Ramadan: A Time for Thought, Action & Change
EsinIslam
Ramadan
Ramadan Explorer
By
Taha Ghayyur & Taha Ghaznavi
''Fasting in Ramadan develops in a person the real spirit of social belonging,
of unity and brotherhood, and of equality before God.
This spirit is the natural product of the fact that when people fast they feel
that they are joining the whole Muslim society (which makes up more than one
fifth of the world's population) in observing the same duty, in the same
manner, at the same time, for the same motives, and for the same end.
No sociologist or historian can say that there has been at any period of
history anything comparable to this powerful institution of Islam: Fasting in
the month of Ramadan.
People have been crying throughout the ages for acceptable 'belonging', for
unity, for brotherhood, for equality, but how echoless their voices have been,
and how very little success they have met…'' says Dr. Hammudah Abdalati, in
his book ''Islam in Focus''.
Why Fast?
''What is fasting?'' ''How does the fasting of Muslims in Ramadan differ from
the fasting of other faiths?'' ''Why should one 'torture' one's body in the
first place?'' ''What do you really gain from fasting in the end?''…
These are a few questions that a number of non-Muslim friends and colleagues
often ask us, usually out of fascination with this spiritually-uplifting
practice of Islamic faith, and at times out of pity and sympathy for us,
thinking, why should anyone suffer from hunger and thirst like Muslims? I
wouldn't be surprised if many of us shared the same negative perception of
Fasting.
It is important to note that Fasting in Arabic is called, ''Sawm'', which
literally means 'to be at rest'. Fasting in the month of Ramadan (the 9th
month of the Islamic lunar calendar) is one of the five Pillars upon which the
''house'' of Islam is built. During this month, every able-bodied Muslim is
required to fast, everyday from dawn until dusk.
Twelve Reasons to Fast!
Fasting is an institution for the improvement of moral and spiritual character
of human being. The purpose of the fast is to help develop self-restraint,
self-purification, God-consciousness, compassion, the spirit of caring and
sharing, the love of humanity and the love of God. Fasting is a universal
custom and is advocated by all the religions of the world, with more
restrictions in some than in others.
The Islamic Fast, as opposed to mere starvation or self-denial, is an act of
worship and obedience to God, thanksgiving, forgiveness, spiritual training,
and self-examination. Ramadan gives us a break and provides us with a rare
opportunity to think about our own selves, our future, and our families. It is
a time to give ourselves a mental break and to temporarily forget about the
hundreds of worries and stresses we are constantly bombarded with.
In hectic times, such as ours, and in places like the West, this valuable time
to think about our lives, on individual basis, is a luxury and is desperately
needed! It is a unique month of self-analysis, and of taking stock of one's
moral and spiritual 'assets and liabilities'.
Fasting indoctrinates us in patience, unselfishness, and gratitude. When we
fast we feel the pains of deprivation and hunger, and learn how to endure it
patiently. The meaning of this powerful experience in a social and
humanitarian context is that we are much quicker than anybody else in
sympathizing with the oppressed and needy around the world, and responding to
their needs. ''It is the month to visit the poor, the sick, and the needy to
share their sorrows. It is the month where the food, sustenance and the
earnings of a believing Muslim increases and they are blessed,'' says the
Final Prophet of God, Muhammad (peace be upon him), a man who was known for
his noble humanitarian causes, for social justice, and for being the first to
respond to other's needs, despite the fact that he himself lived a very simple
and humble life. It is only during such a trying time as Ramadan that we can
reflect on the condition of those in this world who may not be as fortunate as
us.
Fasting in Ramadan enables us to master the art of mature adaptability and
time-management. We can easily understand this point when we realize that
fasting makes people change the entire course of their daily life. When they
make the change, they naturally adapt themselves to a new system and schedule,
and move along to satisfy the rules. This, in the long run, develops in them a
wise sense of adaptability and self-created power to overcome the
unpredictable hardships of life! A person who values constructive
adaptability, time-management, and courage will appreciate the effects of
fasting in this respect as well. It cultivates in us the principle of sincere
love, because when we observe fasting, we do it out of deep love for God. And
a person, who loves God, truly is a person who knows what love is and why
everyone on this Earth should be loved and treated justly, for the sake of
God.
Fasting elevates the human spirit and increases our awareness of God. It
strengthens our will-power as we learn to rise above our lower desires. The
institution of fasting is both unique and a shared experience in human
history. From the very beginning of time, humans have struggled to master
their physical and psychological selves: their bodies and their emotions.
Hunger is one the most powerful urges that we experience in Ramadan. Many,
through over- or under-eating or consumption of unhealthy foods, abuse this
urge. Thus, when a person purposefully denies something to their own self that
it craves, they are elevating their mind above their body, and their reason
and will above their carnal passions. ''A fasting person empties his stomach
of all the material things: to fill his soul with peace and blessings, to fill
his heart with love and sympathy, to fill his spirit with piety and Faith, to
fill his mind with wisdom and resolution,'' says Dr. Abdalati in Islam in
Focus. The person who can rule their desires and make them work, as they like,
has attained true moral excellence. With the clarity of mind and absence of
distractions, also comes a greater focus. As students, the period of fasting,
especially early during the day, serves as a tool to focus our minds on our
academics.
In the month of Ramadan, many Muslims try to avoid watching TV, listening to
music, and some other leisure activities, which spares them more time and
energy to be spent on more productive activities such as academics, intense
study of Islam, voluntary prayers, social and humanitarian causes, and a
quality time with the family, to name a few. It is a reminder of our duty to
God, our purpose and higher values in life, as God Himself describes the
purpose of fasting as follows:
{O you who Believe! Fasting has been prescribed for you as it was prescribed
for those before you, so that you may develop consciousness of God} (Al-Baqarah
2:183)
Health & Other Benefits
Fasting has numerous, scientifically proven, benefits for our physical health
and mental well-being. The time, length and nature of the Islamic Fast all
contribute to its overall positive effect. One of the medical benefits is a
much-needed rest to the digestive system. The reduced food intake during the
day allows the body to concentrate on getting rid of harmful dietary toxins
accumulated as natural by-products of food digestion throughout the year.
The length of the Islamic Fast itself (around 12-14 hours) is in sync with the
'transit time' of food from the mouth to the colon of the large intestine,
ensuring that no stimulus reaches the stomach or digestive system while it
remains in homeostasis.
Therefore, for the vast majority of healthy individuals fasting poses no
medical risks but in fact provides many health benefits, such as: an increase
in serum Magnesium, essential for cardio-vascular health and prevention of
heart complications; improvement in the quality and depth of sleep;
improvement in memory and slower skin aging over time; increased production of
growth hormone, etc. Also, as a general note, it has been observed that
underfed animals live longer than their heavily fed counterparts and suffer
fewer illnesses during their lives.
The month of Ramadan provides us with a sort of ''Boot camp.'' It is a month
of intense moral training. Since we know that Fasting is a special duty
prescribed by God, we learn that any sins may spoil our record of fasting with
God, so we go through great lengths making sure we are on our best behavior.
Many people who experience fasting in this month, feel the impact that this
intense training has on their habits, and realize the power of this
transformative tool designed to make us better human beings- the ultimate goal
of any spiritual exercise. The entire Ramadan atmosphere provides the driving
force for this positive change.
Ramadan makes us realize the reality of life and death. Fasting makes us
realize how dependant our lives are on things that we often take for granted,
such as food and water. It makes us think about our dependence on God and
God's mercy and justice. Moreover, it reminds us of the life after death,
which itself has a great impact on our character and our world-view. Ramadan
is a blessed month for a special reason: It is actually the month in which God
first revealed His final message and guidance for mankind to Prophet Muhammad.
This message has been perfectly preserved both orally and textually in the
form of a Book, called the Quran (The Reading/Recital).
Therefore, Muslims try to do an intense study of the Quran in this month
especially, and evaluate their lives according to the standards and guidance
contained in it. After the month of Ramadan is over, Muslims celebrate one of
the two most important holidays in the Islamic year: Eid-Ul-Fitr, or the
Festival of the Fast Breaking. It is a day to thank God for the blessing and
training that He provides us with throughout the month of Ramadan. Eid-Ul-Fitr
is marked by praying in a huge congregation at an Islamic center or mosque,
and by giving a small donation to the poor in the community. The adults give
the donation on behalf of their children as well. Dinner parties, family
outings, fairs, carnivals, and great joyous celebrations follow the prayer and
charity.
In a nutshell, even though the real purpose of the dynamic institution of
Fasting is to discipline our soul and moral behavior, and to develop sympathy
for the less fortunate, it is a multi-functional and a comprehensive tool of
change in various spheres of our lives, including: social and economic,
intellectual and humanitarian, spiritual and physical, private and public,
personal and common, inner and outer. All in one!
Works Cited
Abdalati, Hammudah. Islam in Focus. Beltsville, Maryland: Amana Publications,
1998
Source: Mission Islam - http://www.missionislam.com
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