The month of fasting is the month of Ramadan, the ninth month of the lunar calendar, in which the first revelation of the Quran came to the Holy Prohpet (PBUH). In this connection Allah says:

"Ramadan is the (month) in which the Quran was revealed as a guide to mankind. So whoever among you witness this month, let him spend it in fasting; but if anyone is ill or on a journey, the prescribed period ( should be made up) by days later. " (2:185)

Ramadan is the month of purity in which virtues flourish and evil is suppressed. The Prophet (PBUH) is reported to have said:

"When the month of Ramadan comes, the doors of Heavens are opened and the doors of Hell are closed."

 And again:

"If a person does not abstain from telling lies or doing wrong when he is observing fast, let it be known to him that Allah does not want that he should stop taking his food."

At another place, he said:

"Allah says, fasting is for Me and I shall certainly compensate it. Fasting is a shield; so when the fasting of anyone of you come up, he shall not utter foul words. If then anyone rebukes him or fights with him, let him say, I am a man observing fast."

Fasting, like prayer, is a universal religious institution and has been a part of the law brought by previous prophets. All the religions of the world and all the great religious personalities adopted fasting as the principle method of controlling one's desires. The Jews observe an annual fast on the occasion of the decent of Hazrat Musa ( Prophet Moses) from mount Sinai. Jesus Christ fasted for forty days in the desert and commanded his followers to fast. Thus, the institution of fasting is universal and existed in one form or another even before Islam, as mentioned in the Holy Quran:

"O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you so that you may be righteous."

But the Muslim fast is different in all respects from the fasts observed by the followers of other religions. It is not meant as a punishment or self-torture. The verse quoted above informs us that by prescribing a month's fasts, Allah wishes to teach us self-restraint and to make us righteous and God-fearing.

The instincts of food, drink and sex are strong in both animals and human beings. Temporary  restraint from all these enables the attention to be directed to higher and spiritual things.

Islam developed a higher significance of fasting, 'that you may guard against evil'.

The key-note of fasting is self-discipline and self-control. It is an institution for the improvement of the moral and spiritual condition of man. It makes a Muslim disciplined and steadfast in his habits. It also makes him capable of enduring hardships. It gives rise to a sense of compassion and humanism and removes barriers between the rich and the poor. By fasting, the rich undergo an experience which makes them aware of the condition of the poor and hungry and instills in them a desire to help the poor. It enables the rich to thanks Allah for the bounties bestowed on them.

Thus, on the material side, fasting involves total abstinence from food, drink and sex and on the spiritual side abstinence from falsehood, speaking ill of others, quarrelling, or wrong behavior.