“Indeed, Allah has those whom He frees (from the Fire) every day and every night, and each one of them has a supplication that is answered.”
Narrated by Aḥmad (no. 7450), from the ḥadīth of Abū Hurayrah or from the ḥadīth of Abū Saʿīd—may Allah be pleased with them both; the doubt is from al-Aʿmash.
In another narration recorded by Ibn Mājah (no. 1643), from the ḥadīth of Jābir—may Allah be pleased with them both: “Indeed, Allah has those whom He frees (from the Fire) at every breaking of the fast, and that occurs every night.”
In another narration recorded by al-Tirmidhī (no. 682), from the ḥadīth of Abū Hurayrah—may Allah be pleased with him:
“And Allah has those whom He frees from the Fire, and that occurs every night.”
Authenticated in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Jāmiʿ (no. 761). Al-Albānī said in al-Taʿlīq al-Raghīb (2/68): Ḥasan Ṣaḥīḥ.
Brief Explanation of the Hadith
Among the mercy of Allah, Exalted be He, toward His servants is that He has graciously granted them seasons of goodness, in which He pours upon them from His mercy and His benevolence. Among the greatest of these seasons is the month of Ramaḍān, during which sins are forgiven, rewards are multiplied, and people are freed from the Fire every night.
This was reported by the Prophet may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, who said: “Indeed, Allah has those whom He frees (from the Fire) every day and every night.”
And in another narration: “And Allah has those whom He frees from the Fire, and that occurs every night.”
And in another narration: “Indeed, Allah has those whom He frees at every breaking of the fast.”
The meaning of this is that Allah, Exalted be He, out of His grace and generosity, frees in the nights of Ramaḍān many people who had deserved the Fire because of their sins, but Allah overtakes them with His pardon and His mercy.
There is no contradiction between these wordings; rather, the intent is to show the renewal and repetition of this virtue in Ramaḍān, and that this freeing (from the Fire) occurs repeatedly every day and night. It takes place at the breaking of the fast each day, that is, at sunset and the completion of the fast, so that the conclusion of the act of worship is accompanied by pardon and acceptance. Thus, the mention of “the day” is only in consideration of the fasting person’s breaking of the fast, not as something independent from the night.
His statement: “each one of them has a supplication that is answered” means that every servant whom Allah frees from the Fire is granted a supplication that is not rejected. It is a supplication whose acceptance is assured, not merely a supplication whose response is hoped for.
In this ḥadīth is a tremendous glad tiding: the one who is freed combines deliverance from the Fire with the answering of supplication. Thus, he attains safety from punishment and is granted what he seeks of good.
It also contains evidence of the abundance of those freed (from the Fire) in Ramaḍān and the greatness of Allah’s mercy therein. However, it is not befitting for a servant to rely upon Allah’s pardon and the vastness of His mercy; rather, it is obligatory for him to seize the opportunity of the month of Ramaḍān through abundant acts of obedience, sincere repentance, and turning to Allah with true devotion—hoping to be among those who are freed (from the Fire).