The obligation of fasting. Importance and virtue

 The obligation of fasting.  Importance and virtue.Fasting  is one of the five pillars of Islam which is called fasting in Arabic.  Muslims fast during the holy month of the Islamic year, Ramadan.  The whole Islamic world agrees on the obligation and nature of fasting.  It is an act of worship and is the name of abstaining from eating and drinking with the intention from dawn to dusk. In fasting, Muslims abstain from eating and drinking from dawn to dusk, while husbands and wives abstain from sexual intercourse.  In order to fast, food is eaten before dawn, which is called sehri, after which the Fajr prayer is offered, while at sunset, the fast is broken with the adhan of Maghrib, which is called breaking the fast.  Fasting in Ramadan became obligatory in the second Hijri. Fasting in Ramadan is obligatory by consensus.

    Regarding the obligation of fasting in the Qur'an al-Hakim, the Almighty said:

   O you who do not know the Book of Fasting, as you have written on those before you, you know.

   O you who believe!  Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become righteous.  The purpose of fasting is piety.  Fasting instills piety in a person.  If a person does not attain taqwa even by fasting, then he has not found the real purpose of fasting.

    Allah Almighty said:

      The month of Ramadan in which the Qur'an is revealed to the people and the difference is clear.  Al-Baqarah, 2: 185

    Declaring Ramadan to be the month of fasting, Allah Almighty said: The month of Ramadan is the month in which the Qur'an was revealed which is a guide for the people and in which there are clear signs that guide and distinguish between right and wrong.  So whoever of you finds this month, let him fast it.

   Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

      But fasting is special for me, so I will give its reward as much as I want.

   It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) while explaining the virtue of fasting said:

   2. Fasting is a shield from the fire of Hell, like a shield from one of you.

  3.  The Holy Prophet (sws) said: There are two joys for the fasting person, one at the time of Iftar and the other at the time of meeting his Lord.  Sahih Al-Bukhari

 The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) fasted Ramadaan for nine years in his life.