1. Make the intention (niyyah)
Before the fast begins — ideally the night before — you form the sincere intention in your heart to fast the coming day for Allah's sake. The intention is an act of the heart, not something that must be spoken aloud, though some people like to verbalize it. A commonly used wording is:
*"Nawaytu an aṣūma ṣawma ghadin ṣawman Ramaḍāna"* — "I intend to keep the fast for tomorrow in the month of Ramadan." [Dua: Upon starting fast, dua_132]
2. Begin at dawn (Fajr)
You stop eating and drinking at the start of Fajr. This is why the pre-dawn meal (suhoor) is recommended — it gives you strength for the day. From this moment, you abstain from food, drink, smoking, and intimacy.
3. Maintain the fast through the day
During the daylight hours you keep away not only from physical things but also from sinful speech and behavior — arguing, gossiping, lying, and so on. The whole point of fasting is spiritual training. As Allah says:
*"O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that you may learn self-restraint."* [Coran, Al-Baqara:183]
This verse shows the goal: taqwa (God-consciousness and self-restraint), not just hunger.
4. Break the fast at sunset (Maghrib)
When the sun sets, you break your fast — traditionally with dates and water — and this is a moment of accepted supplication. If you happen to be fasting and food is presented to you, the guidance is to still supplicate for those present rather than eat. [Dua: Supplication said by one fasting when presented with food, dua_70]
5. A note on continuous fasting (wisāl)
Some people wonder about fasting non-stop for two days without breaking. The Prophet ﷺ prohibited this practice out of mercy for his followers. When the Companions pointed out that he himself fasted continuously, he replied: *"I am not like you. I am provided with food and drink (by my Lord)."* [Sahih Bukhari & Muslim, source 4524] So the normal, prescribed way is to break your fast each day at sunset.
A practical tip: Use the prayer times section of your Al Muslim Plus app to know exactly when Fajr begins and Maghrib arrives in your location, and check the Invocations section for the dua to recite when breaking your fast. May Allah accept your fasting.