Fasting Has Three Stages

Imām Ibn Qudāmah ‘al-Ḥanbalī رحمه الله said: ❝Fasting has three stages:

1. General Fasting

2. Special Fasting

3. Special Of The Special Fasting

As for general fasting, it is: abstaining the stomach and private parts from carrying out desire.

As for special fasting: it is abstaining the eyes, the tongue, the hands, the feet, the hearing, the eyesight, and all other body parts/senses from sins.

As for the special of the special form of fasting: it is the fasting of the heart from wickedness, isolated thoughts away from Allāh [thinking about other than Allāh], and abstaining the heart from everything except Allāh in its totality.❞

‎● [مختصر منهاج القاصدين ص ٤٤]