And when He, glorified and exalted is He, permitted eating from what He created, it was a proof of His oneness and general and specific mercy. It is in human nature to be greedy, and greed leads to trials. He followed this with the ruling of necessity and indicated the prohibition of transgression by restricting it in cases of loss. Thus, there was a deterrent for others by the first way. He urged to abandon what has entered the hand from the worldly possessions for the six categories and those who are not among them. Then, He made it obligatory to give zakat, to dissuade from the allure of worldly life, to uproot transgression from its origin. He concluded this with the ruling of one who may transgress. Then, with what follows of abandoning wealth in the presence of death, the soul trained itself in asceticism with what is reasonable in meaning, beginning with abandoning it for one who benefits from it. He followed this with the command to abandon it, not for one in need of it, but for Allah who created it, merely for the purpose of purifying the soul and cleansing it to prepare it for what the attribute of self-sufficiency necessitates from wisdom. This is alongside what is appropriate in terms of retribution and bequest concerning fasting, in that retribution involves the killing of the soul in a physical sense, and fasting involves the killing of desire, which is the cause of sexual intercourse, which leads to the existence of the soul in a physical sense. In it is the life of bodies in meaning, and in fasting is the life of souls through the purification of hearts and their emptiness for contemplation, preparing them for the influx of wisdom and fear that leads to piety and the death of desire. Its month is the month of patience, which is sought for gratitude. In it is a reminder of the hardship that urges kindness to the needy, which is a call to detach from the world and adorn oneself with the attributes of angels. For this reason, the Quran was revealed in it, received from the King. It is the most appropriate thing for the verse of the bequest commanded for the pious, to detach from the world when approaching the gathering with the angels. Its conclusion with forgiveness and mercy indicates the fasting person is among the closest people to them. He, exalted is He, said: "O you who have believed," addressing those who are directed at the very beginning to the lowest ranks that have committed to the matter of religion, for they did not have a motivator of love and longing that would urge them to act without obligation, unlike those above them in rank among the believers and the doers of good. They used to perform the pillars of Islam without compulsion, and they would fast according to what they found of spirit in it - this was said by al-Harali. He said: For this reason, they were not called in the Quran with a call of distance, nor were they mentioned except as praiseworthy. Those who are called in the Quran are the people who have awakened to what some of them have indicated to one another, and those who have believed in what they are in the place of command, falling short of haste. For this reason, every call in the Quran is directed towards these two categories, except what is directed to humanity with a description of blame in a few verses - this has ended.

﴿It is prescribed﴾ meaning it is made obligatory by what has been extensively stated in the language of the Law and is supported by the tool of elevation. ﴿Upon you is fasting﴾, which is the abstention from what breaks the fast from the rising of dawn until sunset with intention. Al-Harali said: It was made obligatory for what is in it of preparation for the knowledge of wisdom and the knowledge of what you did not know, which is the steadfastness in restraint from what is within the nature of a thing to act in it. Its state is like the sun at the zenith of the sky. It is said: She fasted - if no movement appears for her rising or for the descent which is within her nature. The horses fasted - if they are neither ridden nor running. Thus, the steadfastness of a person from what is within their nature to do is from the preservation of their body through nourishment and the preservation of their offspring through marriage, and their involvement in false speech and evil actions is their fasting. In fasting, there is an absence of food, a turning away from the state of the animals, and a cessation of the desires of the private parts. Its perfection is in turning away from worldly affairs and directing oneself to Allah, and secluding oneself in His house so that the emergence of wisdom from the heart may occur. It has been made a prescription so that none who is prescribed upon it may fall short except if their religion is torn apart as the written thread of the written parchment may be torn - this has ended.

﴿As it was prescribed﴾ meaning it is made obligatory, so the comparison is in the absolute obligation. ﴿Upon those﴾ and it is as if it is intended only for the people of the two scriptures. It has affirmed the state and said: ﴿Before you﴾, in it is an indication that it is from what they violated in the covenant and concealed it out of eagerness for the misguidance of the Arabs. And since in emulation there is an elevation of the limited ambition and an igniting and inflating of the lethargic hearts, for indeed the difficult matter, when it is widespread, becomes easier to bear. He said: ﴿So that you may attain piety﴾ meaning you make between yourselves and the displeasure of Allah a protection by hastening to Him and being constant in it, hoping for the pleasure of your Lord and fearing from what has preceded from before you, so that piety may become for you a lasting attribute and you may be among those for whom I have made the Book a guidance. For indeed fasting breaks desire, suppresses passion, and terrifies from agreeing with evil.

Al-Harali said: And in its indication is the classification of those who are affected by it into two types: one whose fasting bears fruit for him in the form of piety, and one for whom that does not bear fruit.