Ramadan like all other important institutions in Islam are appointed by Allah to help us to qualify ourselves for the onerous responsibility of serving as vicegerents of Allah on earth. We can only benefit from these institutions when we fulfill them by being fully aware of their true purposes and wisdom.

Sheikh Ahmad Kutty list a few benefits and lessons of fasting in Ramadan:

1. Fasting will only help us if we consider it as a great spiritual discipline intended to deepen our spiritual nature;

2. Fasting is meant to help us restrain our physical cravings and learn self-mastery;

3. There is no benefit in fasting, unless one controls one's evil thoughts, words and actions and exercises total control over them all;

4. True fasting makes us aware of God's favours for while fasting we are deprived of them, and thus making us aware of their true value;

5. It ought to condition us to empathize with the poor and the less fortunate;

6. Ramadan must also help us improve our life by breaking bad habits and learning new ones;

7. In short, by developing taqwa or mindfulness of Allah through fasting, we are better prepared to open a new chapter in our lives.

Let us, therefore, individually and collectively prepare ourselves to come out of the blessed month with a renewed faith, better morals and higher spiritual energy-ameen.

Allah Almighty knows best.

Source: Islam.ca