God says: “O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you that you may (learn) self-restraint.” 2:183

So by practising self-restraint, we endeavour to ward off evil, fear God and become righteous.

Fasting is from dawn to sunset, no food, no drink and no fulfilment of any sexual desire. Fasting during the month of Ramadhan is an obligation on every sane healthy Muslim, male or female who has attained puberty. There are concessions.

God commands us to fast during Ramadhan because the revelation of the Quran started in one of the last ten nights of this Holy month over 1,450 years ago. A night described by God in 44:3 as a Blessed Night and in 97:1 as the night of Power, Honour and Glory.

Muslims believe that on this night every year angels led by Archangel Gabriel descend on our planet with blessings from our Lord.

The first revelation to Mohammed was: “Read in the name of your Lord, Who created. Created man from a clot of blood. Read! And your Lord is the Most Bountiful One Who taught by the pen, taught man what he did not know.”

So the first command revealed over 1,450 years ago, in the month of Ramadhan, was to learn how to read and write to abolish illiteracy and eradicate ignorance.

The Prophet Mohammed said: “Seeking knowledge is an obligation on every Muslim male or female.”

Unfortunately, at least half of the Muslims worldwide are illiterate. Seeking knowledge and reflecting on God’s creation to help ourselves and serve humanity should be the quest of every Muslim.