"O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you that you are expected to be truly obedient." (Qur'an, 2:183)

Fasting is the fourth pillar of Islam. Muslims are required to fast consecutively for a whole month in the lunar month of Ramadan. From dawn to sunset the practising Muslim abstains from eating, drinking and sexual intercourse with one's partner while spending time in reflection, doing good deeds and being careful of one's conduct. From sunset to dawn the next day practitioner is free to eat, drink and have sexual intercourse with one's partner if desired. This cycle continues for the whole month.

What may seem to be a self-inflicted ordeal has profound meaning for man and God, and their reciprocal relationship. God exhibits the perfection of his Lordship, Grace and Mercy through the creation of the surface of this world as a table of blessing and placing all kinds of his blessings and sustenance on that Divine table for us to take advantage of. Most people forget the fact that the source of all sustenance is God Almighty. The causes are only agents of delivery. In Ramadan, believers show a collective act of worship in the presence of the mighty and universal Mercy as they wait for the Divine invitation to the table of blessings at the time of breaking the fast. As the earth revolves around its axis the jubilant timeframe is repeated in a continuous manner for the whole month.

We pay a price for everything we have in the form of money. But, the price expected for the innumerable divine endowments granted is not money. Instead God wants and expects the price of thanksgiving for the sustenance he has provided for us. True thanksgiving is to know that all sustenance comes directly from God, to acknowledge its value and to feel our own need and dependence to that sustenance. A fasting person feels the value and their need for basic sustenance when they feel the pangs of hunger. Since a believer fasts for the sake of God, he or she acknowledges that the sustenance that may be taken for granted actually comes directly from God. Therefore, fasting in the Islamic way is said to be the best way to show true and sincere thanksgiving. Fasting offers great benefits for the practitioner.

• The human self (nafs) inherently wants to be free and thinks about how it may gain that freedom. Fasting reminds the nafs that God is its true owner and that it does not have absolute sovereignty. This realisation opens the door of spiritual growth for a believer.
• Fasting reminds the nafs that it is weak and poor and how much it depends on God for the provision of basic needs. Through this realisation, a believer faces the Creator in supplication and ascends in spirituality.
• The spiritual and physical aspects of a person compete to exercise their dominance over that person. If one dominates, the other subsides. Hunger through fasting gives the spirit a chance to get out of the physical dominance of the body and develop.
• Through fasting, the rich would feel what it means to be hungry and not able to buy the food that they desire. Hence, the rich will be more inclined to give charity when they fast. This builds up a relationship between rich and poor and helps build social harmony.
• In Ramadan, Muslims get together to break the fast. They invite each other to join in the celebration of breaking the fast. Rich organise dinners for the poor. All this improves social cohesion and the social skills of people involved.
• In Ramadan, Muslims go to the mosque every night for a special prayer. This enables them to strengthen personal relationships. End of Ramadan celebrations (Eid) further enhance these relationships as Muslims visit family members, elders and each other.
• Fasting is the best form of exercising will power. As it is done consecutively every day for one month, effective self-control becomes a habit.
• It is a proven fact that most diseases, such as obesity, heart disease etc, are caused by overeating and a bad diet. By fasting 30 days in a row, one acquires the habit of controlling eating habits.
• One month of fasting rests the digestive system and other related organs especially the liver. This recuperation benefit is only achieved if all bodily intake is stopped for a long enough period.