Excellence of fasting
Narrated by Abu Hurairah from the prophet of Allah who said, ‘every action of children of Adam has a reward of ten folds to seven hundred folds. Allah said, ‘except for fasting for indeed it is for Me and I will reward it accordingly. He gave up his desires, his food and drink due to My Sake'. For the fasting person there are two joys; one when he opens his fast, and second when he would meet his Lord. And the breath of a fasting person is more pleasing to Allah then smell of musk'. [Agreed upon]

How nearness to Allah is completed?
Know that nearness to Allah is not achieved by merely leaving permissible desires in other than fasting, rather, by attaining nearness to Him by abstaining what He has made prohibited in all circumstances from lying, injustice, transgression upon people in their blood, wealth and their honour.
This is why the prophet said, ‘whosoever does not abandons lying and acting upon it then Allah is no need of his abandoning food or water' [Bukhari]
So nearness to Allah by way of leaving allowed actions is not completed except by leaving prohibited things. So, whosoever commits a haram then tries to attain nearness to Him by leaving mub?h is the similitude of the one who leaves obligatory action and tries to come near to Allah by nuw?fil.
So if he indented by his eating: strengthening of the body to perform fast and to stand up in prayer, then it will be a source of reward for him. Similarly, if he intended by his sleep during night and day (qayloolah) to give strength in order to perform labour then that sleep would be a source of reward for him.
In a marfu'i hadith in which the prophet said, ‘sleep of a fasting person is an act of worship, and his silence is glorification of Allah (tasb?h) and his labour is multiplied, his supplication is answered and his sins are firgiven' [reported by Bayhaqi, narrated by Abdullah bin abi auf?]

Condition pertaining to reward for a fasting person
From the condition is that his morning meal (suh?r) is permissible. So if it was prohibited then he would be like one who fasted against what Allah has made permissible and broke his fast with what Allah has made impermissible hence his supplication will not be answered.
The fasting person and a muj?hid
Know that a believer has two struggles gathered in month of Ramad?n
1- Struggle with his nafs during the day
2- Struggle at night to stand up in prayer
So, the one who collected these two struggles and fulfilled their rights with having patience upon them, his reward will be without limits.

Specialities of Ramad?n and its distinctions
a. Fasting of Ramad?n is the fourth pillar of Islam. Allah said in the Quran;
‘O you who believe, verily fasting has been prescribed upon you, as it was prescribed upon those who came before you in order that you may attain taqw?' 2:183

And the prophet said, ‘Islam is built upon five pillars......fasting the month of Ramad?n'
In another narration, ‘the one eats deliberately in Ramad?n without a valid excuse then no other fasting can substitute for it even if he was to fast' [reported by Tirmidhi and is weak]

b. Fasting is from the biggest means to attain Taqw?, to remove sins, multiple folds of good deeds and elevation of ones rank. For Allah has made it a special action for His Self only from all other good deeds that only He will reward it accordingly - as the prophet said, ‘the fasting is for Me and I will reward it. For a fasting person two delights; joy when he opens his fast and other when he will meet his Lord. The bad odour from the mouth of a fasting person is more pleasing to Allah then fragrance of musk' [agreed upon]
And in another narration, ‘the one who fasts with faith and hoping for reward, all his previous sins will be forgiven' [agreed upon]

Hence, to obtain forgiveness from Ramad?n, it has to be with these two conditions
1- True faith for this obligatory fast
2- true hope in reward from Allah for fulfilment of this obligation

c. Qur?n was revealed and sent down in month of Ramad?n as a guidance and clarity for mankind, a clear criterion.
d. In Ramad?n, sal?tul tar?w?h is established. This standing is in following the stoop steps of the prophet, his companions and the rightly guided Khulaf?.
e. There is laylatul qadr in Ramad?n which is better then one thousand months (83 years and 4 months). In this night the doors of heavens are open and supplications answered. All the year's decree is recorded in this night as the prophet said, ‘the one who stands up in laylatul qadr with faith and hoping for reward, all his sins will be forgiven' [agreed upon]. It is found in the last 10 odd nights of Ramad?n.
f. In Ramad?n the battle of Badr took place by which Allah separated between the truth and falsehood.
g. Also the conquest of Makkah took place in Ramad?n. Allah aided His prophet resulting in people embarrassing Islam in thousands. The prophet shunned all the idols from the Ka'ba and made it the landmark of Islam.
h. In Ramad?n the doors of paradise are opened, the doors of Hell are closed and the devils are locked. So how many blessings and good found in this month. So it becomes incumbent upon us to reap from this opportunity to attain Allah's forgiveness.
As we see some people who fast but not pray or they pray in Ramad?n only. Such people will not avail from their fasting, or Hajj or any charity because prayer is the pillar of Islam which it is resting upon. As the prophet said, ‘Jibr?l came to me and said, O Muhammad! Whosoever witnessed Ramad?n and by the end of it was unable to attain forgiveness and dies will enter Hellfire. Say Ãmin!' [Reported by Ibn Khuzaima & Ibn Habban].
So a person should be always engaged during Ramad?n with good actions; from prayer, charity, recital of Quran, remembrance of Allah, supplication, making taubah. These are the harvest of a believer by which his heart is cleansed from any corruption.
In order for a fasting to be accepted and be a source of purification for the person and to attain freedom from Hellfire, it is incumbent upon him to protect his limbs from sins whether from prohibited speech, or unlawful sight (looking at women etc), unlawful hearing (music, falsehood etc), unlawful eating and drinking.

Rulings related to fasting
Siy?m: it means to refrain from eating, drinking and sexual relations from sunrise to dawn. Allah says in the Quran; ‘and eat and drink until the white thread becomes clear from the black thread' 2:187

When fasting of Ramad?n becomes obligatory and how it is established?
It becomes obligatory after looking at the crescent (moon) or with completion of Sha'b?n (30 days). It is kept after the testimony of an acceptable pious Muslim, contrary to other months where it has to be accepted from 2 witnesses.
Conditions of its obligation:
Its conditions are four;
1- Islam
2- Sanity
3- Puberty
4- Ability

When is a child ordered to keep fast?
The scholars have stated that a child is ordained when he has the ability to keep fast (bluoogh) A girl has to keep fast when she starts her menstrual cycles or if she starts having wet dreams.

Conditions of fasting being accepted
1- Islam; hence it is not accepted from a K?fir
2- Sanity; hence it is not accepted from a mad person until he becomes sane
3- Tamy?z; hence it is not accepted from a child who has not yet reached the age of tamy?z
4- Stoppage of menstruation; hence a woman in her menstruation is not required to fast
5- Stoppage of nif?s; hence they are not allowed to fast until they are clean
6- Intention; from the night of first Ramad?n. One intention will suffice for the rest of nights.
Voluntary actions of fasting
1- To delay the morning meal (suhur) until the last part of the night providing that he does not fears the entrance of sunrise.
2- To quicken in opening the fast when the dawn has been established
3- Performing a lot of good deeds. From the most important are to establish the 5 prayers on their prescribed times in the mosque, to give zak?t to their owners, to read a lot of Qur?n and other optional good deeds
4- Not to abuse those who abuse you, nor to behave in a mischief manner those who do that to you, rather say, ‘I am fasting'
5- To supplicate when about to open fast with whatever you like. From such supplications, ‘Allahumma sumtu wa ala rizqika aftartu subh?naka wa bi hamdika. Allahumma taqabil mini innaka anta sameeul aleem
6- To open with a wet date, if not then a dry date, if not then with water.

Rulings regarding those who can eat in Ramad?n
It is permissible in Ramad?n to eat for 4 types of people;
1- (a) A sick person; who will be harmed by fasting
(b) Traveller; who can perform qasr. So for them eating is more preferable and they would have to make up those missed fasts. However, if they decide to fast, it will be accepted
2- Menstruating and Nif?s women; they have to eat and make up the missed fasts
3- A pregnant woman or who is giving breast feeding to her child. If they fear any harm upon their child, they have to makeup the missed fast alongside giving for each day food with the estimation of one hand full. If they decide to keep fast it will be accepted from them. However, if they fear harm only on their selves and not the child then they have to only makeup for the missed fasts and not give any food. This has been mentioned by Ibn Abbas reported by Abu Dawod.
4- Any person who is incapable of keeping fast; due to old age or he is suffering from a long term illness for which there is no cure. They have to feed for every fast a poor person. This has been mentioned by Ibn Abbas in Bukahri.

Ruling regarding those who have matrimonial relations during Ramad?n
To have matrimonial relations in daylight of Ramad?n is from the major sins. He has to do Qad? (makeup) and Kaf?ra (expiation) which is;
a- Release a slave
b- If not, fast continually for two months (60 days)
c- If not, give food to sixty poor people
d- If he cannot then there is no compulsion upon him as Allah stated, ‘Allah does not burden upon someone more than they can bear'

Ruling regarding those who have matrimonial relations during Ramad?n
They have to makeup for that fast. They have to make sincere taubah to Allah and a solid determination never to commit such act again.

What breaks fasting?
1- To eat or drink intentionally, if by accident or out of forgetfulness then no harm
2- To have marital relations during the day time
3- Any form of nourishment reaching the throat or inserting into the veins to give a boost
4- If he ejaculates by using his hand or by having contact with his wife or by any other means initiated by him. As for those which he cannot control due to illness or other type then there is no harm.
5- Running of menstruation blood or nif?s. So whenever she sees the blood, her fast is void
6- To vomit intentionally and it is to exit what is inside the stomach from food or water.
7- To leave the fold of Islam.
So whoever performs any of the mentioned acts in state of forgetfulness or being ignorant then his fast is sound. Also if any dust enters his mouth, or any fly or water without his intention. 

Making up fasting for someone who has died

This entails some detail. The deceased can be of 4 types

1) he had temporary illness.

2) had permanent illness

3) was healithy but never made intention to keep fast

4) reached an old age where keeping fast was not possible

for those who had temporary illness and had intention to makeup for their missed fasts but died before making them up, their offpsrings have to make them up on their behalf.

as for those who had permanent illness and no cure was possible, they had to feed a poor person for fast they missed. However, if they couldn't, their children would only feed a poor person for each fast they missed.

if he had no intention to fast in Ramadan then he will be accounted for on day of judgement

if he had reached old age, same senario applies as the one who had permanent illness.