1. Fasting cleanses the soul; it's a treatment for arrogance and greed.
The human soul by nature is inflicted with pride, vanity and transgression when every desire is always met. Fasting weakens the desires, it makes a person feel his weakness and their need for the Creator and the Provider that nourishes them and heals them in times of sickness. Thus, the Muslim will be striving to do what is right and have control over his desires.
“Then, for him who Tagha [transgressed all bounds, in disbelief, oppression and evil deeds of disobedience to Allāh ]. And preferred the life of this world [by following his evil desires and lusts]. Verily, his abode will be Hellfire; But as for him who feared standing before his Lord, and restrained himself from impure evil desires, and lusts. Verily, Paradise will be his abode.” (An-Nazi'āt 79:37-41)
So, by fasting, a Muslim grabs the reigns of his desires and can then steer himself to what is better for him and what brings about happiness. Furthermore, one gets accustomed to not letting his whims run wild and steer him to destruction.
2. Fasting narrows the passages through which the Devil flows inside mankind.
Anas and Ṡafiyah, Allāh be pleased with them, reported that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him said, “The Devil flows through the son of Ādam the way blood does.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhārī and Muslim) Fasting represses the whispers of the Devil; it weakens the intensity of one's desires and anger. In addition to being chained and locked up during Ramaḋān, the Devil can't find an opening into the heart of the believer. So if the Muslim takes advantage of this sweet connection with the Entirely Merciful and distancing himself from the false embellishments of the Devil, by the permission of Allāh, he will strive after Ramaḋān to be of Allāh's sincere slaves who are not under the control of the Devil. Allāh, the Exalted said, “[The Devil] said: "By Your Might, then I will surely mislead them all, except Your chosen slaves amongst them [faithful, obedient, sincere, true believers of Islamic Monotheism]." (Ṡād 38:82-83)
3. Fasting empties the heart from the concerns of this life, and it helps in the remembrance of Allāh and contemplation.
The Arabs used to say, “If the stomach is full, the idea [the brain] is asleep.” Al-Miqdām Ibn M'ad Yakrab, Allāh be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him said, “There is no vessel which the son of Ādam can fill that is eviler than his stomach, for it is enough for him to take a few bites in order to straighten his back. Yet if he is overcome by appetite, then he may fill it with a third of food, a third of drink, and a third to breath.” (Narrated by Aḣmad, At-Tirmidhī, Ibn Mājah and graded as authentic by Al-Albānī in Ṡaḣeeḣ Al-Jāmi’ 5674)
4. Fasting is a type of worship which a person can use to get closer to his Lord.
This is done by leaving what is most loved i.e. food, drink, and intercourse. By doing this, the genuineness of one's belief, the completeness of one's worship, the prevalence of one's love of Allāh, and one's hope in the reward of Allāh is shown. For indeed, that which is loved would not be abandoned except to get something greater. When the believer knows that pleasure of Allāh is attained by leaving off these naturally loved acts, then he will give precedence to pleasing Allāh over satisfying his desires.
5. Fasting causes piety.
Piety is doing what has been commanded and leaving off what has been forbidden. As much as Allāh’s slaves are commanded to abstain from food and drinks, they are also commanded to abstain from all sins in Ramaḋān. This is to prepare them to continue abstaining from sins after the month of Ramaḋān as well. Allāh, the Exalted said, “O you who believe, fasting has been prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may be pious.” (Al-Baqarah 2:183)
As Allāh started the verses of fasting with piety, He concludes them with piety as well. “Thus does Allāh make clear His Ayat [proofs, evidence, lessons, signs, revelations, verses, laws, legal and illegal things, Allāh 's set limits, orders, etc.] to mankind that they may be pious.” (Al-Baqarah 2:187)
Abu Hurairah, Allāh be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet, peace, and blessings be upon him said, “Whoever does not give up false statements (i.e. telling lies), and acting upon it, Allāh is not in need of his [fasting] leaving his food and drink.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhārī) Thus, when the fasting person desires to do a sinful act he remembers that he is fasting and refrains from it.
6. Fasting trains oneself to be sincere to Allāh, the Exalted.
The fasting person could be alone in his house with delicious food and cold drink in front of him in a state of extreme hunger and thirst and none other than Allāh sees him. However, he abstains from the food and drink and endures the hunger and thirst out of fear of Allāh and his observation. And when one reflects upon this meaning then indeed he will act similar with all types of sinful acts. If and when one is alone he will remember that Allāh sees him and will say to himself, "The same way I refrained from sin during Ramaḋān I will outside of Ramaḋān. I will make that which is hidden as if it was in the open."
And when I am alone in the darkness
And the soul is calling to sin
Be shy of the sight of the Lord and say to it [the soul]
Indeed, he who created the darkness can see me
7. Fasting trains one to be forbearing, control his anger and refrain from causing harm.
Abu Hurairah, Allāh be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him said, "Fasting is a shield. So, the person observing the fast should avoid sexual relations with his wife and should not behave foolishly, and if somebody insults him, he should tell him, 'I am fasting." (Narrated by Al-Bukhārī and Muslim)
8. Fasting shows the unity of the Muslims.
Fasting is a noticeable ritual from the rituals of Islam. Other people see how the Muslims start fasting at the same time and break their fast at the same time.
9. Ramaḋān is a month of being thankful to Allāh.
The fasting person notices the amount of blessings that have been forbidden during the time of fasting. It is the habit of people that they don’t feel the value of a blessing except when they are deprived of it or mix with those who are deprived of it. This leads one to be grateful and thankful to Allāh, the Exalted.
10. Ramaḋān is a month of patience.
This is because one is patient in doing Allāh’s commandments, abstaining from disobeying Allāh . One is also patient dealing with misfortunes i.e. hunger and thirst. These three types of patience are all found in Ramaḋān.
11. It is also the month of victory and Jihad.
During the month of Ramaḋān is when the Muslims won the battle of Badr.10 It was also during Ramaḋān when Makkah was conquered. It has been the tradition of Allāh to
10 Badr is the location West South-West of Madeenah. At this location is when the first battle in Islamic history took place on the 17th of Ramaḋān in the 2nd year Hijrī.
accompany the month of Ramaḋān with great victories and triumphs. In this month the Muslims conquered Jerusalem and retook it again from the Crusaders.
12. Ramaḋān is the month of generosity and nobility.
A wealthy, fasting person feels the need of his poor brothers that go to sleep hungry and can't find anything to eat or feed their children, who cry out from hunger. We see this all over the Islamic World, as much of the Islamic World is inflicted with wars, hunger and famine. Ibn 'Abbās, Allāh be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, was the most generous of the people and he was even more generous during the month of Ramaḋān when Jibreel would visit him. Jibreel, peace be upon him, would meet with him every night of Ramaḋān and review the Qur’ān with the Prophet. [During this time] He was more generous than a swift wind bringing rain. (Narrated by Al-Bukhārī)
One of the acts of generosity during the month of Ramaḋān that we have been encouraged to do is, feeding the fasting people. Zaid Ibn Khalid, Allāh be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him said, “Whoever feeds a fasting person is rewarded the same reward as the fasting person, and this does not decrease the reward of the fasting person.” (Aḣmad, At-Tirmidhī and graded as authentic by Al-Albānī in Ṡaḣeeḣ Al-Jāmi’ 6415) The reward for fasting is enormous. Allāh, the Exalted, said in a divine ḣadeeth, “Every deed of the son of Ādam is for him except fasting; it is for Me and I shall reward for it.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhārī and Muslim on the authority of Abu Hurairah with a chain to the Prophet)
So, if one knows that he will possess the same reward as the fasting person in addition to his own reward, he will hasten to partake in this great action.
13. Ramaḋān is the month of Qur’ān.
It is a great opportunity for Muslims who have neglected the Book of Allāh to recite it and contemplate on it.
14. In Ramaḋān the reward of doing 'Umrah11 is doubled.
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him said, "Umrah in Ramaḋān is as if a person performed Ḣajj with me.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhārī and Muslim on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas and others)
15. There are health benefits to fasting.
It is a period of rest to the digestion system, it helps the body to get rid of any toxicants and harmful waste products. It was narrated, “Fast and you will be healed.”
11 'Umrah is a minor pilgrimage to Makkah. It can be undertaken at any time of the year and only consists of Ṫawwāf and Sa'ee, in contrast to Ḣajj.
If one contemplates upon these great wisdoms behind fasting, he will realize that Islam is the complete religion to bring about happiness in this life and next. We ask Allāh to allow us to live until Ramaḋān and help us fast, stand for the night prayers and all good deeds, āmeen.
