Every act of goodness is rewarded. Rewards are given based on the sincerity of the intention. Fasting is the only worship about which Allaah Kareem has said that He Himself is the reward for it. This means that one develops such a close relationship with Almighty Allaah that Allaah Kareem Himself becomes the helper.
The Holy Prophet, [peace be upon him], said: "Allaah, the Lord of Honor and glory says: All other deeds of man are for himself, but his fasting is purely for Me and I shall reward him for it.
“The Prophet Muhammad [Sallal Laahu Alaieh Wa Sallam] was the most generous amongst the people, and he used to be more so in the month of Ramadaan when Hazrat Jibraaeel [Aaliehis Salaam]visited him, and He used to meet him on every night of Ramadaan till the end of the month. The Prophet Muhammad [Sallal Laahu Alaieh Wa Sallam] used to recite the Holy Qur’aan to Hazrat Jibraaeel [Alaiehis Salaam], and when Hazrat Jibraaeel [Alaiehis Salaam] met him, he used to be more generous than a fast wind (which causes rain and welfare). (Bukhaari Shareef)
Fasting is a universal institution in as much as all the religions of the world. It is reported in Tafseer e Kabeer that fasting was compulsory on all the previous nations, from the nation of Hazrat Aadam [Alaiehis-Salaam] to the nation of Hazrat Ieesaa [Alaiehis-Salaam] It has been practiced in different cultures around the world, from the Babylonians to the Incas, the Confucians, Jains, the Zoroaster Romans, the Babylonians, Assyrians followers of Hinduism, Confucius they have all practiced it. The philosophers, cynic, Stoic, Pythagorean or Neo-Platonic, left advice for fast. Great religious personalities throughout history have adopted fasting as the principal method of self-discipline. Before the advent of Islaam, the institution of fasting was well established among the Christians and Jews living at that time.
Hazrat Nabi Moosaa [Alaiehis-Salaam] prepared himself to receive revelation from Almighty Allaah after forty days of fasting. The Jews observed an annual fast on the Day of Atonement in commemoration of the descent of Prophet [Moosaa [Alaiehis Salaam] from Mountain Sinai.
Fasting on the day of Ashooraah (10th Muharram) was compulsory for the nation of Hazrat Moosaa [Alaiehis-Salaam]
Hazrat Nabi Ieesaa [Alaiehis-Salaam] fasted for forty days in the desert and commanded his followers to fast.
Leaving the message that fasting and self control opens the door to a deeper, more intimate, more powerful relationship with God [Allaah Almighty].
Ilaahee
Joodu ka Dal-lanee ‘Alieka, Wa Ih saa nuka Ausa lanee Ilaieka, Wa Kara
mu ka Qar-raba nee Ladaie ka, Ash ku Ilaieka Maalaa Yakh faa ‘Alieka,
Wa As’aluka Maalaa Ya‘suru ‘Alieka, Iz ‘ilmu ka Bi
Haalee
Kafaa nee, ‘An Su’aalee. Yaa Mufar-ri ja Kurabil Makroo beena Far-rij
‘An-ni Maa Anaa Feehi Laa Ilaaha Il-laa Anta Z ahrul-laa Jeena Wa
Jaarul Musta jeereena Wa Maa’ manul Kha’ifeen.
Al-Laahum-ma
Yaa Zal Man-ni Wa Laa Yu Man-nu ‘Alaiehi, Yaa Zalja laali Wal Ikraa mi
Yaa Zat -t auli Wal In‘aam, Laa Ilaaha Il-la Anta
Z
ahrul-Laajeen. Wa Jaarul Musta jeereen, Wa Amaa nul khaa’i feen,
Al-Laahum-ma In kun ta Katab tani ‘Indaka Fi Um-mil Kitaabi Shaqiy-yan
Au mah ru man Au mat ru dan Au Muqat-taran Alaiey-ya Fir-Rizqi Faa’m hu
Al-Laahum-ma Bi fad lika Shaqawati Wa Hirmanee Wa Tardee Waqti taa Ra
Rizq. Wa As bit nee ‘Inda ka Fee Um-mil Kitaa bi Sa‘eed am-mar Zau
Qam-mu Waf-fa Qal-lil Khai raat. Faa In-na Ka Qulta Wa Qau lukal H aq-q.
Fee Kitaa bikal Mun zal. ‘Alaa Lisaani Nabiy-yeekal Mur sal. Yam
Hul-Laahu Maa Ya Shaa’u Wa Yus bitu. Wa ‘In dahu Um-mul Kitaab. Ilaahee
Bit-ta jal-lil ‘Azam. Fee Laiela tin-nis fi Min Shahri Sha‘a baa Nal
Mukar-ram. Al-lati Yuf ra qu Fee haa Kul-lu Am rin Hakee maw-Wa Yubram.
An Tak shifa ‘An-na Minal balaa’i Wal Balwaa’i Maa Na‘a laamu Wa Maa
Laa Na‘a lam. Wa Anta Bihi A‘a lam. In-naka Antal A‘az-zul Akram. Wa
Sal-lal-Laahu Ta‘aalaa ‘Alaa Saiy-yidinaa Wa Maulaanaa Muhammadińw-Wa
‘Alaa Aalihi Wa As haabihi Wa Baarak Wa Sal-lam. Wal Hamdu Lil-laahi
Rab-bil ‘Aalameen.