Benefits of fasting in Islam (II)

 

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

Almighty God says in Qur’an 3:25-27, “But how (will they fare) when We gather them together against a day about which there is no doubt and each soul will be paid out just what it has earned without (favour or injustice)? Say: ‘O God! Lord of Power (and Rule) thou givest Power to whom Thou pleasest and Thou strippest off power from whom Thou pleasest thou enduest with honor whom thou pleasest and thou bringest low whom Thou pleasest; in Thy hand is all Good. Verily over all things Thou hast power. Thou causest the Night to gain on the Day and Thou causest the Day to gain on the Night; Thou bringest the Living out of the Dead and thou bringest the Dead out of the Living; and Thou givest sustenance to whom Thou pleasest without measure.’”

The month of Ramadan, when fasting is compulsory for Muslims, always heralds the spiritual and moral uplift of individuals and the society at large. Perhaps it is a month of training and re-training of the faithful to rededicate to Allah as the Creator and source of all goodness, truth and beauty. (Qur’an 36:81:59:24). Perhaps it is a period of re-awakening the spirits of man as a responsible, dignified, and Honourable agent of Allah on earth (Qur’an 2:30; 32:9).

Perhaps it is a month of spiritual retreat for man to reflect on the limitless Blessing of Allah on him as everything in heaves and the earth are subjected to the service of mankind. (Qur’an 2:29; 22:65, 31:20; 45:13). Perhaps it is a Blessed month when the mercy and forgiveness of Allah are sent down on the children of Adam for restraining themselves from the good things of Allah within the limit of their power and capacity for the sake of the Almighty (Qur’an 2:283, 286).

Ramadan is a unique period when high integrity and sound morality of man is guaranteed as we display high sense of moderation, practicality and balancing in the month of fast. Perhaps Ramadan is a special month of spiritualism when the obligatory acts of faith (Imam), worship (Salat), poor rate (Zakat), fast (Swam), and in fact lesser hajj (Umar) are observed with total submission to the will of Allah. At least. man’s responsibility on earth to worship Allah and seek for His pleasure to the highest level during the month of Ramadan (Q.51:57).

Truly, the arrival of Ramadan has changed the attitude, behaviour, value and norms in our society. The twin-engine of the machinery of bribery and corruption and all forms of indecencies like nude pictures, obscene talks, back-biting and evil deeds like stealing, armed robbery, pen robbery, assassination, kid napping and others are reduced to the barest minimum. This is one of the miracles about the blessed month of Ramadan.

And the Prophet (SAW) says: “Fasting is a shield or shelter from committing sins. If one of you is fasting, he should avoid obscenity and quarreling, and if somebody should fight or quarrel with him, he should say: I am fasting”.

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Besides, the Ramadan-fast has provided a golden opportunity for us to atone our past sins, errors and mistakes. And since Allah is the Great for giver (Al-Ghaffar) we engage in the fast in total obedience of his directive and instruction so that He may overlook our past sins (Qur’an 22:60; 38:66:64:14).

Since Allah is the forgiver of sins (Gaffar-lzambe) we engaged in acts of worship in the month of Ramadan to seek for His forgiveness on our minor and major sins (Qur’an 40:3).

We show kindness, love care and tenderness to others in the month of Ramadan so that Allah may also overlook our error (Qur’an 53:32).

And since Allah is the Most Forgiving (Al-Gaffar), we lower our gaze in total submission to Him and we submit the totality of ourselves and our belongings to Him in total humility in order to earn His forgiveness (Qur’an 4:24, 43,56; 22:60;58:2; 60:12; 64:14).