In physical terms, fasting means not eating any food, drinking any beverage, or having sex in a duration. On the spiritual and moral level, it means struggling to develop self-restraint, taqwa (God consciousness), and piety. The Quran enjoins fasting:
"Ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you, as it was prescribed to those before you that ye may (learn) self-restraint". (Sura Baqara; 2:183).
Islam doesn't negate any human desire, rather it advocates the
harnessing of one's basic instincts as per the commandments of Allah. Fasting
teaches self-restraint in the same manner as disciplining an untamed horse.
A person's
base self (nafs e ammara) is the one that incites one towards evil. It is the
animal instinct in man. This "nafs" instigates the believers towards
excessive intake of food and drink, illegal sexual intercourse (Zina), and
general disregard for the needs of one's spiritual self by indulging in the
disobedience of Allah. By banishment of even the smallest amount of halal food
during the fast, one may be empowered to abstain from the haram items later.
Likewise, by abstaining from halal acts with the spouse, one's sexual desire is
curbed. For example, suppose a new believer finds it hard to awaken for the
Fajr salat.
In Ramadan,
he develops the habit of rising even earlier for Suhur. Thus, the month-long
exercise rejuvenates one's faith for the entire year. Abu Umamah (a companion) reported: "I
came to the Messenger of Allah and said: 'Order me to do a deed that will allow
me to enter Paradise.' He said: 'Stick to fasting, as there is no equivalent to
it.' Then I came to him again and he said: 'Stick to fasting.'
The Messenger
of Allah said: "Whoever breaks the fast of Ramadan without having a
legitimate excuse or being ill, he cannot make up for that day, even if he were
to fast for the rest of his life." The believers try to perform as many
good deeds as they can, and try to avoid any form of sin. Even if someone tries
to provoke a believer, he should simply say that he is fasting, and avoid
confrontation. The entire Muslim community performs the month-long refresher
course of Ramadan collectively.
The Muslims
strive in this month to curb all detrimental desires and evil thoughts and
nurture love, patience, unselfishness, and social consciousness. In Islamic
culture, Ramadan is greeted with great zeal & zest. Muslims make a special
effort to spend as much time as possible in worship, charity, and other good
deeds to seek the pleasure of Allah, as the reward for good deeds increases
manifold in this holy month.
The purpose
of the entire exercise is to revitalize faith, develop good habits, and renew
the covenant with Allah. The spiritual purification of the individuals leads to
the collective betterment of the entire community. The Messenger of Allah said:
"Allah does not need the fast of one who does not abandon false speech or
act according to his false speech." Thus Ramadan acts as a spiritual
cleanser not only for the sole believer but the entire Ummah.
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