Allah says:
“O you who believe, fasting has been prescribed upon you as it was prescribed upon those before you, that you may attain taqwa.”
(Surah al-Baqarah 2:183)
Translated Verse from Arabic to English
From this verse we learn:
Fasting is obligatory (fard).
It was prescribed to previous nations.
Its primary goal is taqwa (God-consciousness).
Taqwa means guarding oneself from Allah’s punishment by obeying Him and avoiding sin. Ramadan is therefore not merely abstaining from food and drink, but a training in obedience and self restraint.
Allah says:
“The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Quran, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights the crescent of the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey - then an equal number of other days. Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and wants for you to complete the period and to glorify Allah for that to which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful.”
(Surah al-Baqarah 2:185)
Translated Verse from Arabic to English
Ramadan is distinguished because:
The Quran was revealed in it.
It is a month of guidance.
It connects fasting with revelation.
“Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship.”
(Surah al-Baqarah 2:185)
Translated Verse from Arabic to English
Islam provides concessions:
The sick and traveler may make up missed fasts later.
Those unable to fast may feed the poor.
This shows that Ramadan is a month of mercy, not hardship
The Prophet ﷺ explained the virtues of Ramadan in detail.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever fasts the month of Ramadan due to faith and seeking reward, his previous sins will be forgiven. Whoever stands in prayer during the Night of Decree due to faith and seeking reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.”
(Bukhari & Muslim)
Translated Hadith from Arabic to English
Conditions:
Iman (faith)
Ihtisab (seeking reward sincerely from Allah)
Similarly:
“Whoever stands (in prayer) during Ramadan with faith and seeking reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.”
(Bukhari & Muslim)
Translated Hadith from Arabic to English
This refers especially to Tarawih and Qiyam al-Layl.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“When the month of Ramadan begins, the gates of the heaven are opened, the gates of Hell are closed, and the devils are chained.”
(Bukhari & Muslim)
Translated Hadith from Arabic to English
This indicates:
Increased opportunity for good
Decreased influence of Shaytan
An atmosphere of mercy
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever does not give up false statements (telling lies), and evil deeds, and speaking bad words to others, Allah is not in need of his (fasting) leaving his food and drink.”
(Bukhari)
Translated Hadith from Arabic to English
Thus:
Fasting includes guarding the tongue.
It includes avoiding lying, backbiting, argumentation, and sin.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Allah the Exalted and Majestic said: Every act of the son of Adam is for him, except fasting. It is (exclusively) meant for Me and I (alone) will reward it. Fasting is a shield. When any one of you is fasting on a day, he should neither indulge in obscene language, nor raise the voice; or if anyone reviles him or tries to quarrel with him he should say: I am a person fasting. By Him, in Whose Hand is the life of Muhammad, the breath of the observer of fast is sweeter to Allah on the Day of judgment than the fragrance of musk. The one who fasts has two (occasions) of joy, one when he breaks the fast he is glad with the breaking of (the fast) and one when he meets his Lord he is glad with his fast.”
(Sahih Muslim)
Translated Hadith from Arabic to English
A Beneficial Fasting is a shield from:
Sin, Desires, & Hellfire
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Look for the Night of Decree in the last ten nights of Ramadan. If one of you is weak or unable, then do not be overcome by the remaining seven nights.”
(Sahih Muslim)
Translated Hadith from Arabic to English
Allah says:
“Laylat al-Qadr is better than a thousand months.”
(Surah al-Qadr 97:3)
Translated Verse from Arabic to English
That is more than 83 years of worship.
The Prophet ﷺ increased his worship in the last ten nights and would:
Stay awake at night & Wake his family & Tighten his waist wrapper (showing seriousness and withdrawal from worldly matters)
Abu Huraira reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, would review the Quran once every year in Ramadan, and he reviewed it twice in the year he passed away. The Prophet ﷺ would seclude himself in the mosque for ten days every year, and he secluded himself for twenty days in the year he passed away.
(Sahih Bukhari)
Translated Hadith from Arabic to English
It was reported that some of the Salaf would:
Ask Allah for six months to allow them to reach Ramadan, & ask for six months that He accept it from them.
They understood that good deeds have NO value if not accepted by Allah.
For Muslims must have hope and fear in Allah & not lose hope in the mercy of Allah.
Despite their worship and good deeds, the Salaf feared rejection.
Allah says:
“And they who give what they give while their hearts are fearful because they will be returning to their Lord”
(Surah al-Mu’minun 23:60)
Aisha (رضي الله عنها) asked about this verse, and the Prophet ﷺ explained that it refers to those who pray, fast, and give charity — yet fear it may not be accepted. (Tirmidhi)
Their Ramadan combined:
Intense effort
Deep humility
Fear of rejection
Hope in mercy
From Quran, Sunnah, and the Salaf, we learn that Ramadan aims to produce:
1. Taqwa
Self discipline and awareness of Allah.
2. Ikhlas (Sincerity)
Fasting is hidden; only Allah fully knows who is truly fasting.
3. Control of Desires
Training the soul discipline, not appetite.
4. Attachment to the Quran
Ramadan increases the believer’s faith & love for Allah with more time reading the Quran & understanding it how the Prophet ﷺ understood it and his companions may Allah be pleased with them all.
5. Forgiveness and Renewal
It is a mercy from Allah that the doors of mercy & forgiveness are open for us.
"Every (good) deed of the son of Adam would be multiplied, a good deed receiving a tenfold to seven hundredfold reward. Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, has said: With the exception of fasting, for it is done for Me and I will give a reward for it, for one abandons his passion and food for My sake. There are two occasions of joy for one who fasts, joy when he breaks it, and joy when he meets his Lord, and the breath (of an observer of fast) is sweeter to Allah than the fragrance of musk."
(Sahih Muslim)
Translated Hadith from Arabic to English
Ramadan is not merely:
A month of food at night ❌
A cultural celebration ❌
A social routine ❌
it is a month of taqwa ✅
it is a month of forgiveness 🫂 ✅
hope🌹& mercy 💝✅
it is a month of Quran 📖, prayer 🕋✅
tears💧& transformation 🤲 ✅
The true success of Ramadan is not in how much we eat at iftar, but in how much we change for the better before Shawwal.
May Allah allow us to reach Ramadan, benefit from it, and accept it from us. Ameen.
سبحانك اللهم وبحمدك أشهد ان لا اله الا انت استغفرك وأتوب اليك