Lessons

Ramadan & Fasting

Why Muslims fast in Ramadan

Discover the spiritual purpose, ease, and immense rewards behind the blessed month of Ramadan.

3 short lessons · about 3 min · every point has its source

1. A command of guidance and righteousness

Welcome to the blessed month of Ramadan. When you embrace Islam, fasting for an entire month can feel like a major step. Discovering why Muslims fast can fill your heart with peace and clear purpose. Fasting was decreed for believers just as it was decreed for the communities before them.¹

Ramadan holds a special place in the heart of every believer. It is the month in which the Quran was revealed.² Truly, the Quran is the revelation of the Lord of the worlds.³ Allah gave this book as guidance for the people, with clear proofs of guidance and a criterion.²

Because the Quran was sent down in this month, Allah instructed that whoever sights the new moon must fast.² It is an Arabic Quran without any deviance, given so that people may become righteous.⁴

2. A shield of character and ease

Fasting trains both your body and your character. It acts as a shield against wrongdoing and committing sins.⁵ While fasting, a person should avoid obscene speech, raising their voice, and quarreling with others. If someone reviles you or tries to start a dispute, you should respond by saying that you are fasting.⁶ This gentle response guards your patience and keeps your conduct peaceful.

Islam does not place burdens on you that damage your well-being. Allah intends ease for you and does not intend hardship. If you fall ill during the month of Ramadan or find yourself traveling on a journey, you are excused from fasting on those days. You simply make up an equal number of missed days at a later time.²

There is also deep mercy and understanding among believers. When the companions traveled with the Prophet ﷺ, those who fasted did not criticize those who were not fasting, and those who were not fasting did not criticize those who fasted.⁷ A traveler has the choice to fast or not to fast.⁸ Receiving this ease with gratitude reflects your trust in Allah.

3. Forgiveness and the two joys of fasting

Entering Ramadan brings a remarkable opportunity for spiritual renewal. A person who fasts the month of Ramadan out of sincere faith and hoping for the reward of Allah will have all past sins forgiven.⁹ This gift offers every believer a clean slate and deep peace of mind.

Fasting holds a unique status among acts of worship. While other good deeds are multiplied from ten to seven hundred times, Allah has stated that fasting is done specifically for Him and that He will personally reward it. The person fasting gives up their food and desires for the sake of Allah.¹⁰ In addition, the breath of a fasting person is sweeter to Allah on the Day of Judgment than the fragrance of musk.⁶

This devoted worship also brings two profound moments of happiness.¹¹ The first joy comes when the person breaks their fast and is glad to break it. The second joy comes when the person meets their Lord and is glad with their fast.⁶ As you fast, look forward to both of these beautiful moments.

Sources

1. Quran 2:183 (Al-Baqarah)
   O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous
2. Quran 2:185 (Al-Baqarah)
   The month of Ramadhan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the new moon 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
3. Quran 26:192 (Ash-Shu'ara)
   And indeed, the Qur'an is the revelation of the Lord of the worlds
4. Quran 39:28 (Az-Zumar)
   [It is] an Arabic Qur'an, without any deviance that they might become righteous
5. Sahih al-Bukhari 1904 Read it in full
   Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Allah said, 'All the deeds of Adam's sons (people) are for them, except fasting which is for Me, and I will give the reward for it.' Fasting is a shield or protection from the fire and from committing sins. If one of you is fasting, he should avoid sexual relation with his wife and quarreling, and if somebody should fight or quarrel with him, he should say, 'I am fasting.' By Him in Whose Hands my soul is' The unpleasant smell coming out from the mouth of a fasting person is better in the sight of Allah than the smell of musk. There are two pleasures for the fasting person, one at the time of breaking his fast, and the other at the time when he will meet his Lord; then he will be pleased because of his fasting
6. Sahih Muslim 1151d Read it in full
   Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: 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
7. Sahih al-Bukhari 1947 Read it in full
   Narrated Anas bin Malik: We used to travel with the Prophet (ﷺ) and neither did the fasting persons criticize those who were not fasting, nor did those who were not fasting criticize the fasting ones
8. Sunan an-Nasaʾi 2301
   It was narrated that Hamzah said: "I said: 'O Prophet of Allah, I am a man who fasts continually, so should I fast while traveling?' He said: 'If you wish then fast, and if you wish then do not fastGrading: Abu Ghuddah: Sahih; Al-Albani: Sahih; Zubair Ali Zai: Hasan
9. Sahih al-Bukhari 38 Read it in full
   Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Whoever observes fasts during the month of Ramadan out of sincere faith, and hoping to attain Allah's rewards, then all his past sins will be forgiven
10. Sahih Muslim 1151e Read it in full
    Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: 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
11. Jamiʿ at-Tirmidhi 766
    Abu Hurairah narrated that: The Messenger of Allah said: "There are two joys for the fasting person: the joy when he breaks his fast, and the joy of when he meets his LordGrading: Ahmad Muhammad Shakir: Sahih; Al-Albani: Sahih; Bashar Awad Maarouf: Hasan Sahih; Zubair Ali Zai: Isnaad Sahih

Every point in this lesson rests on a verse of the Quran or a hadith, listed above. Hadith come from Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, or from other collections only where every listed scholar graded them sahih or hasan. Found a mistake? Tell us.

More on ramadan & fasting

• A day of fasting, from suhoor to iftarLearn how to begin, guard, and break your daily fast with confidence.
• A practice fast before RamadanLearn how and when to try voluntary fasts to prepare your heart and body for Ramadan.
• Fasting when your family is not MuslimLearn how to uphold your fasts while showing gentle kindness and love to non-Muslim relatives.
• If you cannot fast: illness, travel and other reasonsLearn Allah's allowances for missed fasts, feeding substitutes, and how to make up days.