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Fasting
is the third element of Islamic worships. In Arabic, fast
is called Saum, which means abstinence. To describe Saum,
the Holy Quran uses word Sabr, which means controlling the
inner-self with persistence. So, this is enough to explain
that the meaning of fast encompasses sacrifice of sensual
desires with persistent self-resistance. Since sensual desires
are usually related to foods, drinks and sexual desire, Islam
prohibited them through fasting for a definite time. But in
order to achieve the objective of fast, it is quite necessary
to protect the heart and tongue from evils besides refraining
from sensual desires. In order to cleanse men from impurities,
almost all religions felt the need of fasting in one form
or the other. Islam has fully focused on moderation with regard
to fasting. As one cannot completely abstain from eating and
drinking, only a few hours out of 24 hours were fixed for
fasting. Children were exempted and old persons were given
the facility of Fidya as substitute to fasting. Travelers,
sick and women during pregnancy and breast-feeding have been
allowed to give up fast and offer Qadha on becoming capable.
Fasting is based on lunar cycle instead of solar calendar.
In the solar calendar, a change cannot take place in the coming
of seasons or in the duration of nights and days in a particular
month. So, if a month has summer, it will continue to have
summer forever, and if a month has winter, it will always
have winter. The same is the case with duration of nights
and days, which is fixed for each day and each month. On the
contrary, in the lunar cycle, seasons are not fixed with particular
months. Duration of night and days also keep on changing.
That is why, Ramadan falls in different season and everyone
enjoys it in both hot and cold seasons.
The Holy Quran has clearly described "taqwa" as
the objective of fasting. Taqwa is the state of heart in which
one starts execrating sins and becomes inclined towards virtuous
deeds. Since the commission of sins is incited by the rise
of the vile passions and there is a ban on eating, drinking
and having sex during fast, these passions become weaker and
the state of taqwa is established automatically. Moreover,
the Holy Quran is recited immensely, feelings of sympathy
grow and there is a special focus on renouncing sins, all
these things make achievement of taqwa easier.
If a man offers salah with congregation and remains engaged
in glorification, reciting Allah's names, offering repentance,
reciting the Quran and meditating the hour of death, grave
and the Hereafter, these are very virtuous acts and helpful
in renouncing sins.
During Ramadan, the reward of optional prayers becomes equal
to that of obligatory prayers. And the reward of obligatory
prayers increases seventy times. If a man asks Allah for His
blessings and seeks Allah's pleasure by performing the specific
deeds of this month with due attention, it is hoped that his
future course of life will certainly change and he will achieve
success.
There are a lot of easy good deeds to which people seldom
pay any attention in common days. If one pays attention to
these deeds in this month of blessings and spirituality, it
is highly possible that Allah Almighty will give him ability
to perform these deeds for the whole year and whole life.
In the same way, one can gather the courage to give up the
sins, which are totally aimless and do not yield anything
except loss. For example, casting a bad eye on strange women,
backbiting, deceiving, listening to music and songs, disobeying
the parents, all these are sins that must be avoided with
the aim of attaining taqwa. Earning income by halal means
is also alchemic in achieving this aim.
Allah Ta'ala, by His grace and favour, has once again given
us this golden chance in our life. It is possible that this
Ramadan is the last Ramadan of our life. It is time we realized
its worth and spent this month in the best manner.
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