As for the men of knowledge of the hereafter, what they mean by the correctness of fasting is its acceptability; and the acceptability of the fast is whether or not it has enabled one to reach one’s objective. They understand the objective of fasting to be the taking on, as much as possible, of a character which contains one of the characteristics of Allah – the Self-Sustainer* – and which resembles the angels in their having no desires.

(Muhsin Fayd al-Kashani, from Leaves from a Sufi Journal)

* Al-Qayyoum, one of the Names of Allah – see Qur’an 2:255, 3:2, 20:111