ISLAMIC ARTICLE :- ~ The Inner Secrets of Fasting

... They also say that the reason for his (sallallahu `alayhi wa
sallam) exertion in the last ten days of Ramadaan was due to his
(sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) seeking of the Night of Al-Qadr
(Lailatul-Qadr). An explanation of the inner secrets of fasting and
its characteristics There are three levels of fasting: The general
fast, the specific fast, and the more specific fast. As for the
general fast,then it is the refraining of the stomach and the private
parts from fulfilling their desires. The specific fast is the
refraining of ones gaze, tongue, hands, feet, hearing and eyes, as
well as the rest of his body parts from committing sinful acts. As for
the more specific fast, then it is the heart's abstention from its
yearning after the worldly affairs and the thoughts which distance one
away from Allah, as well as its (the heart's) abstention from all the
things that Allah has placed on the same level. From the
characteristics of the specific fast is that one lowers his gaze and
safeguards his tongue fromthe repulsive speech that isforbidden,
disliked, or which has no benefit, as well as controlling the rest of
his body parts. In a hadeeth reported by Al-Bukhaaree: "Whosoever does
not abandon false speech and the acting uponit, Allah is not in need
of him leaving off his food and drink." [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree, Abu
Dawood,at-Tirmidhee and Ibn Maajah] Another characteristic of the
specificfast is that one does not overfill himself with food during
the night. Instead, he eats in due measure, forindeed, the son of
Aadam does not fill a vessel more evil than his stomach. If he were to
eat his fill during the first part of the night, he would not make
good use of himself for the remainder of the night. In the same way,
if he eats to his fill for suhoor, he does not make good use of
himself until the afternoon.This is because excessive eating breeds
laziness and lethargy. Therefore, the objective of fasting disappears
due to one's excessiveness in eating, for what is intended by the
fast, is that one savors the taste of hunger and becomes an abandoner
of desires. Recommended Fasts As for the recommended fasts, then know
that preference for fasting is established in certain virtuous days.
Someof these virtuous days occur every year, such as fasting the first
six days of the month of Shawaal afterRamadaan, fasting the day of
`Arafah, the day of `Aashooraa, and the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah and
Muharram. Some of them occur every month, such as the first part of
the month, the middle part of it, and the last part of it. So whoever
fasts the first partof the month, the middle part of it, and the last
part of it, then he has done well. Some fasts occur every we...