Fasting in Ramadan is not limited to abstaining from food and drink. It is a holistic act of worship that requires guarding the limbs from sin and disciplining the soul. The eyes, the tongue and the emotions are all tested daily. True fasting demands lowering the gaze, controlling anger and avoiding obscene or harmful speech.
Allah commands in the Qur’an 24 verse 30, “Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and guard their chastity.” In today’s digital age, this instruction requires deliberate effort. With constant access to phones and social media, lowering the gaze means consciously avoiding inappropriate images, videos and content that weaken the heart and diminish the spirit of fasting.
The Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him warned that fasting is not merely physical restraint. He said that if one is fasting, he should not engage in obscene speech or ignorant behaviour as recorded in Sahih al Bukhari and Sahih Muslim.
Anger is among the quickest ways to lose the reward of fasting. For this reason, the Prophet advised that if someone insults or provokes a fasting person, he should simply say, “I am fasting.” This statement serves as a shield, protecting the heart and restraining the ego from reacting impulsively.
Fasting Muslims are therefore encouraged to avoid arguments, insults, gossip, online disputes and offensive jokes. Instead, anger should be replaced with silence, remembrance of Allah and patience. Ramadan is meant to calm the soul, not inflame it.
When the gaze is lowered, anger is restrained and speech is purified, fasting rises from a physical obligation to a spiritual fortress. Whoever masters these disciplines during Ramadan will taste inner peace and carry that transformation beyond the blessed month.
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