Wisdoms of Ramadan
Why does Allah want his servants to go hungry? Why do the Muslims fast? What are the benefits of fasting, an obligation during Ramadan for the Muslims, for the individuals and for the society?
Fasting being one of the five pillars of Islam provide many benefits for the private and social life of the humanity. Fasting both physically and spiritually is a cure for mankind.
Fasting is to announce Allah’s being the Trainer of the earth and heaven.
Earth is a glorious table decorated with the treasures of rahmah (mercy) of Allah. But because of his heedlessness, man forgets the Real Owner of this glorious table from which he eats and drinks everyday.
By fasting, man remembers that Allah is the Owner of everything; the earth, the sky, even a sip of water and a bite of bread.
In Ramadan, just like a regular army obeying the instructions of a commander; millions of Muslims give up eating and drinking simultaneously by Allah’s command, they wait for the permission of their Lord (for the recitation of evening adhan [maghreb]) in order to break their fast, eat and drink.
Thus, in Ramadan, the believers collectively perform such a wide and a magnificent worship and announce all over the world that Allah (swt) is the Commander and the Real Owner of everything.
Fasting Reminds the Man of his “Dept of Gratitude” to Allah
Think about how unreasonable it would be if a man buys all of his needs from the market but makes no payment to the shopkeepers. Don’t you think they are the necessities of humanity to make the payment and thank?
To respect the people and to thank them are of the Islamic proprieties. However, the essential duty of the man is to present his gratitude to his Lord. Because the Real Owner of the whole bounties is Allah (swt) and He wants “thanksgiving” from His servants as the price of the blessings He gave them.
However, though the man is impotent and in need of everything, he doesn’t thank Allah (swt) as proper as he should. He doesn’t appreciate the value of the bounties each of which is a miracle created for himself by Allah (swt). Even though he thanks the people who conduce to convey the bounties, he forgets his duty of thanking Allah; the True Bestower of the bounties.
So the Ramadan fasting makes everybody, even the rich, appreciate the value of the whole bounties; a piece of dried bread as well. By fasting, man understands that he can’t create his needs; even a piece of dried bread and a sip of water. By the reason of hunger and thirst, man comprehends how much he needs Allah (swt) and turns to praise that is considered to be the half of the belief.
Fasting Brings About the Social Peace
Cooperation is a basic principle for the social life. However, because of not living the state of destitution and the hunger as well as the poor, the rich can’t accurately perceive the needs of them, nor feels the adversity and the problems they are in. So, they don’t help them as much as they should do and can’t provide the social cooperation.
Therefore, Ramadan fasting makes even the rich people feel and perceive what hunger means. By this way, they understand however the poor need help, have mercy on them and never hesitate to succour.
Fasting Reminds the Nafs (human soul) of Being Servants
Nafs always wants to behave freely and never enjoys taking orders from anybody. Nafs wants to see the bounties that Allah (swt) bestowed upon him, as his own possessions and use them at will without caring about whether halal or haram.
Fasting in Ramadan reminds each soul that “you are not free; you are the servant of Allah!” Because by fasting, man understands that if his Lord Allah doesn’t let him, he can’t extend his hand to even a glass of water.
Every year, during the month of Ramadan, Muslims who are wholeheartedly and conscientiously aware of being the servant of Allah educate their souls, which don’t enjoy obeying Allah’s commands.
Fasting Reminds That Body is Doomed to Decay
Man wants his body to stay young and beautiful forever. He never wants to accept the reality that one day, death will come to him and his body will decay. Moreover; man must be assuming his body which is of flesh and bones as steel that he is unaware of his duties and occupied with the world’s enjoyments, as if he will never die.
Fasting reminds the man that his body, which languishes whenever he is destitute of a few meals, will exactly die and be buried one day. Falling loosely from not being able to endure hunger, his body will absolutely not be able to withstand the soil and decay in the end. In this case, the essential one is to beautify the moralities and the souls though ibadah (worship), the beauty of the bodies isn’t taken into account before Allah.
Fasting Directs Man to the Glorious Quran
Ramadan-ul Mubarak is a considerable month for mankind. Because the Glorious Qur'an, which is a kind of Allah’s speaking with the man and distinguishing the mankind as His addressee was revealed in this month.
Therefore, the Mu’mins spend Ramadan, the month in which Allah addresses His servants, fasting. Together with making the Mumins give up eating and drinking, the worship of fasting also makes them leave purposeless things. So, the Mumins almost bear resemblance to the angels by giving up eating-drinking and with this strong spirituality they recite and listen to the Glorious Quran so enthusiastically and so respectfully as if it has been recently revealed from their Lord.
In Ramadan-ul Mubarek, the earth virtually becomes like a masjid (a kind of Islamic temple) and in this masjid, all the Muslims recite and listen to the Glorious Quran, the Holly Word of Allah.
Fasting is a Very Profitable Investment for the Hereafter
Allah(swt) made the month of Ramadan a divine festival and a bazaar which has a serious hereafterly profit for His servants. In this holy month, for each good-deed a hundred rewards (sawab) are given by Allah (swt). Thus, Ramadan enables the believers to earn as much reward as they can in eighty years’ life.
Thereby, by fasting, the Mumins abstain from purposeless and bad-deeds decreasing their spiritual earnings. Person, who is fasting avoids eating and drinking and also carnal desires, but be busy with much more worship and increase their hereafterly earnings.
Besides, as a result of the stomach’s taking a holiday during the fast; other organs of the body have a rest, as well. By this way, a physical relief is obtained on top of the spiritual effects of the fast.
Fasting is a “Cure for the Disases”
Eating and drinking anything he wishes gives serious harm to the physical body of man. The major reason of spiritual diseases is to eat and drink arbitrarily without differentiating between halal and haram.
The labour power of physically unhealthy man decreases. Likewise, a man having spiritual disease loses his power and aspiration for worship and regards it as an extreme burden. Fasting is a cure for both the souls and the bodies, because a man who is fasting both learns how to obey his Lord and how to eat healthily and avoids the diseases by giving up eating over and over and excessively.
Through fasting, man gains self-training and self-discipline and learns how to be patient because of not being allowed to eat even the halal while fasting, man’s desire for the haram also decreases. As a result of the stomach’s crying because of hunger, other organs including heart, soul and emotions smile and man discerns a high spiritual pleasure.
Fasting Reminds the Nafs (Soul) of his “Nonentity”
The nafs (soul) doesn’t want to recognize his All-mighty Lord. Although it owns no power, it forgets how helpless, weak, poor and destitute it is and almost regards itself as a powerful and all mighty “god”.
It is related in a hadith that Allah (swt) asked the nafs: “Who am I and who are you?” the nafs replied: “I am myself and You are Yourself.” Allah tormented it, put into the hellfire and asked again. The nafs replied the same:”I am myself and You are Yourself.” Whatever torment He gave, the nafs didn’t give up its reply and its arrogance. Then Allah (swt) subjected it to hunger and asked again: “Who am I and who are you?” Nafs replied: "اَنْتَ رَبِّى الرَّحِيمُ وَاَنَا عَبْدُكَ الْعَاجِزُ" “‘You are my All-Compassionate Lord; I am Your helpless servant. ’
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