Is fasting a ritual, a mere act of faith or of self-torture?
It is none of the above.
Fasting is an all embracing man- making process, which helps us to become better individuals and Allah (swt) has made several arrangements for us to walk on the straight path:
1. He sent down his guidance through prophets and scriptures.
2.He installed in us Ilham - the ability to distinguish between right and wrong.
3. He taught us various methods of training to become better people such as Salaah, Sawm, Hajj, Dhikr, Istighfar, etc.
Let us now analyse how fasting changes us for the better.
"Sawm" means to abstain from food and drink, evil and sexual thoughts, words and deeds from sunrise to sunset.
So how do we change this Ramadan?
1) Control of the tongue. Once Luqman the wise was talking to the king. And the king said, "Slaughter a sheep and bring the best part to me".
Luqman the wise brought the tongue of the sheep to the king.
Another day the king said, "Slaughter a sheep and bring the worst part to me" and he was brought its tongue again.
The king was taken aback. Luqman replied that the tongue can be the best or the worst part depending on how it is used.
Yes, indeed!! Sawm is an excellent exercise which teaches us control of the tongue. Backbiting, lying, slander and acts that make our fast void. So we are extra careful and conscious of God when we fast. This instils a vigilant and sound conscience in us.
2) It is well known that when we are deprived of something, we gain another
For example, a blind man is gifted with an exceptional sense of the hearing, touch and memory.
A person without arms can create a masterpiece with his toes.
Similarly when our body becomes weak, our soul gets strengthened.
3) Fasting is the only ritual done in private exclusively to please Allah (swt)
Allah says, " Every good deed of the son of Adam is for him except fasting. It is for me and I will reward it". There is no scope for Riya here. It instils in us hope, optimism and a desire to please Allah.
4) Fasting is a month of mercy and repentance. Just as we beg for forgiveness, we too should forgive others. This is the time to get rid of hatred and vengeance from our hearts. It's time to forget, forgive and let go of the past.
5) When we feel the pangs of hunger, we empathize with the poor. This leads to increased charity, social service and poverty eradication.
Fasting also teaches us equality, discipline obedience, adaptability, wise savings, will power, determination and self-control.
Now the question arises -
Do we see the changes in us, as individuals and the Muslim community at large?
Sadly, many do not understand the real meaning of fasting. Hence the change is only partial. We still have a long way to go.
This Ramadhan, let us learn and understand the true essence of fasting. The training we acquire this month should become our nature in the future.
Our prophet (saws) said, "There are people who fast and they get nothing from their fast except hunger and there are those who pray all night and they get nothing from it except a sleepless night.
Let us not become a part of the above group. Let this Ramadhan be a month of thought, action and change for all of us.
Author: H.M. Ayesha Shenaz (Karkoon, JIH Chennai Metro City)
Pic. Credits: Canva
Date: 23rd April, 2021.
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