(4) 斋戒蕴含着许多智慧和益处,这些都与安拉在经文中所提到的敬畏(taqwa)有关,经文的意思是:"……以便你们成为敬畏者。"[黄牛章 2:183] 其解释是:如果一个人为了求得安拉的喜悦、出于对安拉惩罚的畏惧而戒除合法的事物,那么他就更容易戒除非法的事情。

(4) There is much wisdom and many benefits in fasting, which have to do with the taqwa mentioned by Allaah in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “… that you may become al-muttaqoon (the pious).” [al-Baqarah 2:183] The interpretation of this is that if a person refrains from halaal things hoping to earn the pleasure of Allaah and out of fear of His punishment, it will be easier for him to refrain from doing haraam things.

如果一个人的肚子饥饿，这会使他的许多其他器官不再感到饥饿或欲望；但如果他的肚子吃饱了，他的舌头、眼睛、手和私处就会开始感到饥饿。斋戒能导致撒旦被击败；它能控制欲望，保护人的各个器官。

If a person’s stomach is hungry, this will keep many of his other faculties from feeling hunger or desires; but if his stomach is satisfied, his tongue, eye, hand and private parts will start to feel hungry. Fasting leads to the defeat of Shaytaan; it controls desires and protects one’s faculties.

当禁食者感受到饥饿的剧痛时，他便体会到穷人的感受，于是对他们心生怜悯，并给予他们一些食物以驱散饥饿。听闻穷人的苦况，与亲身分担他们的苦难，终究不同，正如骑乘者不下马步行，就无法体会步行的艰辛。

When the fasting person feels the pangs of hunger, he experiences how the poor feel, so he has compassion towards them and gives them something to ward off their hunger. Hearing about them is not the same as sharing their suffering, just as a rider does not understand the hardship of walking unless he gets down and walks.

斋戒能够锻炼人的意志，使人克制欲望、远离罪恶；它帮助人战胜自身的本性，摆脱已经养成的习惯。斋戒还能训练人养成有条理、守时的习惯，若人们能够意识到这一点，便可以解决许多人作息紊乱、做事没有条理的问题。

Fasting trains the will to avoid desires and keep away from sin; it helps a person to overcome his own nature and to wean himself away from his habits. It also trains a person to get used to being organized and punctual, which will solve the problem that many people have of being disorganized, if only they realized.

斋戒也体现了穆斯林的团结，因为整个乌玛在同一时间斋戒，也在同一时间开斋。

Fasting is also a demonstration of the unity of the Muslims, as the ummah fasts and breaks its fast at the same time.

斋戒也为那些号召人们归向安拉的人提供了一个绝佳的机会。在这个月里，许多人会来到清真寺，有些是第一次来，有些则很久没有来过清真寺，他们的心是敞开的。因此，我们必须充分把握这个机会，以温和的方式宣教，讲授适宜的课程，说有益的话语，同时在正义和善功上互相合作。宣教者不应当只顾他人而忘记自己的灵魂，以致变成一根为别人照亮道路、自己却被燃尽的灯芯。

Fasting also provides a great opportunity for those who are calling others to Allaah. In this month many people come to the mosque who are coming for the first time, or who have not been to the mosque for a long time, and their hearts are open, so we must make the most of this opportunity by preaching in a gentle manner, teaching appropriate lessons and speaking beneficial words, whilst co-operating in righteousness and good deeds. The dai’yah should not be so preoccupied with others that he forgets his own soul and becomes like a wick that lights the way for others while it is itself consumed.