Ramadan: The Path of Love for God Through Fasting [3 min]
March 12, 2026
![Ramadan: The Path of Love for God Through Fasting [3 min]](/_nuxt/image/f9daea.webp)
By Farhan Ahmed Khalid & Daniya Mahmood
Introduction
Muslims and non-Muslims alike are very much aware of the concept of Ramadan and fasting in Islam. Need a reminder of the basics? Read our quick 2 min introduction to Ramadan and fasting here! And then, there are some who are curious to dig deeper and (rightfully) question the underlying philosophy and wisdom of these acts. If this sounds like you, then we pray this article provides a glimpse into the concept of Ramadan and fasting in Islam.
What is the Purpose?
Islam is not a religion of blind rituals and meaningless acts. As a matter of fact, every commandment, injunction and act carries a profound underlying wisdom that encompasses spiritual, mental and even physical benefits. While these dimensions deserve an exploration of their own, for the purpose of this article, we will focus on the overarching spiritual philosophy. To understand this, we must ask ourselves the question: What is the actual purpose behind these Divine requirements?
The overarching answer lies within the Holy Quran itself, where God Almighty states:
“And I have not created the Jinn and the men but that they may worship Me.”
The answer provided is simple; mankind has been created to serve and worship its Creator. But the question then arises, what is the best way of achieving this objective? Is there an example, a blueprint or a role model that we can follow?
Once again, the Holy Quran doesn’t leave you in the dark. God Almighty beautifully instructs the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) to state:
“Say, ‘If you love Allah, follow me: then will Allah love you and forgive you your faults. And Allah is Most Forgiving, Merciful.’”
The ultimate goal, therefore, is for us to love Allah, and to obtain the love of Allah, by following and imitating the blessed example of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa). In a nutshell, this beloved Prophet (sa) was a living embodiment of the Quran, he lived and breathed for the sake of God Almighty, while every beat of his heart was for the sake of humanity. At the darkest of times, he became a Light for the weak and oppressed. His love, kindness and justice knew no bounds, it enveloped all within society. His character was such, that God Almighty stated in the Quran that Muhammad (sa) was a “Mercy for all the worlds”.
The Language of Love
If love is so important, then what is love and what does it mean? Unfortunately, in the modern world, the concept of love has been reduced down to a passive feeling, a ‘spark’ or a mere emotion. Love is seen as something that ‘happens’ to you, and just as it is easy to ‘fall in love’, it is now just as easy to fall ‘out’ of love!
This notion couldn’t be further from the truth. Love is one of the most powerful emotion and force created by God Almighty.
True love is an inclination of the will, it is borne out of intention and choice, the language of which is ‘sacrifice’. Think of a mother who looks after her child; she willingly sacrifices her sleep, comforts, time and energy to ensure the child’s happiness and wellbeing. As a matter of fact, her love and sacrifice manifests months before she even holds the child in her arms. She ‘sacrifices’ her body by undergoing a painful transformation, and ultimately walks to the brink of death to deliver her child.
Hence, when we truly love someone, we willingly sacrifice our life, time, energy, comforts and resources for them. Similarly, loving God demands the greatest sacrifice from an individual. It is a sacrifice of one’s time to offer prayer, one’s wealth and income to serve the poor, one’s comforts and desires for the sake of Allah; ultimately leading to the most difficult sacrifice of all – the ego – whereby our will becomes aligned with God’s will.
In practice, loving God and attaining the purpose of life boils down to two things:
- Service to God (e.g. prayer, fasting, pilgrimage, etc.)
- Service to God’s Creation (e.g. helping others, acts of charity, protecting animals, preserving the environment etc. After all, you can’t truly love the Creator if you don’t love His creation)
The Sacrifice of Ramadan and Fasting
This brings us to the topic at hand. Ramadan is essentially a month of sacrifice. Muslims fast from pre-dawn to sunset during which they refrain from lawful acts, e.g. food, drink, intimacy, etc. A Muslim gives up what is normally allowed, purely for the sake of God, so that they can devote more time and effort towards serving God (e.g. prayers), but also serving God’s creation (e.g. acts of charity, helping others, community work, etc.).
There is yet another secret benefit of fasting. That is, by temporarily sacrificing the lawful aspects of your life (i.e. food, drink, intimacy etc.), you are not just merely practicing being hungry or thirsty! You are now developing the strength, resilience and discipline to abstain from the unlawful (bad habits, sinful deeds, etc.). Fasting is the ultimate exercise for developing one’s willpower.
The sacrifice of Ramadan and fasting is not a one-way street within Islam, it is the ultimate demonstration of an act of love for the sake of God Almighty. Through fasting, one attains Allah’s love in a unique manner, which cannot be gained in any other way. As such, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) stated:
“Allah the Exalted and Majestic said: Every deed of the son of Adam is for him, except fasting. It is (exclusively) for Me, and I will give reward for it…”
“…The fasting person has two moments of joy: one when he breaks his fast, and the other when he meets his Lord.”
Conclusion
The philosophy of Ramadan and fasting is underpinned by the reality that love and sacrifice are two sides of the same coin. One cannot exist without the other.
Muslims do not fast out of a sense of deprivation, but rather out of a sense of devotion. Every moment of thirst or pangs of hunger become a testimony that our love for the Creator outweighs our physical desires.
“In Paradise there is a gate which is called Rayyan through which only the people who fast would enter on the Day on Resurrection. None else would enter along with them. It would be proclaimed: Where are the people who fast that they should be admitted into it? And when the last of them would enter, it would be closed and no one would enter it.”