Zaid: At the pupil's level of development, what are the effects of the fast over several days, apart from working against the body?
Abdullah: It all depends on the degree of development. All fasts must help to make the body obedient, but they won't necessarily have the same effect spiritually for everyone.
The key is motive. If you have the correct motive for the fast, then in the end the correct results will accrue. Many people do fasts out of vanity, pride, etc. and as such these fasts only build the ego. The attitude to adopt, at first intellectually or emotionally, then spiritually, is that the fast is for God.