Fasting in the month of Ramadan, like Namaaz (prayers) is a divine command. Allah says in the Holy Quran, "O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may guard (against evil)."
The Muslim fast means a complete abstention from eating or drinking between daybreak and sunset. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in the following words beautifully explains the actual significance of the fast: –
"One who, while fasting, does not guard his tongue from telling lies, does not refrain from doing bad deeds, is not respecting his fast and Allah does not approve of mere abstention from food". When you are keeping fast, you should not speak ill of anybody, nor should you be boisterous and noisy. If anybody speaks ill of you or tries to pick a quarrel with you return him not, but say unto him that you are fasting.
The Month of Ramadan is also the month souls are purified. The social scientists studying ethics believe that acquiring ideal sublime and ethical conscience passes through three stages:
1. Getting rid of bad habits and attitudes;
2. Acquiring new good traits and habits;
3. Strengthening and crystallizing these traits.