forgiveness for that person until those people have had their fill. Now subhanAllah, this is referring to by the way

**[1:45]** not people that are not Muslims around you that are eating or drinking because they don't observe the siyam. This is actually in the situation, especially in one of the narrations with Umar Mara, she was observing radiAllahu anha a voluntary fast and so the Prophet sallallahu

**[2:01]** alaihi wasallam was not and the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam gave her that reward. So this could be that a person is just not required to fast for that day and you happen to be in their presence and the added reward of you observing your fast in the presence of that person who is not fasting even if it is not sinful for them not to fast. Imagine

**[2:19]** then the reward when you are around someone who is not fasting because they don't consider it to be obligatory. So you add the element of ghurba, of being a stranger, being a person who is singled out for their observance of the fast because they are singled out for

**[2:34]** their observance of this beautiful deen of al-Islam. And so the reward could only be greater in that sense. So when you are in those moments and people are taking their sweet time getting through their hamburgers, getting through their french fries or whatever it is that they are eating, revel in the prayer of the mala'ika, revel in the prayer of the

**[2:53]** angels as they are seeking forgiveness for you throughout that entire period. And then of course at night the beautiful dua, the supplication that the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam taught us that when someone serves food to you, serves iftar to you and you actually break your fast and you respond and you say, may the fasting ones break their fast with

**[3:17]** you, may the pious eat their food with you or take part in your food and may the angels send their prayers upon you. So the angels pray upon you throughout the day as you are

**[3:33]** observing your fast. They pray upon you when you take your pre-morning meal, your suhoor. They pray upon you when other people around you are eating as you are fasting and then they pray upon those who serve you food at the time of iftar and you acknowledge that

**[3:49]** through your supplication and through your dua.

## Other Episodes in "Angels in Your Presence"
- [Episode 30: When Allah Loves You](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/angels-in-your-presence/episode-30-when-allah-loves-you-angels-in-your-presence.md)
- [Episode 29: Gatherings of Remembrance](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/angels-in-your-presence/episode-29-gatherings-of-remembrance-angels-in-your-presence.md)
- [Episode 28: In Your Room Praying Behind You](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/angels-in-your-presence/episode-28-in-your-room-praying-behind-you-angels-in-your-presence.md)
- [Episode 27: The Heavens are Creaking](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/angels-in-your-presence/episode-27-the-heavens-are-creaking-angels-in-your-presence.md)
- [Episode 26: When Jibreel Descends Upon You](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/angels-in-your-presence/episode-26-when-jibreel-descends-upon-you-angels-in-your-presence.md)
- [Episode 25: From Your Mouth to an Angel's Heart](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/angels-in-your-presence/episode-25-from-your-mouth-to-an-angels-heart-angels-in-your-presence.md)
- [Episode 24: Struggling to Recite](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/angels-in-your-presence/episode-24-struggling-to-recite-angels-in-your-presence.md)
- [Episode 23: From Prayer to Prayer](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/angels-in-your-presence/episode-23-from-prayer-to-prayer-angels-in-your-presence.md)
- [Episode 22: The Friday Roll Book](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/angels-in-your-presence/episode-22-the-friday-roll-book-angels-in-your-presence.md)
- [Episode 21: The First Rows](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/angels-in-your-presence/episode-21-the-first-rows-angels-in-your-presence.md)
- [Episode 20: A Caller from Heaven's Gates](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/angels-in-your-presence/episode-20-a-caller-from-heavens-gates-angels-in-your-presence.md)
- [Episode 19: Have You Ever Seen an Angel in Human Form?](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/angels-in-your-presence/episode-19-have-you-ever-seen-an-angel-in-human-form-angels-in-your-presence.md)
- [Episode 18: When Your Loved Ones Are Dying](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/angels-in-your-presence/episode-18-when-your-loved-ones-are-dying-angels-in-your-presence.md)
- [Episode 17: An Entourage of 70,000](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/angels-in-your-presence/episode-17-an-entourage-of-70000-angels-in-your-presence.md)
- [Episode 16: The Ultimate Healer](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/angels-in-your-presence/episode-16-the-ultimate-healer-angels-in-your-presence.md)
- [Episode 15: No Strings Attached](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/angels-in-your-presence/episode-15-no-strings-attached-angels-in-your-presence.md)
- [Episode 14: The Seeker of Knowledge](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/angels-in-your-presence/episode-14-the-seeker-of-knowledge-angels-in-your-presence.md)
- [Episode 13: Be Fair When You Judge](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/angels-in-your-presence/episode-13-be-fair-when-you-judge-angels-in-your-presence.md)
- [Episode 12: The Best Supplication](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/angels-in-your-presence/episode-12-the-best-supplication-angels-in-your-presence.md)
- [Episode 11: Ameen and For You As Well](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/angels-in-your-presence/episode-11-ameen-and-for-you-as-well-angels-in-your-presence.md)
- [Episode 10: The Honor of Your Prophet](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/angels-in-your-presence/episode-10-the-honor-of-your-prophet-angels-in-your-presence.md)
- [Episode 9: Your Brother's Honor](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/angels-in-your-presence/episode-9-your-brothers-honor-angels-in-your-presence.md)
- [Episode 8: Responding to Your Haters](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/angels-in-your-presence/episode-8-responding-to-your-haters-angels-in-your-presence.md)
- [Episode 7: The Banner Above You](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/angels-in-your-presence/episode-7-the-banner-above-you-angels-in-your-presence.md)
- [Episode 6: As You Step Out](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/angels-in-your-presence/episode-6-as-you-step-out-angels-in-your-presence.md)
- [Episode 5: Switching Shifts](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/angels-in-your-presence/episode-5-switching-shifts-angels-in-your-presence.md)
- [Episode 4: Sleep Well](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/angels-in-your-presence/episode-4-sleep-well-angels-in-your-presence.md)
- [Episode 2: Hold Your Pens](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/angels-in-your-presence/episode-2-hold-your-pens-angels-in-your-presence.md)
- [Episode 1: They've Got Your Back](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/angels-in-your-presence/episode-1-theyve-got-your-back-angels-in-your-presence.md)