đź“–Sahih al-Bukhari 1933
Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “If somebody eats or drinks forgetfully then he should complete his fast, for what he has eaten or drunk, has been given to him by Allah.”
- This hadith highlights the mercy and understanding of Allah towards His servants. If someone unintentionally eats or drinks something while fasting due to forgetfulness, it does not invalidate their fast. Allah, in His infinite wisdom and knowledge, allows for such unintentional acts during fasting and pardons His servants for their mistakes. The phrase “has been given to him by Allah” can be understood in the sense that Allah, being aware of the human tendency to forget and make unintentional errors, permits them to continue their fast despite the slip. It signifies Allah’s recognition that His servants are fallible and may inadvertently break their fast without intending to do so. While the specific reasons behind why Allah allows the person to consume the food or drink are not mentioned in the hadith, it reminds us that Allah knows best and may have underlying wisdom and reasons beyond our comprehension. It emphasizes that Allah’s mercy encompasses all aspects of our lives, including our unintentional mistakes, and He may have purposes or benefits for allowing certain things to happen during fasting that we may not immediately understand.
In summary, this hadith teaches us about Allah’s mercy, forgiveness, and understanding towards His servants. It reassures us that if we make unintentional mistakes while fasting, Allah allows us to continue our fast, recognizing our human nature and forgiving our inadvertent errors. It reminds us of Allah’s infinite wisdom and knowledge, which extends to all aspects of our lives, even in situations where we may not fully comprehend the underlying reasons or benefits.
