Fasting makes it easier to perform acts of worship, this is evident from seeing fasting people compete and rush to perform good deeds. When not fasting, maybe they would have been lazy or found the worship difficult for them.
Fasting is beloved to Allāh, due to this it is compulsory upon the fasting person to rectify his intention, making his fasting sincerely for Allāh. And he should intend to draw closer to Allāh, with his fasting, whilst being patient with any difficulties he finds in fasting, because fasting is an act of obedience to Allāh. Therefore, upon him is to purify his intention and to be patient.
He should then also know, that fasting isn’t merely refraining from food and drink; rather it is also refraining from everything Allāh has prohibited. He protects his hearing and tongue from that which is prohibited, such as backbiting; slandering and listening to music. And he protects his sight from looking at those things which are prohibited for him. These affairs are prohibited throughout the year, but even more so for the fasting person.
It could be the case that a fasting persons hunger is severe upon him, as is his thirst and tiredness, but he has no reward with Allāh. This is because of his tongue, speaking with that which is prohibited. His eyes looking at that which is prohibited. And his ears listening to that which is prohibited. This person in reality, he didn’t fast (in the complete sense), he merely left off food and drink.
Fasting is a tremendous act of worship, if someone fasts, then indeed he should stay far away from everything which is unsuitable and unbefitting.
A fasting person is similar to the one performing hajj or umrah, they have to leave off some affairs which are permissible. For example eating and drinking in their origin are permissible. However whilst fasting, he abstains from them. And likewise he must stay away from those affairs which are impermissible, whilst fasting and at all other times, but the issue becomes even more severe whilst fasting.
Hence, it is obligatory upon the fasting person to take care of his fast from everything which will affect it negatively.
Abridged and Paraphrased from Shaykh Sālih al-Fawzān’s, Majālis Shahr Ramadhan al-Mubārak pgs 14-16
A Tremendous Principle which brings Ease to the Muslims – Shaykh Al-Uthaymīn
Every Muslim who has ever had doubt regarding their prayer or other act of worship, or knows someone who is or has been afflicted with whispers from the Shaytān which affect their worship and make them believe it wasn’t completed, wasn’t performed properly, they were not in purification (if it is required) then you will find in the explanation of Shaykh Al-Uthaymīn much enlightenment:
The Shaykh said:
Whoever is certain about being in a state of Tahārah [purification] and doubts regarding being in a state of Hadath [ritual impurity], he remains in a state of Tahārah. And whoever is certain about being in a state of Hadath [ritual impurity] and doubts whether he is upon Tahārah, he remains in a state of ritual impurity; because the principle [regarding this] is: Al-Yaqīn laa yazūl bish Shakk [Certainty is not removed merely due to doubt] and the foundation is that a thing remains upon that which it was.
This is an important principle and it has numerous subsidiary issues attached to it, and it is founded upon the narration of Abu Hurayrah and Abdullah ibn Zayd (Allāh be pleased with them both) regarding a man who notices something he had in his stomach [i.e. wind] and he was unsure whether something had exited from him or not [passing of wind etc].
The prophet (عليه السلام) said, “do not leave [i.e. the Salāh] unless you hear a sound or notice a smell.” And in the Hadīth of Abu Hurayrah, [the wording of the hadīth is], “Do not leave – meaning the Masjid – unless you hear a sound or notice a smell.”
This Hadith [and the principles extracted from it] resolves many problems and this is from the ease [facilitated] by Islaam, for its goal to remove the Ummah from being in a state of uneasiness, disquiet and confusion, rather it makes affairs explicitly clear. If a person submitted to the likes of these doubts, his life would become difficult, therefore the Legislator, Allāh has cut off these whisperings and doubts.
So as long as these doubts are not proven with certainty, they carry no weight. It is obligatory to repel them and not let them affect you in your [heart and mind], and thus you will be at ease and many problems will be removed from you.
Majmū Fatāwa wa Rasā’il Shaykh al-Uthaymīn Vol.10 Chapter Nullifiers of Wudū
And of them there are some who say: “Our Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire!” (Al-Baqarah: 201)
Thus, this is the most comprehensive of supplications because it combines between the good of the worldly life and the hereafter, and the Messenger of Allāh used to supplications with this a lot.
Therefore a person should supplicate with this supplication and likewise the other authentically reported supplications, so that by way of which he will be carrying out the sunnah from all angles (as is related to supplications).
Advice Against Self-Amazement with One’s Knowledge and Actions
Shaykh Sālih al-Fawzān (hafidahullah):
A person shouldn’t be deceived with what he has from religion, knowledge or acts of worship. Instead, he thanks Allah for His blessings upon him (verbally with the tongue and physically with his limbs by using these blessings in the obedience of Allah), and he acknowledges (with his heart) that this is a favour from Allah bestowed upon him.
Shaykh Fawzān’s Mā Tayassar wa Tahassal min Durūs al-Qurān fī Hizb al-Mufassal Vol.1 pg.24
The people said to Jundub [radiyallaahu-anhu], “Advise us.” He said: “The first thing of the human body to putrefy is the abdomen, so he who can eat nothing but good food [halaal and earned lawfully] should do so, and he who does as much as he can that nothing intervenes between him and paradise by not shedding even a handful of blood [i.e. unlawful killing], should do so.”