We fast in Ramadan first and foremost because Allah commanded it in the Qur’an as a pillar of Islam, and through it He promises taqwa (God‑consciousness), forgiveness, and deep spiritual growth.

Quick Scoop: Core Reasons

  • Obedience to Allah’s command – The Qur’an explicitly links the month of Ramadan with fasting and instructs believers to fast it; this makes it an act of worship, not just a health habit.
  • To gain taqwa (God‑consciousness) – The Qur’an mentions fasting is prescribed “so that you may become righteous,” meaning more aware of Allah, more disciplined, and more careful with sins.
  • To honor the Qur’an’s revelation – Ramadan is the month in which the Qur’an was revealed, and fasting is a way of showing gratitude and recentring life around Allah’s guidance.
  • To purify the self – Fasting trains the soul to control desire, avoid bad habits, and increase worship like prayer, Qur’an recitation, and charity.
  • To build empathy and community – Feeling hunger reminds us of those who are less fortunate and pushes us to give more, share iftar, and strengthen ties in the ummah.
  • To benefit the body and mind – Many Muslim scholars today also mention health benefits like better insulin sensitivity, improved weight control, and mental focus, even though these are secondary to the spiritual goals.

1. A Direct Answer: “Why do we fast in Ramadan?”

Muslims fast in Ramadan because Allah made it an obligation for believers and tied it to the special status of this month when the Qur’an was revealed. From the Islamic perspective, “why” starts with: “Because our Lord commanded it, and in that command there is mercy and benefit for us in this world and the next.”

The fasting itself (from dawn to sunset, no food, drink, or marital relations) is the shell; the real purpose is the inner state it builds: obedience, patience, trust, and closeness to Allah. A famous explanation from scholars is that fasting is a practical school of taqwa—by leaving what is normally halal (food, drink), you become stronger at leaving what is haram.

2. Main Spiritual Purposes

a) Obedience, Submission, and Taqwa

  • Fasting in Ramadan is one of the Five Pillars of Islam , so it is foundational to Muslim identity and practice.
  • The Qur’an describes the purpose as becoming “righteous” or God‑conscious, meaning you feel Allah watching you even when no one else sees you fasting.
  • This obedience builds humility: you give up your desires purely because Allah said so, trusting His wisdom.

An example: a person alone at home can easily drink water in secret, but doesn’t—this invisible act of restraint is exactly where taqwa grows.

b) Honoring the Qur’an and Recentering Life

  • Ramadan is the month Allah began revealing the Qur’an to the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, as final guidance for humanity.
  • Muslims “celebrate” this not with parties but by reshaping their days around worship, including fasting, night prayers, and recitation.
  • Fasting frees time and energy from constant eating and snacking and redirects it to remembrance, du‘a, and reflection.

In a way, the month becomes an annual reset button for your relationship with Allah’s words.

c) Purification of the Heart and Character

  • Scholars describe fasting as something that cools the passions, reduces ego, and “illumines the heart,” making it more receptive to guidance.
  • It forces you to confront habits: anger, gossip, wasting time online, neglecting prayer; many people consciously try to drop these during Ramadan.
  • There is also a strong promise: whoever fasts Ramadan sincerely, seeking Allah’s reward, has past sins forgiven, which is a massive spiritual motivation.

The idea is that hunger is not the goal; transformation is.

3. Social and Emotional Wisdom Behind Fasting

a) Empathy for the Poor and Hungry

  • Feeling real hunger and thirst, day after day, makes the suffering of the poor more tangible than any lecture ever could.
  • This is why Ramadan is strongly linked with charity, food drives, and feeding others at iftar.
  • Many Muslims report that Ramadan shifts their mindset from “my comfort” to “my responsibility toward others.”

An illustration often shared in talks: a person who never worried about where the next meal comes from suddenly feels the sharpness of hunger at 4pm—this experience softens the heart towards those who feel that every day.

b) Strengthening Community Bonds

  • Families and communities gather nightly for iftar and often for night prayers (tarawih), which builds a strong sense of unity and shared purpose.
  • Even Muslims who feel distant from the religion the rest of the year often come back to the masjid in Ramadan, making it a “gateway month” for renewal.
  • Fasting also teaches patience and good manners—because losing your temper while hungry is easy, but resisting that carries huge reward.

So part of “why we fast” is to become better to each other, not just more spiritual on our own.

4. Personal Discipline and Health (Secondary but Real)

Islamic teachings emphasize that the primary reason is worship, not dieting, but Muslims recognize real side benefits.

  • Physically, structured fasting can improve insulin sensitivity, support healthier weight, and lower certain risk factors for chronic disease when done properly.
  • Mentally, fasting trains discipline, delayed gratification, and focus—you learn that you don’t have to obey every impulse right away.
  • Because you’re monitoring your tongue, eyes, ears, and actions more carefully, many people find their mental state is calmer and more reflective.

Still, scholars stress: even if there were no health benefits, fasting would remain obligatory because its real value is spiritual.

5. Different Angles from Muslims Today (Forum‑Style View)

In online forum discussions, Muslims often share personal reasons that, while rooted in the same texts, sound more experiential.

“I fast because it reminds me I’m a servant of Allah first, not a servant of my desires.”

“Ramadan forces me out of autopilot. My day isn’t coffee-phone-work-snack anymore; it’s suhoor, fajr, Qur’an, iftar with family. Life feels more intentional.”

Common themes that come up:

  1. Reset and detox – Not just physical, but a reset from social media addiction, pointless arguments, and haram content.
  1. Structure and routine – Fixed times for suhoor, iftar, and prayers give life a rhythm that many people actually miss after Ramadan.
  1. Forgiveness and hope – People who feel guilty about past sins see Ramadan as their best chance for a “fresh page” with Allah.
  1. Identity and belonging – Fasting connects them to a global ummah doing the same act of worship across continents.

So while the theological answer is “because Allah commanded it to gain taqwa,” the lived answer can sound like “because Ramadan makes me into the version of myself I wish I could stay all year.”

6. A Simple Story‑Style Example

Imagine someone who has drifted from their faith all year: late prayers, constant scrolling, little reflection. Ramadan arrives.

  • They start waking up for suhoor, standing in prayer, reading Qur’an for the first time in months.
  • Hunger during the day makes them notice their words more—less gossip, fewer arguments, more patience.
  • Sharing food at iftar, giving charity, and listening to reminders rebuild their sense of purpose and connection to Allah and the community.

By the end of the month, their stomach may be a little lighter, but the main change is an awakened heart and renewed relationship with Allah—and that is the deepest answer to “why do we fast in Ramadan.”

TL;DR

Muslims fast in Ramadan because Allah made it an obligation tied to the month of the Qur’an, and through it He grants taqwa, forgiveness, and spiritual renewal. The hunger and thirst are just tools to reshape the heart, build empathy and community, and pull life back around Allah instead of our desires.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.