What is the reality of fasting?

Praise be to Allah, and may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah, his family and his companions. Wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. As to what follows: In response to your question, we say: Fasting is refraining from things which nullify fasting from dawn to sunset. The three principal things which nullify fasting are eating, drinking and sexual intercourse. Allah the Exalted said, “ So now, have relations with them and seek that which Allah has decreed for you. And eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread [of night]. Then complete the fast until the sunset.” [al-Baqarah: 187].   The reality of fasting is to let the self attain the highest degrees of self purification and training . This is because fasting was prescribed for the servants to attain the fear of Allah. Allah the Exalted said, “O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous” [al-Baqarah: 183]. The reality of the fear of Allah is that a person should screen himself from the punishment of Allah.