The purpose of fasting:
Fasting has many purposes and the most important one as listed above is an act of piety and devotion to God and an exercise in self-restraint. As the latter is kind of tangible act by refraining from eating, drinking, and intimate relationship during fasting period, the fasting cannot reach its ultimate goals unless it’s solely intended to be for spiritual purposes (act of piety and devotion to God). This can be achieved through many examples that included but not limited to family connection, forgiveness, and giving out wealth to the needed ones (goodness).
Around dusk time, families sit on the table waiting the time to break their fast (this time is set through Astronomical calculations nowadays). During such time, people thank God for every grace in their lives since many other people in the world do not have neither food nor drink. The most common way to break the fasting is through eating dates and drinking water. This is what Islam prophet Mohammed (PBUH) used to do to break fasting over 1 400 years ago. The idea behind dates and water is the fact that it gives so much energy to the body in very short time and it takes very little time to gets aways from the stomach as opposed to other means, such as meat, bread, etc..
Secondly, Ramadan is a perfect time for people to forgive each other. This is because of this month importance in reminding people about their graces and mercies in their lives but most importantly is because God will not accept the worship of Al Qadr night (the Night of Destiny) for people who experience haughtiness and enmity between each other. Al Qadr night for Muslims is the most important night in the whole year where Quran was sent to earth from God on this night. This night in the last ten nights during Ramadan and people who are fasting have again a great opportunity to forgive each other and otherwise their worship during this night will not be accepted. The worship during this night worth 1000 months of regular worship during regular time.
As for goodness, this month is the time where Muslims donate from their wealth (money and time) to benefit the people who are in need for help. This is again according to Islam prophet Mohammed (PBUH) teachings that he did this quite extra during Ramadan where we were supposed to do this during the whole year according to each person’s capacity. This can be done in any form from donating money to charitable organization to teaching some one some skills that can benefit the society.
All of this allows Ramadan to create another version of a person after this holy month. The new version is supposedly able to help the society you’re living in with more energy with keeping ethical values in mind. This is described in a single word in the Arabic language which is blessing (بركة) and this is a greeting ritual that people exchange in the beginning of Ramadan, i.e. to say Ramadan Mubarak (Blessed Ramadan)!
