Beneficial excerpts from Kitaab As-Siyaam - Abu Fajr AbdulFattaah bin Uthman

Siyaam, its origin in the Arabic language is 'Imsaak, abstention'.

In the legislation it means abstention from eating with intention from the rising of the sun until the setting of the sun. Fasting in the month of Ramadhan is the fourth pillar of the pillars of Islaam. And fasting is from the most superior forms of 'Ibaadah, from that which it combines of the three types of patience:-

1-Patience upon obedience to Allaah

2-Patience in abstaining from the disobedience to Allaah

3-Patience upon the Ordainment of Allaah

Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى  ascribes fasting to Himself and Allaah promised reward upon it from Himself the Most High due to it being a secret between the worshiper and his Lord it is from the greatest trusts.

And from the wisdoms of Siyaam is the worship of Allaah and subjection and submission to Him, so that the Saa'im (he who is fasting) can be one who has turned to his Lord, submissively between His hands, while rejecting the influence of desires.

For verily connected to power and strength is transgression and arrogance.

كَلَّا إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ لَيَطْغَى
"Nay! Verily man does transgress.

أَن رَّآهُ اسْتَغْنَى

Because he considers himself self-sufficient."
[Suratul 'Alaq 96:6-7]

So he knows he is weak and poor between the hands of Allaah when he sees his weakness and his inability, so rejects within himself arrogance and magnificence, so he humbles himself to his lord and he is kind and gentle to the rest of the creation.

And from it also is, is the wisdom of congregation from them gathering together upon one worship, at one time all of them having patience, the weak ones and the strong, the noble ones and the ignoble, the poor ones and the rich all of them undergoing it (meaning the Saum) and withstanding it brings about the unification of their hearts and the binding of their souls.

And from it also is the wisdom of moral cultivation, for verily it teaches patience and tolerance and strengthens ones determination and willpower.

And from it also is the wisdom of health, for verily the stomach is the house of sicknesses, and diet is the head of the cure. So it is a must that the stomach gets a period of rest and relaxation from the tiring succession of food in it.

{Tayseerul Allaam Sharh 'Umdatul Ahkaam Li Sheikh 'Abdulaahi ibn 'Abdirahman Aal Bassaam}
Translated by: Omar Abu-Shuayb