Fasting is nothing new or exclusive. As we said, it is known to many religions. Indeed, the concept of fasting goes beyond any one religion. The sole purpose of the practice is to "hold fast" to your conscious, and never let it go. It isn't about keeping oneself hungry or thirsty. It is about learning to control one's desires and emotions, and to fight against such things that might lead a person astray.

It is about patience. Desire leads a man towards wrong, such as desire for money, desire for a better living, desire for more money, and so on. Often in the course of his life, a person following his desires neglects his social duties, and might even resort to vile or criminal behavior in order to see his desires fulfilled. Hence, Ramadan teaches a man to be patient, and to think through his better judgement rather than letting his desires to do the thinking for him.
In this month, good deeds are rewarded manifold. And in the odd nights in the last ten days of the month, there comes a night of peace and blessings and forgiveness. This is the night when the Holy Book, The Holy Quran was revealed to mankind. If someone gets lucky, their sins are washed away and their conscious is reborn.
May God bless us all and enable us to reach Ramadan and end it peacefully, while learning something in the process.