What is the meaning of fasting (ṣawm)?

"If one intends to fast during the day, it does not suffice for Ramadan or obligatory fasting, except for voluntary ones. If one intends to fast in a general sense or for an unspecified obligation, it is not sufficient until he specifies the obligatory fast of God, i.e., fasting Ramadan. If one intends on the night of doubt to fast tomorrow if it is Ramadan, it is not valid because it is not decisive unless his intention relies on the testimony of one trustworthy witness."

""Fast one day and break the fast one day," and when Abdullah sought more, he said, "There is nothing better than this. It is also narrated that the Prophet never fasted an entire month except Ramadan; rather, he would sometimes fast and sometimes break his fast. For those unable to fast half the year, fasting a third is acceptable, which means fasting one day and breaking the fast for two."

"except that you would see him praying nor sleeping except that you would see him sleeping. Mahmood ibn Ghailan narrated from Ibn Abbas who said, the Prophet, peace be upon him, would fast until we would say he does not want to break his fast and he would break his fast until we would say he does not want to fast and he did not fast a complete month since he arrived in Medina except for Ramadan. Muhammad ibn Bashar narrated from Umm Salama who said, I did not see the Prophet, peace be upon him, fasting two consecutive months except for Shaban and Ramadan. It is noted that this hadith has been narrated by others from Aisha"

"fast and the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, did not fast a complete month since he arrived in Medina except for Ramadan. Ali bin Hajar narrated from Anas ibn Malik who was asked about the fasting of the Prophet, peace be upon him. He said, he would fast from the month until we would think he did not want to break his fast and he would break his fast until we would think he did not want to fast at all and you would not wish to see him at night except that you would see him praying nor sleeping except that you would see him sleeping. Mahmood ibn Ghailan narrated from Ibn Abbas who said, the"

"the mosque, yet to pray in my house is more beloved to me than to pray in the mosque, except for the obligatory prayer. Chapter, what has been narrated about the fasting of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him. Qutayba bin Sa'id narrated from Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, about the fasting of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him. She said, he would fast until we would say he has fasted and he would break his fast until we would say he has broken his fast and the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, did not fast a complete month since he arrived in Medina except for Ramadan. Ali bin Hajar narrated from"

"that Abu Salama Ibn Abdul Rahman narrated this hadith from both Aisha and Umm Salama. Hanad narrated from Aisha who said, I did not see the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, fasting in a month more than he fasted for Allah and Shaban. He would fast Shaban except for a little rather he would fast at all. It is narrated that Abdullah said, the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, would fast three days from the beginning of every month and he rarely broke his fast on Fridays. Aisha reported, the Prophet, peace be upon him, would seek to fast on Mondays and Thursdays. Abu Huraira narrated that the Prophet, peace"

"Similarly, his deeds are like the fragrance of musk, smelled by those who sit with him, just as those who sit with the fasting person benefit from his company, safe from falsehood, lies, immorality, and injustice. This is the prescribed fast, not merely abstaining from food and drink. In an authentic hadith, whoever does not relinquish false speech and acting upon it, Allah has no need for him to leave his food and drink. Another hadith states, There may be a fasting person who gains nothing from his fast but hunger and thirst. Thus, fasting is abstaining with the limbs from sins and the stomach from food"

"with the rulings derived from it. All praise is due to Allah. It is narrated that Mu'adh Ibn Jabal said the prayer was made obligatory in three states and fasting was made obligatory in three states. He mentioned the states of prayer and continued as for the states of fasting when the messenger of Allah peace be upon him came to Medina he began to fast three days of every month and he fasted Ashura then Allah made fasting obligatory and revealed oh you who have believed decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you so whoever wished could fast and whoever wished could feed a poor"

"I sat by his grave when I heard a voice from his grave saying, Ah, leave me alone. I am suffering the torment. I used to pray. I used to fast. His words made me weep. So I dug up the earth to see his condition and behold, the grave was ablaze upon him. The sixth major sin, breaking the fast on a day of Ramadan without excuse. The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said, Whoever breaks the fast on a day of Ramadan without an excuse or illness, he will not be able to make up for it by fasting the rest of his life, even if he fasts."

"does the preparation of paradise for the devout exclude those with even the smallest amount of faith who have done no good at all. Some rely on fasting on the day of Ashura or the day of Arafa, claiming that fasting on Ashura atones for all the sins of the year, while fasting on Arafa offers additional reward. This deluded person does not realize that the fast of Ramadan, the five daily prayers hold greater significance than fasting on the day of Arafa and the day of Ashura."