Table of Contents
The Meaning of Ṣawm
Ṣawm in the Arabic language means to refrain and hold back. In Islamic law it means to worship Allah by refraining from food, drink, and sexual relations from true dawn until sunset, with the intention of worship. Allah commanded the believers to fast in order to purify them and draw them close to Him.
“O you who have believed, fasting has been prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you that you may become righteous.”
(Qur’an 2:183)
The Prophet ﷺ explained that fasting is not only about staying away from food and drink, but about restraining the self from sin and bad conduct.
“Whoever does not leave false speech and acting upon it, and ignorance, then Allah has no need of him leaving his food and drink.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al‑Bukhārī)
Through this definition we see that ṣawm is an act of the heart, the tongue, and the limbs, not only the stomach.
Fasting as a School of Discipline
Fasting trains a Muslim to control desires and to resist temptation. When a person leaves what is normally lawful, such as food and water, only because Allah commanded it, he or she learns to leave what is unlawful even more readily. The believer abstains in public and in private, which teaches sincerity and self control.
The Prophet ﷺ described fasting as a shield that protects a person from harm.
“Fasting is a shield. So when one of you is fasting, let him not behave in an obscene manner or act ignorantly, and if someone fights him or insults him, let him say, ‘Indeed I am fasting.’”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al‑Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)
By holding back anger, controlling the tongue, and avoiding arguments during fasting, the Muslim learns how to discipline emotions and reactions in everyday life. Hunger and thirst break arrogance and remind the heart of its weakness and need for Allah. This is why many scholars described Ramadan as a spiritual training camp for the rest of the year.
Fasting also disciplines time and routine. The believer learns to plan the day around the commands of Allah, to wake for suḥūr before dawn, to break the fast promptly at sunset, and to increase recitation of the Qur’an and prayer. This regular pattern shapes a life of obedience and order.
Taqwā as the Goal of Fasting
Allah Himself mentioned the main purpose of fasting, which is taqwā. Taqwā means to place a protective barrier between oneself and the anger of Allah by obeying His commands and avoiding His prohibitions. Fasting, when done with faith and sincerity, softens the heart and makes it more aware of Allah’s presence.
“So whoever among you witnesses the month, let him fast it.”
(Qur’an 2:185)
“And that you fast is better for you, if you only knew.”
(Qur’an 2:184)
Through fasting the Muslim feels the closeness of Allah. The secret nature of fasting, which no one can fully see except Allah, increases sincerity. This is why in a famous hadith qudsī, Allah linked fasting uniquely to Himself.
The Prophet ﷺ said, “Allah said: ‘Every deed of the son of Adam is for him except fasting. It is for Me, and I will reward it.’ Fasting is a shield. When one of you is fasting, let him not speak indecently or shout. If someone insults him or fights him, let him say, ‘I am fasting.’ By the One in whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, the smell from the mouth of a fasting person is better with Allah than the scent of musk. The fasting person has two joys: when he breaks his fast he rejoices, and when he meets his Lord he rejoices at his fasting.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al‑Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)
Taqwā appears during fasting in many ways. The believer feels shy before Allah to spoil the fast with lies, backbiting, and sinful looks. The heart remembers that Allah sees, hears, and knows every state. This constant awareness becomes a shield from disobedience long after Ramadan ends.
Key principle: The main goal of fasting is taqwā. If outward hunger is not matched by inner obedience, sincerity, and restraint from sin, the person has missed the true purpose of ṣawm.
The Prophet ﷺ warned about this loss of purpose when he said:
“There are people who fast, yet get nothing from their fasting except hunger, and there are those who stand in prayer at night, yet get nothing from their standing except sleeplessness.”
(Sunan Ibn Mājah)
This hadith shows that taqwā, not mere ritual, is what Allah accepts and loves.
Ramadan as a Month of Change
Allah selected the month of Ramadan as the special time for obligatory fasting. This month is honored because the Qur’an was revealed in it as guidance and clear proof for humanity.
“The month of Ramadan is that in which was revealed the Qur’an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion.”
(Qur’an 2:185)
In Ramadan the doors of mercy are opened and the chances for forgiveness are multiplied. Fasting in this month becomes a powerful means to cleanse sins and renew the heart.
The Prophet ﷺ said, “Whoever fasts Ramadan out of faith and seeking reward, his past sins will be forgiven.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al‑Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)
Ramadan is a time for change because repeated acts of worship shape new habits. The believer fills the days of fasting with Qur’an, duʿā, charity, and patience. The nights are revived with prayer and remembrance. Through this intensive program, the heart moves from heedlessness to alertness, and from weakness to strength in faith.
At the end of Ramadan, the Muslim celebrates ʿĪd al‑Fiṭr to thank Allah for guidance and strength. This celebration is a sign that the training of Ramadan should continue in some form throughout the year, through voluntary fasting and ongoing taqwā.
Spiritual Secrets of Fasting
Fasting has hidden effects on the soul. By reducing the intake of food and drink, the body becomes lighter and the heart becomes more receptive to remembrance and reflection. Excessive eating can lead to laziness and a hard heart, while balanced eating with periods of fasting softens and awakens it.
The Prophet ﷺ encouraged young people who are able to marry, and for those who cannot, he recommended fasting as a means of self protection.
“O young men, whoever among you is able to marry, let him marry, for it is more effective in lowering the gaze and guarding the private parts. Whoever is not able, then he should fast, for it will be a protection for him.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al‑Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)
This shows that fasting restrains desire and reduces the power of temptation. The believer learns to put the needs of the soul above the impulses of the body. With this inner balance, the heart finds peace in obedience to Allah.
Fasting also nurtures modesty before Allah. When the fasting person feels weak, thirsty, or tired, he remembers his dependence on his Lord. This humility is beloved to Allah, who said:
“And Allah wants to lighten for you your difficulties, and mankind was created weak.”
(Qur’an 4:28)
Through this weakness, the fasting person turns to duʿā and seeks help from Allah alone. The times of fasting become times of closeness, especially just before breaking the fast, when supplications are more likely to be answered.
“Indeed, the fasting person, when he breaks his fast, has a supplication that is not rejected.”
(Sunan Ibn Mājah)
Fasting and Compassion for Others
Fasting not only connects the servant to Allah, it also connects him to other people. By tasting hunger, the believer remembers the poor and those who suffer. This feeling of shared pain leads to compassion and generosity.
During Ramadan the Prophet ﷺ increased his charity and kindness.
Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was the most generous of people, and he was even more generous in Ramadan when Jibrīl would meet him. He would meet him every night of Ramadan and review the Qur’an with him. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was more generous in doing good than the blowing wind.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al‑Bukhārī)
Fasting teaches the believer to share food, invite others to break their fast, and give in charity to those in need. Feeding a fasting person carries a special reward.
“Whoever gives food to a fasting person to break his fast will have a reward like his, without that decreasing the reward of the fasting person in the slightest.”
(Jāmiʿ at‑Tirmidhī)
This mutual care strengthens the bonds of the Muslim community and purifies wealth from selfishness. The hunger of fasting therefore becomes a doorway to mercy and social responsibility.
Rewards and Virtues of Ṣawm
The virtues of fasting are many, and they show the honor that Allah has given to this act of worship. Among these virtues is the special gate of Paradise called al‑Rayyān, which is reserved for those who fast.
“Indeed, in Paradise there is a gate called al‑Rayyān. Those who fast will enter through it on the Day of Resurrection, and none but they will enter through it. It will be said, ‘Where are those who used to fast?’ They will stand, and none but they will enter through it. When they have entered, it will be closed and none will enter through it after them.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al‑Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ also taught that fasting helps erase sins and protects from the Fire.
“Fasting the day of ʿArafah, I hope from Allah, expiates the sins of the year before it and the year after it.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)
“No servant fasts one day in the way of Allah, except that Allah will distance his face from the Fire by a distance of seventy autumns.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)
These narrations apply to fasting in general, while specific details about days and rulings belong to other chapters. Here it is enough to see that ṣawm is among the most powerful deeds for securing Allah’s forgiveness and reward.
Allah described the people of taqwā as those who restrain themselves for His sake and receive gardens of bliss.
“Indeed, the righteous will be in gardens and rivers, in a seat of truth, with the Sovereign, Perfect in Ability.”
(Qur’an 54:54‑55)
Fasting is a main path to join this group. It combines patience, self discipline, hidden worship, and sincerity. For this reason many scholars called fasting half of patience, and patience itself is a condition for entering Paradise.
“Indeed, the patient will be given their reward without account.”
(Qur’an 39:10)
Since the fasting person is constantly practicing patience, he or she is walking directly toward a reward beyond measure.
Cultivating Lifelong Discipline through Voluntary Fasts
While the obligatory fast of Ramadan is a pillar of Islam, voluntary fasting throughout the year helps to maintain the discipline and taqwā that were developed in that month. Even a beginner in Islam can understand that regular repetition strengthens any habit.
The Prophet ﷺ encouraged ongoing deeds that are small but consistent.
“The most beloved deeds to Allah are those that are most consistent, even if they are few.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al‑Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)
By choosing days in the year for voluntary fasting, the believer keeps alive the spiritual state of Ramadan. Hunger, reflection, and remembrance of Allah become part of the rhythm of life, not limited to a single month. This steady practice protects the heart from falling back into heedlessness and returns the mind again and again to the purpose of creation and the reality of the Hereafter.
Voluntary fasting, like the obligatory one, trains the believer to resist sin and keep safe from the whispers of Shayṭān. Every time the Muslim chooses self control for the sake of Allah, the roots of taqwā grow deeper.
The Inner Etiquette of Fasting
Beyond basic rules, fasting has inner manners that help achieve its purpose. The fasting person strives to purify intention, to remember Allah often, and to avoid anything that displeases Him. Guarding the tongue is particularly important, because many sins flow from speech.
The Prophet ﷺ said, “When one of you is fasting, let him not use obscene language nor raise his voice in anger. If someone insults him or tries to fight him, let him say, ‘I am fasting.’”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al‑Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)
Another important inner etiquette is to fill the time of fasting with Qur’an and reflection. Since Ramadan is the month of the Qur’an, the relationship between fasting and the Book of Allah is very close. The believer listens, recites, and ponders the meanings, and by doing so, the heart receives guidance and light.
The fasting person also practices gratitude. Before eating, drinking, or marital relations are permitted at sunset, the believer feels deeply the blessing of these ordinary gifts and thanks Allah for them. This gratitude is a key part of taqwā.
“And remember Me, and I will remember you. And be grateful to Me and do not be ungrateful.”
(Qur’an 2:152)
When the fasting person says the duʿā at ifṭār and breaks the fast with the name of Allah, the entire act becomes a moment of worship, trust, and love for the Creator.
Ṣawm as a Path to Nearness to Allah
All acts of worship are meant to bring the servant close to his Lord, but fasting occupies a unique position. Because its reality is hidden from people, it is especially linked to sincerity. No one can fully know whether another person is truly fasting if they are alone, yet the believer continues to refrain from all nullifiers out of reverence for Allah. This hidden obedience increases the light of faith in the heart.
“And they give food in spite of love for it to the needy, the orphan, and the captive, [saying], ‘We feed you only for the countenance of Allah. We wish not from you reward or gratitude.’”
(Qur’an 76:8‑9)
Although this verse speaks about feeding others, the principle in it is also true for fasting. The believer fasts “only for the countenance of Allah,” seeking His pleasure, not praise from people. Such sincerity, combined with patience and self restraint, makes ṣawm a direct path to the love and nearness of Allah.
When the Muslim understands that fasting is more than hunger and thirst, it becomes a powerful act that transforms character, purifies the heart, and prepares the soul to meet Allah. Through this understanding, ṣawm truly becomes discipline and taqwā.