This year both Lent and Ramadan occur at the same time, which is a rare occurrence. Elizabeth Crewes asked her neighbour to write about Ramadan and what it means for her. Hopefully this short article will help us to understand it better.
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To a Muslim, fasting is not just refraining from eating and drinking but it carries the added significance of worship i.e complete submission to the Almighty Lord, building of one’s character, control over desires and an inspiration to perfecting oneself.
Allah has commanded this sanctified duty and enjoined it on all the Muslims as he had enjoined it on the believing nations before. He assigned this glorious month of Ramadan for every adult and healthy Muslim.
Fasting is one of the pillars of Islam and a religious duty for all those who believe in monotheism. In this blessed month, Fasting is an apparent sign of obedience, submission and servitude to Allah’s command. In Ramadan, a Muslim abstains from food, drink and sexual desires while they are fasting. This self-depreciation represents a state of self-control and of overcoming carnal pleasures, desire and enjoyment, for the blissful love of Allah to attain His proximity and the eagerness to obtain His consent. It characterizes the control over transient pleasures for the eternal ones promised by the Almighty.
All obligatory acts as ordained by Allah, the Exalted such as fasting, prayer, Hajj, Zakat (charity) etc. are not mere rituals, but they are an elaborate form of spiritual, psychological, physical and social education. They play a vital role in reforming and developing the soul and the personality of an individual, which in turn positively affects society.
Two revolutionary aims
Fasting has two evolutionary aims. The first one is to protect the person from all forbidden acts such as backbiting, calumny, envy, lying, vain discourses and the like. The second is to enhance the moral and spiritual level by performing the recommended deeds such as reciting the Holy Quran, which was revealed to Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) in this blessed month, giving alms, meditating and reflecting on one’s past life and how to evolve and emancipate oneself to attain a more righteous future course , remembering Allah’s favours and greatness , helping fellow humans and performing various other good deeds that benefits the self and society as mentioned in the Holy Quran; which is a Muslim’s book of guidance. Therefore, fasting is designed for educating the soul. Ramadan provides us with a chance for meditation and social reform. It is for us to seize this wonderful opportunity to repent, reflect over our past deeds, seek Almighty’s forgiveness and strive towards perfection in moral and behaviour.
Fasting is also a key to good health. Physicians today acknowledge the many benefits of fasting that ensure good health and the soundness of one’s body and mind. Fasting has also been found to be an effective treatment for psychological and emotional disorders. It aids a person to firm up his will, cultivate and refine his manners, strengthen his conviction of doing good, avoid controversy, petulance and rashness which all contribute toward a sane and healthy personality. Besides nurturing resistance and the ability to face hardships and endurance.
Like a royal banquet
Therefore, in my eyes, Ramadan is like a royal banquet, where Allah, the most exalted lays the finest of His feasts and it’s up to us as individuals to decide as to what we would like to take from it and how we do that. Whether we’re going to grab it or exercise patience, reflect and meditate over our past and seek forgiveness from the most Merciful or just carry on the way we are. He cannot bear to see His creature which He has created, proportioned and made upright (chapter 82, verse 7) with so much love and graciousness starve; so He’s even turned our breathing and sleeping into acts of piety and worship.
Furthermore, He guides us and encourages us to read His book for us to wake up from our slumber and reflect. He asks us direct questions in the Holy Quran for us to think and ponder on, the one that touched my heart the most was ‘Where are you going?’ Chapter 81, verse 26. I felt like I was on a hamster’s wheel, where every day waking up in the morning, going to work, coming back home, cooking, cleaning, eating and sleeping and then starting all over again the next day. Where am I going with this? What joy is my soul attaining? How am I preparing for the Hereafter? I need to stop and think, and I am so pleased that today I have this time to stop and reflect and reset if I want to. It was my Lord that opened my eyes, and I am still in the process of thinking as to what next?
Hence, this month is truly a blessing for those that understand its value. It not only changes you as a person but what impact you might have on society and the little steps, we might take now to eventually create a more balanced, loving, gracious and compassionate world for all of us to live in peace and harmony and for no one to be left hungry or in poverty.