﴿ أَيَّامًۭا مَّعْدُودَٰتٍۢ ۚ فَمَن كَانَ مِنكُم مَّرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍۢ فَعِدَّةٌۭ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ ۚ وَعَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ يُطِيقُونَهُۥ فِدْيَةٌۭ طَعَامُ مِسْكِينٍۢ ۖ فَمَن تَطَوَّعَ خَيْرًۭا فَهُوَ خَيْرٌۭ لَّهُۥ ۚ وَأَن تَصُومُوا۟ خَيْرٌۭ لَّكُمْ ۖ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ ﴾

“[fasting] during a certain number of days. But whoever of you is ill, or on a journey, [shall fast instead for the same] number of other days; and [in such cases] it is incumbent upon those who can afford it to make sacrifice by feeding a needy person. And whoever does more good than he is bound to do does good unto himself thereby; for to fast is to do good unto yourselves - if you but knew it.”

The main aim of fasting is to reduce man’s dependence on material things and strengthen his spiritual resolve, so that he may enter the higher realms of faith and piety. In this way, fasting during Ramadan is a unique opportunity to concentrate on doing good and abstaining from evil. The heart of the believer is thus gladdened and his mind is set at rest. Although the fast is prescribed for just one month every year, the spirit of fasting is far more enduring. It brings man closer to God by showing him how to withdraw from the world while still being a part of it. It shows man the way to fulfil his spiritual obligations in the turmoil of the materialistic world. In that sense, fasting during Ramadan is a way of attaining peace of mind. Ramadan is the month of heightened God-consciousness, of attaining piety and training ourselves to be the best possible human beings. Instead of indulging in gossiping, lying, slandering and generally exhibiting all other traits of bad character, one is focused on improving one’s character by cultivating good habits. In doing so the believer’s inner self inches closer day by day towards a state of righteousness, worshipfulness, devotion and piety, which elevates the soul to a condition of superior spiritual bliss. It is a path which the Prophet Muhammad himself had laid down. During Ramadan he would engage himself in prayer and praise the Almighty throughout the day, especially while breaking the fast at sunset. Just before sunset, when the fast reaches its climax, the believer experiences closeness to his Creator. Perhaps for this reason, the Prophet Muhammad included the fasting person at the time of breaking his fast in the five kinds of people whose supplications were never turned down by God. (The others were a just ruler, an oppressed person, a parent who prays for his children and one who travels for the sake of God.)