Fasting Is Not Only Hunger, but a Path to Moral and Spiritual Purity

Ramadan is a sacred month of mercy, forgiveness, and salvation. Fasting during this month is obligatory for every adult, sane, healthy, and non-travelling Muslim man and woman. Fasting is one of the five fundamental pillars of Islam.

Linguistically, fasting means to abstain. In Islamic legal terms, fasting refers to refraining from food, drink, and marital relations from dawn to sunset, with the sincere intention of worshipping Allah.

The renowned Islamic scholar Imam Ghazali (may Allah have mercy on him) described fasting in three stages.

First is the fasting of ordinary Muslims, which involves abstaining from food, drink, and marital relations.

Second is the fasting of the righteous, who, in addition to these restrictions, protect their eyes, ears, tongue, and limbs from all sinful acts.

Third is the fasting of the spiritually distinguished, whose hearts and thoughts remain fully devoted to Allah and to the teachings of the Messenger of Allah, Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).

Dear readers, fasting is not limited to physical abstinence alone. Its true purpose is to purify character, establish social justice, and guide believers toward peace in this world and salvation in the Hereafter. Fasting teaches restraint from lies, injustice, obscenity, corruption, and harmful social behaviour.

Practices such as food adulteration, hoarding essentials, and creating artificial shortages to raise prices during Ramadan are deeply unethical. Such acts directly contradict the spirit of fasting and amount to a mockery of this sacred month.

The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) warned that some people gain nothing from fasting except hunger and thirst. He further said that if a fasting person does not give up lies, injustice, and immoral conduct, Allah has no need for that person’s hunger and thirst.

Therefore, every fasting individual must remain conscious of the moral responsibility that comes with fasting. This long daily fast should never be reduced to a mere physical routine due to careless behaviour.

May Allah grant us the strength to observe fasting in its true spirit, following the teachings of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Ameen.

Author: Mohammed Nurul Absar Taiyobi is a writer, researcher, and Islamic thinker. He is the Founder President of the Expatriate Journalists Association (PRASAS) based in Dubai, UAE. Additionally, he serves as the Chairman of the Islamic Research Center located in Abu Dhabi, UAE. For correspondence, he can be reached at: muntyping@gmail.com