The basic purpose of fasting is that we can feel the pain of poor people who do not have the maximum resources to buy food. They go the whole day without eating or drinking. There are millions of people in the country who regularly sleep hungry. There is no one who can help them and provide them with food to live. The holy month that is Ramadan shows us the way, which can give us those feelings of sympathy. Fasting prevents us from committing bad deeds and sins, because fasting is not just the name of staying hungry or staying away from food, but it is the name of staying away from all kinds of sins and bad deeds. There are many Quranic verses and hadiths that simplify the importance of Holy Ramadan and the basic purpose of fasting.
According to the Hadith of the Prophet Muhammad, “Fasting is not only giving up eating, but also controlling your hands and tongue so that it does not harm others.”
Allah also says in the Glorious Qur’an: “Fasting in Ramadan is obligatory for you to do Taqwa”.
“Every Muslim (who can) must fast in the month of Ramadan” 2:183-185.
“O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those who preceded you, so that you may (learn) self-control.” [Al-Baqarah 2:183]
Ramadan is the month in which Allah feels the Qur’an and all its verses. No Muslim can deny the importance of Ramadan and fasting. Muslims must watch the basic purpose of fasting. Abstaining from lying, faith and self scrutiny, the shield of protection from sins, the temptation of goodness and the reward for providing ‘Iftar’ have been included in the main purposes of fasting. The following hadiths can describe the relevant purposes of fasting.
The Prophet said: “Allah said: Fasting is for Me and I will give the reward for it, since he (one who observes the fast) gives up his sexual desire, food and drink for My sake. Fasting is a screen (of Hell) and there are two pleasures for a fasting person, one at the time of breaking his fast, and the other at the time when he will meet his Lord with the smell of musk.” (Bukhari Hadith No. 128, Vol. 3).
The Prophet said: “Whoever does not give up false statements (i.e. telling lies), bad deeds and speaking bad words to others, Allah does not need him (fasting) to give up his food and drink.” (Bukhari Vol 8, Book 73)
In the light of Quranic verses and hadiths, everyone can easily understand the value of the purpose of fasting. Fasting means being more obedient to Allah.
