The holy Prophet (S) has said...

The holy Prophet (S) has said: “He who fasts during the fasting month for the sake of Allah, all his sins will be forgiven [10] .” It is also cited in a divine tradition that Allah says: “Fasting is Mine, and I do reward it [11] .” Also, in another tradition, it is narrated from the holy Prophet (S) who said: “There is an alm for everything, and the alms of bodies is fasting [12] .” Hence, it makes clear that the phrase: “…it is better for you that you fast…” addresses all those who fast, not only a particular group of them.

The last verse of this group of verses introduces the time of fasting and a part of its ordinances and their philosophies. At first, it says that those certain days that you must fast are the month of Ramadan [13] . He also added: “ It should also be noted that fasting in Islam is to train us to suppress our natural appetites and shun evil. It does not mean abstaining only from food but from every kind of evil.

Abstention from food is only a step towards the realization that if one has to abstain from that which is lawful, how much more he must abstain from what had been forbidden by Allah. The main object of the Islamic fast is to purify the conduct and character and get the soul charged with the divine attributes of Allah in practical life for one complete month. It helps the Muslims to guard themselves against evil as well…