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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Taqwa (Piety) Advice of Piety And Fasting ===================== One of the other religious obligations which require ‘Taqwa’ in practice and have no worth without Taqwa is ‘Fasting’. Fasting is sometimes interpreted as the ‘purification of body’, as a shield of one who observes it in this world and the hereafter; at least a shield against fire and at other times as an act which makes Satan ashamed.

In a tradition, it has been described as a booty easily gained and as Jihad, and in other traditions, it is considered as one of the signs of faith.

The sleeping of a fasting one is considered as worshipping, his breathing as glorification of Allah, the smell of his mouth is better than musk, his silence as glorification of Allah, his deed is twice rewarded, and finally the reward of his fasting shall be (greatly) from God.”[^1] Fasting is an obligatory religious duty and anyone who intentionally leaves it without any excuse has to fast for sixty days, to feed sixty poor men, or manumit a slave as penance.

Denying it, he will be considered as an unbeliever. If he is a Muslim, he will be considered as apostate. The order related to apostasy is mentioned in the books of practical rulings of Islam (Risalah Amaliyyah) as follows: if one is a man, his property will be taken away. If he is married, he has to divorce his (Muslim) wife and he must be sentenced to death. If one is a woman, she will be sentenced to life imprisonment. Fasting has been repeatedly mentioned in the Holy Quran.

One of these verses recites: “O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may guard (against evil).” [^2] In another verse, we read: “O you who believe!