In Sermon of Shaban we read, "It is the month which invites you to be the guests of Allah and invites you to be one of those near to Him."

If Ramadan is a banquet and we are guests of Allah (SWT) then why is there such a severe penalty for rejecting the invitation. Salah is more important than fasting, yet intentionally missing a salah only requires istighfar and praying qadha of that prayer, but intentionally missing a fast needs to be paid back by fasting 60 days in a row. It being obligatory I can justify but the severity of penalty doesn’t suit Ramadan to be referred to as an invitation and us as a guest

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First of all, intentionally skipping a prayer is a bigger sin than breaking one’s fast. The Kaffara for breaking one’s fast does not mean that breaking a fast is more sinful. Sometimes when the sin is very big, it doesn’t have a Kaffara (meaning there is no way to expiate for it…accept a sincere repentance then yes of course it expiates for it).

Secondly, this is not just any invitation. This is a divine invitation from the king of the universe. Breaking one’s fast is insulting to God’s position since it’s a violation of his invitation. Imagine if a king invites you to his palace, then at the palace you disrespect the king, insult him, or deliberately violate his rules. This is a big offense. Now imagine this happening with our creator.