Islam: the spiritual message of Ramadan fasting

-DR. ABDUL RUFF COLACHAL 

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Every aspect of Islam has a message for humanity.  Fasting during the
holy month of Ramadan has a strong spiritual message.

A true man of faith has kindled the fire of faith within him, and
fasting is something that enhances his faith. Holy Prophet Muhammad
(SAS) said: "Fasting is prescribed for man to purify his soul." In
Ramadan, the month of fasting, you become the guest of God. Do praise
Him with devotion.

Fast cleanses our body from impurities. If the believers are not
striving to refine their character by fast, the fast will be a body
without soul. Likewise, it must purify our hearts and minds from all
impure thoughts improper desires and undisciplined sensations.
How important the purity of thoughts and words while fasting could be
gauged by an example from an incident from the life of Holy Prophet
Muhammad (SAS). The Holy Prophet saw a woman, who was fasting on that day (not in Ramadan), abusing her girl-servant. Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAS) admonished her and told her to break her fast. The woman protested: "But I am fasting today". Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAS) said: "But was not your fast broken by the abuses you were hurling upon that poor girl?"

The holy month of Ramadan has come to the believers and this Holy
month comes to the Islamic world every year to remind the Muslim
faithful on the need to return to Allah by following His teachings in
all walks of their lives in order to achieve peace in this world and
the Hereafter.

Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, has cautioned Muslims 14
centuries ago that the Ramadan fasting should have a real impact on
their lives. He has advised the faithful that Ramadan should change
one’s behavior, attitude and outlook toward life. While fasting,
Muslims must ponder whether it had any effect in making them more
God-fearing and pious.

Self purification is the goal and objective of fasting in Islam – and
fasting just for starving.  The heart and mind must be with Muslims in
fasting. Because fast in its real sense, will not be complete unless
your thoughts, your emotions, your actions - in short, all aspects of
our life - become pure, clean and free from blemish. Check if what we
eat is halaal. Talk only genuine things, lawful according to your
heart.

Honesty is important for the believers and especially while fasting.
Control the tongue and speech. Islam teaches us not to tell lies or useless tales; do not spread rumours or, damaging gossips about other persons; keep aloof from falsity. Use the power of speech in spreading the word of
God; in creating goodwill in the society. Do not inflict injury upon
others by your actions, including in words; instead strive to help them as far as you can.

By indulging in such mischievous anti-Islamic things mentioned above while fasting, the Muslims in fact insult Islam, injure the fasting itself. Such fasting can be dangerous and self-destructive too. That even after fasting for years every year 30 days Muslims have not self purified and become greedier is not a healthy sign.

While fasting activates the blood circulation it mainly purifies heart
and soul. Besides, the modern medicine has proved that fasting is a
remedy for diseases that affect the man of this century because of
overeating and the variety of canned food. In this case, fasting is as
being a treatment and even a preventive at the same time.

Islamic fasting is different from diet plans because in Ramadan
fasting, there is no malnutrition or inadequate calorie intake. The
physiological effect of fasting includes lowering of blood sugar,
lowering of cholesterol and lowering of the systolic blood pressure.
In fact, Ramadan fasting would be an ideal recommendation for the
treatment of mild to moderate, stable, non-insulin diabetes, obesity,
and essential hypertension.

Islamic fasting during the Holy Ramadan has important spiritual
objectives. Ramadan is a month for Muslims to change their lives for
the better, leaving behind un-Islamic and immoral practices, to lead
an exemplary life. During Ramadan, Muslim faithful are trained to keep
away from sins. The Prophet has advised them, The Holy Qur’an has
stated that the Prophet Muhammad “was sent to perfect good manners.”
The fasting in the holy month develops a strong feeling among the
faithful that Allah is watching all their activities. 

While expecting favors form Allah, the believers should also learn to mould behavior.Ramadan is a month for fasting, reflection, devotion, generosity and sacrifice observed by Muslims around the world.  Ramadan is a
month-long training program for Muslims to change their lives. During
this month, they engage in prayers seeking the forgiveness of Allah,
recite and reflect on the Qur’an during night and day, perform the
Taraweeh night prayers, and attend special Islamic classes and
meetings. While major holidays of other faiths have largely become
commercialized events, Ramadan retains its intense spiritual meaning.
Fasting in Ramadan teaches Muslims to learn discipline, which is
essential for them to make progress. The Prophet has made us adhere to
discipline and strictness, strictness that does not lead to fanaticism
or going outside the bounds that God has laid down.

Ramadan month helps the believers to imbibe the valuable human traits
like respect of time, of word and promise, and so one becomes
trustworthy, well estimated, able to carry out one's responsibilities,
and to fulfill one's social duties.

Ramadan encourages the faithful to engage in charitable and good
activities beneficial to humanity. Patience is an important quality
one develops during Ramadan through fasting. When one fasts from dawn
to dusk, giving up food and drink and marital sexual relations for
several hours, they learn restraint and patience.


Muslim faithful compete with one another in charitable activities
during Ramadan to win Allah’s pleasure and reward. The Prophet was the
most charitable amongst the people, and he used to be more so in the
month of Ramadan when angel Jibreel used to meet him on every night of
Ramadan till the end of the month.” Charity and mutual help
occupy a remarkable place, and brotherhood and equality triumph, which
that is, the most human acts and the holiest purpose of the fasting.
The daytime fasting and nighttime prayers spiritually energize the
faithful to lead a new life, benefiting the whole humanity and opening
a new chapter of peace and progress.

Muslims all over the world fast during the holy month, thus
strengthening their unity and solidarity and they need this unity more
than any time before to confront growing challenges. All the teachings
of Islam urge the Muslim faithful to stand together and should not
disintegrate. Unfortunately, we see Muslims kill one another in Iraq,
Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh and other parts of the world,
making their enemies happy. Allah says in the Qur’an: “And hold firmly
to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided.

Among the nights of Ramadan, there is one special night of Power
(Qadr), which is highlighted in Surah Al-Qadr, saying it has the
significance of being better than a thousand months. (Qur’an 97:3).
This was the night when Qur’an was revealed to mankind. Prophet
Muhammad (SAS)  urged Muslims to seek this night in the odd nights of
the last ten nights of Ramadan. Qur’an says: “The month of Ramadan is
that in which was revealed the Holy Qur’an, a guidance for the people
and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. Allah has guided and He
expects the believers to be grateful to the Almighty.

In fact, Ramadan fasting is a stage where the human being is the
closest to God. The fasting period, Ramadan is a time when one submits
to spiritual and social changes. Ramadan fasting is a confidential act
which occurs between the human being and his Creator. This act must be
impregnated with full sincerity and the deepest loyalty. Now in case
fasting loses its honesty, it becomes hypocrisy.

The faithfuls thank God for revealing the Holy Qur’an during this
month as a blessing and guidance for the mankind. The Islamic nations
need men and women that are strong willed, who can stand upon the
Qur’an and Sunnah and not waver in front of the enemies of God.
In fasting during the Holy month of Ramadan, the true believers could
feel passing through the heavenly space of spirituality in Islam by
purifying their soul and mind.  This is in fact an expression of
commitment to Islam and set out for heaven.  Fasting, like prayers,
guard the believes against evil. In the month of Ramadan, one should
therefore get to know the Holy Quran better and the victory over the
false deity of the soul.

Of course science and technology contradict the divine laws by trying to disprove the existence and even usefulness of God. Their argument perhaps is that government alone is enough  and God has no place in real life. But the believers should stay firm in their faith.  Even as efforts are undertaken constantly to challenge God and faith, believers should be stead fast in their faith.  The true believers should not disobey God by thinking that surely the “Lord is Forgiving, Merciful."

In fact, upon completing the Holy month of Ramadan, Muslims are in fact reborn as new humans with a message for fellow Muslims and others to change quality of life.

Muslims need to earn the honest personality.