The essence of fasting by saying that, ‘Its objective is to give man the power to keep in check his unruly desires and tendencies that make him prone to greed, revenge, anger, provocation, and fear; that make him commit various sins, acts of aggression, cruelty, and oppression. It seeks to free the human soul and lends it moral and spiritual strength to promote beauty, harmony, goodness, truth, kindness, peace, compassion and justice.’ Let us hope that we observe fasting the way it has been conceived.
The month of ‘Ramadan’ or fasting has again arrived. ‘Fasting or Roza’ as practiced by Muslims is an elaborate process spreading over a month every year. The basic objective of this month long annual process is to mould the behaviour and pattern of life of its practitioners in such a way that they turn out to be ideal human being. It implies that a person observing fast will not only observe abstinence from eating and drinking but will get into a sublime state of mind in order to develop positive feelings. It essentially means restraining oneself from listening, speaking, hearing or thinking bad about others. The expectation is that if one passes through this process of self-purification for a period of one month, its impact will last at least for remaining eleven months, when this process will be again repeated.
Tajuddin B. Shu`aib in ‘Essentials of Ramadan, The Fasting Month,’ beautifully summarizes the essence of fasting as prescribed in Islam in the following words, ‘The institution of Fasting is a unique form of worship prescribed as part of an overall system of Islam. Its uniqueness mirrors the uniqueness of the human being, a creature of physical and spiritual parts whose excellence depends on the right proportion of these two parts. Too much of the physical material will ruin man, and too much of the spiritual will, too. Fasting orients the observer to the art of balancing the spiritual essentials with physical needs, a vivid proof that there is in all of us the will power, a pivotal element that controls our actions. This will be needed to help us curb the animalistic tendencies originating from the stomach, in full. It makes us forget about our beginning, it awakens the mind and kindles clear thinking and consciousness of Allah. Fasting is the sobering of a mind and reconstruction of our spiritual faculties’.
Fasting is an annual feature, which is expected to promote all conceivable attributes necessary for human excellence. It is an annual training for the body and soul, a renewal of life, a tool to develop self-restraint and which also encourages the spirit of sharing and giving.
There are numerous benefits of fasting which among others include following:
- The first and foremost benefit of fasting is to learn self-restraint. The Holy Quran says, ‘O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint. (Al-Baqarah 2:183). It originates from the fear of God (Allah), which guides the heart, the seat of emotion from spoilage and moral indecency.
- It is a beautiful instrument to develop patience. In a hadith by Abu Hurairah (RA), the Prophet (SAW) said: “Fasting is not only to restrain from food and drink, fasting is to refrain from obscene (acts). If someone verbally abuses you or acts ignorantly towards you, say (to them) ‘I am fasting; I am fasting.'” (Ibn Khuzaimah). Fasting therefore helps in conditioning the heart, the soul, and the body on the virtues of patience, tenacity, and firmness in the face of adversity. As is rightly said, ‘Patience is the pinnacle of discipline, self-mastery and spiritual agility’.
- Human life is an embodiment of acquired habits. It is very difficult to change these acquired habits. One of the greatest advantages of fasting is helping its observer to change his or her habits. I have seen many people quit smoking after they abstained from it for the whole month of fasting.
- Fasting helps to develop moral and spiritual strength. Saleem Kayani in ‘Fasting in Islam’ sums up the essence of fasting by saying that, ‘Its objective is to give its Practitioner the power to keep in check his unruly desires and tendencies that make him prone to greed, revenge, anger, provocation, and fear; that make him/her commit various sins, acts of aggression, cruelty, and oppression. It seeks to free the human soul and lends it moral and spiritual strength to promote beauty, harmony, goodness, truth, kindness, peace, compassion and justice.’
Let us hope that we observe fasting the way it has been conceived and are bestowed with Allah’s (SWT) blessings so much needed in these turbulent times.
(The Author is former Vice Chancellor, IGNOU. He is a Member of the Collegium of Eminent Social Scientists constituted by the ICSSR; Fellow EDI of the World Bank; and Distinguished Fellow, AGRASRI, Tirupati, A.P. He can be reached at: [email protected])
