Statement of Ḥakīm al-Ummah, Mujaddid al-Millah, Ḥaḍrat Mawlānā Muḥammad Ashraf ʿAlī Thānawī (Raḥimahullāh)
He stated: Upon reflection, it becomes evident that fasting is Noor because its essence lies in renouncing pleasures and desires. When one abstains from pleasures and desires, one can personally observe that a Noor and an expansive feeling emerge in the heart. The reason for this is that sins have two levels: one is the inclination towards sin, and the other is acting upon that inclination. Just as committing sins brings darkness, the mere inclination towards sin—though not actual darkness in itself—still contains the potential for darkness (meaning that this inclination eventually leads to darkness).
Fasting reduces the inclination towards sin. When this inclination decreases, sins themselves also diminish. In this way, fasting eliminates both levels of darkness. So, what doubt remains in fasting being Noor?
[Aḥkām-e-Ramaḍān, p. 68]