For Muslims, Ramadan is a great favour from Almighty Allah but it can only be considered as such if they observe it properly.
Otherwise, the Holy Month will arrive with all its virtues and blessing and pass by without us gaining anything from it.
Ramadan is the most blessed month in the Islamic calendar, in which Allah (SWT) guides us to do good deeds.
The Holy Quran was revealed, as clear guidance and judgment to all people in the month.
It is the month in which good deeds are multiplied and sins are forgiven.
This is a month, the first part of which brings Allah’s Mercy, the middle of which brings Allah’s Forgiveness, and the last part of which brings emancipation from Hellfire, and in which is a night better than 1000 months.
Allah has enjoined fasting during the day as a pillar of Islam and made extra prayers during the night voluntary. If anyone observes fasting, believing in its obligation and anticipating its rewards, all his previous sins are forgiven.
The gates of Paradise are open this month, with the faithful increasing good deeds.
The gates of Hell are shut and sinful acts reduced. Devils are chained, so they are no longer able to affect faithful people as they do in other times.
It is stated in a Hadith of Prophet Mohammed (SAW): “If my Ummah realises what Ramadan really is, they would wish that the whole year should be converted into Ramadan.” Such is the value of this month of fasting.
In a Hadith (Qudsi) narrated by Abu Huraira (RAA), the Prophet is reported to have said, ”Allah the Almighty and Master of Honour says: All other actions of a person are for himself, except in the case of his fasting which is exclusively for me and I shall pay (recompense) him for the same. The fast is a shield (against vice and the fire of hell).
“Therefore, when any one fasting should abstain from loose talk, avoid verbosity and noisy exchange of words. If somebody starts abusing a person or picks up a quarrel, he should say twice that, I am fasting.”
By Allah, in whose hands is the life of Mohammed, the breath of the mouth of one who is fasting is more pleasant in the sight of Allah than the fragrance of musk.”
The Arabic word for fasting is ‘sawm.’ Its original meaning is to abstain from something. If for example, one refrains from speaking or eating, this will be termed ‘saaim.’
In Islamic terminology, it relates to abstention from food, drink and sexual intercourse from dawn until sunset with the intention of fasting.
Universal practice
According to history, fasting was widely observed by almost all religions and nations.
In fact, the origin of fasting stems from the time of Adam, as it is mentioned in a prophetic tradition that fasting in Ayyam-e-Beez, the 13th, 14th and 15th of each Islamic month was obligatory in his Sharia (law).
It was a very significant part of Prophet Musa’s Sharia, and observed by Jews on Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) and on a number of less important fast days.
It was also observed in Christianity and in ancient Greece.
In certain eastern religions, the practice of abstinence is connected with the doctrine of Incarnation. In Hinduism and Buddhism, the term ‘Barat’, which means fasting, is used and considered a very special form of worship for the development of spiritual discipline.
Persians also regarded fasting as an important aspect of worship in their religion.
In short, ‘sawm’ (fasting) was well known to virtually all the major religions and nations and was considered an excellent method of attaining physical and spiritual discipline.
In Islam, Fasting was prescribed after the Prophet’s migration from Makkah to Madinah during the month of Shaban, Year 2 after Hijra.
Positive attribute
Fasting was prescribed purposefully and in a positive manner as it has significant physical and spiritual benefits. From the medical point of view, fasting is a very good method of maintaining good health. We eat and drink continuously for 11 months of the year and as a result, our body accumulates large amounts of unused moisture, which can cause diseases and serious health problems.
However, fasting and abstinence helps to dry out this moisture and makes the body active and fresh.
From a spiritual perspective, fasting generates patience, tolerance, kindness and sympathy, which help to create a powerful community whose goal is to work hard for the betterment of Islam, Muslims and the world around them.
At the same time, it also gives us a true realisation of the needs of the poor – those suffering from hunger, starvation and shortage of food the whole year.
But the most important and significant objective of fasting is to create an environment where there is no difference between the rich and the poor, all living equally within a particular atmosphere and environment, and suffering equally from thirst and hunger.
This is a unique example of the equality and unity, which Islam tries to establish amongst people.
Sheikh Mohammed Amir is the chairman of the Religious Advisory Board of the Federation of Islamic Association of New Zealand (FIANZ) and Imam of the Wellington Mosque.
