Ramzan And The Significance Of Fasting
uring the month of Ramzan, D the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, fasting for the whole month has been made obligatory for all Muslims. By way of explanation, the Quran tells us: "Believers, fasting has been prescribed for you, just as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may guard yourselves against evil." (2:183) At another place, the Quran has this to say: "He desires you to fast the whole month, so that you may glorify Him for having guided you and so that you may be grateful to Him." (2:185) How, just by abstaining from food and drink during the day, can the spirit of piety and thankfulness be inculcated? Fasting actually pertains to the spirit of the action and not to its form. Every such action has spirit and is humility. The spirit of zakat, almsgiving, is social service. The spirit of hajj is unity, and the spirit of fasting is sabra, patience. In life, as we know from experience, patience is essential. According to God's creation plan, leading one's life without the exercise of patience is almost impossible, for God has granted freedom to all human beings. People have the choice of either misusing their freedom or making proper use of it. When individuals exercise this God-given freedom in the wrong way, many problems are likely to be faced by their fellowmen. It is in such situations that keeping patience is important. In normal circumstances, a speaking person leads life according to his desires. But a human being has been been good or bad. That is why God has ordained a month of fasting each year. During fasting, a believer has temporarily to eschew even lawful things, such as the basic necessities of food and drink, without which he cannot survive. This is a very important training course designed to inculcate in a person the thinking that, over and above unlawful things, he should also be able to abstain from lawful things in order to fulfil God's commands. Moreover, according to a saying of the Prophet, fasting does not just mean abstaining from food and drink: fasting is, in reality, the act of abstinence from all inappropriate speech and action. It is desired that one should leaded words mean to say: "We are grate God who is the Lord of the UnivenMan is only a taker, whereas Gatha Giver. But when people contrition receive all kinds of blessings uninterruptedly in this world, thbecomes so accustomed to them Thake everything for granted as an of right. They unconsciously coffee that they are getting everythifrom God but from material sourcand are therefore unable to becomtruly grateful servants of God. For Eason, one is temporarily stoppepartaking of these blessings, so thyme be made to feel how precious blessings are!
DISCLAIMER:
The views expressed in the Article above are Farida Khanam and kashmiribhatta.in is not in any way responsible for the opinions expressed in the above article. The article belongs to its respective owner or owners and this site does not claim any right over it.
Courtesy: Farida Khanam and Speaking Tree,Times of India
Ramzan And The Significance Of Fasting
uring the month of Ramzan, D the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, fasting for the whole month has been made obligatory for all Muslims. By way of explanation, the Quran tells us: "Believers, fasting has been prescribed for you, just as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may guard yourselves against evil." (2:183) At another place, the Quran has this to say: "He desires you to fast the whole month, so that you may glorify Him for having guided you and so that you may be grateful to Him." (2:185) How, just by abstaining from food and drink during the day, can the spirit of piety and thankfulness be inculcated? Fasting actually pertains to the spirit of the action and not to its form. Every such action has spirit and is humility. The spirit of zakat, almsgiving, is social service. The spirit of hajj is unity, and the spirit of fasting is sabra, patience. In life, as we know from experience, patience is essential. According to God's creation plan, leading one's life without the exercise of patience is almost impossible, for God has granted freedom to all human beings. People have the choice of either misusing their freedom or making proper use of it. When individuals exercise this God-given freedom in the wrong way, many problems are likely to be faced by their fellowmen. It is in such situations that keeping patience is important. In normal circumstances, a speaking person leads life according to his desires. But a human being has been been good or bad. That is why God has ordained a month of fasting each year. During fasting, a believer has temporarily to eschew even lawful things, such as the basic necessities of food and drink, without which he cannot survive. This is a very important training course designed to inculcate in a person the thinking that, over and above unlawful things, he should also be able to abstain from lawful things in order to fulfil God's commands. Moreover, according to a saying of the Prophet, fasting does not just mean abstaining from food and drink: fasting is, in reality, the act of abstinence from all inappropriate speech and action. It is desired that one should leaded words mean to say: "We are grate God who is the Lord of the UnivenMan is only a taker, whereas Gatha Giver. But when people contrition receive all kinds of blessings uninterruptedly in this world, thbecomes so accustomed to them Thake everything for granted as an of right. They unconsciously coffee that they are getting everythifrom God but from material sourcand are therefore unable to becomtruly grateful servants of God. For Eason, one is temporarily stoppepartaking of these blessings, so thyme be made to feel how precious blessings are!
DISCLAIMER:
The views expressed in the Article above are Farida Khanam and kashmiribhatta.in is not in any way responsible for the opinions expressed in the above article. The article belongs to its respective owner or owners and this site does not claim any right over it.
Courtesy: Farida Khanam and Speaking Tree,Times of India