Fasting is not an act that is meant to torture you. In fact, it is one of the most meaningful forms of worship that Allah has asked us to perform whenever we can. It is the easiest way to see the world differently.  

Fasting

Linguistically speaking, fasting means abstention from something. In an Islamic context, it means intentional abstention from eating and drinking, as well as all that invalidates fasting, from the break of dawn until sunset with the intention of worshipping Allah.[1]

The spiritual concept of fasting

1-Fasting is a means of expressing one’s gratitude for Allah’s blessings. It stops a person from eating, drinking and sex, which are some of Allah’s great blessings. To refrain from them for a considerable time is to show one’s appreciation of these blessings. An aspect of Allah’s grace may be taken for granted, or people may be oblivious to it, until it is denied, and people will then know its importance. They will then recognize Allah’s grace and feel grateful for it. To express gratitude for Allah’s blessings is a duty that is required logically and from the Islamic viewpoint. 

Allah refers to it in the verse that imposes the duty of fasting the month of Ramadan:

2-Fasting is a means to maintain a God-fearing attitude. When a person abstains from what is lawful in order to please Allah and in fear of His punishment, that person willingly refrains from what is forbidden. This means that fasting leads one to steer away from what Allah has prohibited. Fasting is indeed made a duty for us in order to nurture this feeling of fearing Allah,

3-Fasting overcomes desire. When man eats a full meal, he thinks of satisfying other desires. When he is hungry, other desires take a secondary place in his interests.

This shows that fasting is a means that helps man to refrain from sin.[2]

4-Fasting encourages people to be compassionate and kind to those who are in need. When a person fasts and experiences hunger for a long time he will remember his feelings and he will be more willing to be charitable to people who are poor and in need of help. His kindness to such people will earn him rich reward from Allah.

5-Fasting puts the rich and the poor on the same level, as they will all bear the same pain of hunger. This increases one’s reward.[3]

6-Fasting helps to overcome the temptation presented by Satan, who exploits human desires to lead people away from Allah’s path, and such desires are always stronger when one eats and drinks.

7-Fasting helps man to disregard the fleeting pleasures of this life and to look for the lasting happiness in the life to come.

Conditions: The following conditions must apply for the duty of fasting to be valid:

1-Being a Muslim: Fasting is not valid if it is done by an unbeliever. It is an act of worship, and worship cannot be offered by an unbeliever. When an unbeliever embraces Islam, he or she is not required to fast for previous years.

2-Puberty: Fasting is not required of anyone who has not attained the age when Islamic worship applies, which is the attainment of puberty.

One of these is a child until attaining puberty. However, if a child below this age understands actions and requirements and fasts, that fast is accepted. Fathers and guardians will do well to encourage such children to fast so as to be familiar with fasting.

3-Sanity: Fasting is not required of an insane or mentally disabled person.

4-Sound health: A person who is ill and cannot fast is not required to fast. However, if he or she fasts, their fast is valid.

When a person who is ill in Ramadan recovers and is back in good health, he should compensate for not fasting during his illness by fasting the same number of days that were missed.

5-Being in one’s place of residence: A person who is on a journey is not required to fast. However, if he or she fasts, their fast is valid. 

When a person who undertakes a journey in Ramadan, and avails himself of the concession not to fast, is back in his hometown, he should compensate for not fasting during his travel by fasting the same number of days.

6-Women who are in their period or having postnatal bleeding may not fast. In fact fasting is prohibited for women during the menstrual and postnatal periods.The Prophet  (peace be upon him) stated this clearly.[4]

 However, they must fast the same number of days later.

Essentials: rukns. The first is the abstention from anything that invalidates fasting from the break of dawn until sunset. This is based on the Qur’anic verse that includes

 The second rukn is that a person intends this abstention as an act of worship. It is intention that distinguishes whether a particular deed is one of worship or an ordinary action. Intention also distinguishes between acts of worship. A fast may be an obligatory worship, as in the case of fasting in Ramadan, or it may be a different fast. This rukn is based on the hadith in which

Status: Allah has given us the binding duty of fasting the month of Ramadan, making it one of the five pillars of the Islamic faith.

Furthermore,

The Muslim community is unanimous that fasting the month of Ramadan is obligatory, and that it is one of the pillars of Islam, essentially known to all Muslims, and that anyone who denies this obligation is an unbeliever or an apostate. This means that the obligation of fasting is confirmed by the Qur’an, the Sunnah and the unanimity of Muslims. Muslims also unanimously agree that anyone who denies it is an unbeliever. [5]