O you who believe, fasting has been prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may become God-conscious. The connection between fasting and taqwa (God-consciousness) is profound. Fasting is not merely abstention from food and drink — it is the training of the whole self to submit to Allah's command even when no one is watching. The Imams of the Ahlul Bayt have explained that the fast of the body from food is the lesser fast; the greater fast is the fast of the tongue from falsehood, the fast of the eyes from what is forbidden, and the fast of the heart from attachment to other than Allah.

— Reflection, TathirQuran reflection — pending scholarly review

Ridha said: Fasting was made obligatory so that the rich may experience hunger and thereby be moved to give to the poor. For the rich person who is always full does not know the pain of hunger. Through fasting, the rich person tastes what the poor person experiences, so that they show compassion to the weak and give food to the hungry. And When you fast, let your hearing fast, your sight fast, your hair fast, your skin fast — and name the days of your fast. Do not make the day you fast the same as the day you do not fast.'

— Reflection, TathirQuran reflection — pending scholarly review