Benefits and Secrets of Fasting

Fasting is a great act of worship that Allaah The Almighty made one of the pillars of Islam and prescribed upon the Muslims - not for one day or a week, but for an entire month every year. It is the nature of the human soul to slacken and become bored and tired of striving, especially in the face of the temptations of life, the many pleasures of this world, and the deception of Satan. As a result, the soul becomes weak in performing obligatory duties and acts of worship; it gradually becomes less affected by them and benefits less from them. It is the wisdom and mercy of Allaah The Almighty that He has ordained for the soul all that strengthens its weakness, sharpens its determination, and increases its faith through the virtue He conferred on certain times and places. The seasons of virtue, for instance, include the first ten days of Thul-Hijjah, the 10th of Muharram, and Ramadhaan.