Fasting Builds Up Inner Strength
The month of Ramadan is here once again when Muslims practise Roza or fasting. The basic objective is to discipline yourself in a way that is conducive to cultivate the attributes of an ideal human being. Fasting implies not only abstinence from eating and drinking: more importantly, it involves cultivating a sublime state of mind in order to nurture positive feelings. It essentially means restraining yourself from listening, speaking, hearing or thinking ill about others. The expectation is that through this month-long process of self-purification you gain enough positive impact to last the remaining 11 months. And then, it is Ramadan time once again and you go through the purification process once more. Tajuddin B Shu'aib in Essentials of Ramadan, The Fasting Month, summarises the essence of fasting as prescribed in Islam: "The institution of fasting is a unique form of worship prescribed as part of an overall system of Islam. Its uniqueness mirrors the uniqueness of the hu man being, a creature of physical and spiritual parts whose excellence depends on the right proportion of these two parts. Too much of the physical material will ruin man, and too much of the spiritual will, too... "Fasting orients the observer to the art of balancing the spiritual essentials with physical needs, a vivid proof that there is in all of us the will power, a pivotal element that controls our actions. This will be needed to help us curb the animalistic tendencies originating from the stomach, in full. It makes us forget about our beginning, it awakens the mind and kindles clear thinking and consciousness of Allah. Fasting is the sobering of a mind and reconstruction of our spiritual faculties." Fasting as an annual feature serves as training for the body and soul, a renewal of life, a tool to develop self-restraint and which also encourages the spirit of sharing and giving. There are numerous benefits of fasting. It helps you to learn the art of self-restraint. The Qur'an says: "O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint." Fasting helps to develop patience. In a hadith by Abu Hurairah, the Prophet said: "Fasting is not only to restrain from food and drink, fasting is to refrain from obscene (acts). If someone verbally abuses you or acts ignorantly towards you. say (to them) 'I am fasting; I am fasting'." Fasting helps in conditioning the heart, the soul. and the body with the virtues of patience, tenacity, and firmness in the face of adversity. Human life is an intricate collage of acquired habits. It is very difficult to change these acquired habits. One of the greatest advantages of fasting is that it helps you change your habits. For instance, many people have quit smoking after they abstained from it for the whole month of fasting during Ramadan. Fasting helps to develop moral and spiritual strength. Saleem Kayani in Fasting in Islam says that the objective of fasting is to give man the power to keep in check his unruly desires and tendencies that make him prone to greed, revenge, anger, provocation, and fear: that make him commit various sins, acts of aggression. cruelty, and oppression. It seeks to free the human soul and lends it moral and spiritual strength to promote beauty, harmony, goodness, truth, kindness, peace, compassion and justice. The roza season is meant to help us turn our thoughts inward, even as we engage in disciplining our physical desires. Ramadan is reserved for reflection and rejuvenation of the mind and body, getting ready to face the following 11 months with equanimity.
DISCLAIMER:
The views expressed in the Article above are M Aslam 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: M Aslam and Speaking Tree,Times of India
Fasting Builds Up Inner Strength
The month of Ramadan is here once again when Muslims practise Roza or fasting. The basic objective is to discipline yourself in a way that is conducive to cultivate the attributes of an ideal human being. Fasting implies not only abstinence from eating and drinking: more importantly, it involves cultivating a sublime state of mind in order to nurture positive feelings. It essentially means restraining yourself from listening, speaking, hearing or thinking ill about others. The expectation is that through this month-long process of self-purification you gain enough positive impact to last the remaining 11 months. And then, it is Ramadan time once again and you go through the purification process once more. Tajuddin B Shu'aib in Essentials of Ramadan, The Fasting Month, summarises the essence of fasting as prescribed in Islam: "The institution of fasting is a unique form of worship prescribed as part of an overall system of Islam. Its uniqueness mirrors the uniqueness of the hu man being, a creature of physical and spiritual parts whose excellence depends on the right proportion of these two parts. Too much of the physical material will ruin man, and too much of the spiritual will, too... "Fasting orients the observer to the art of balancing the spiritual essentials with physical needs, a vivid proof that there is in all of us the will power, a pivotal element that controls our actions. This will be needed to help us curb the animalistic tendencies originating from the stomach, in full. It makes us forget about our beginning, it awakens the mind and kindles clear thinking and consciousness of Allah. Fasting is the sobering of a mind and reconstruction of our spiritual faculties." Fasting as an annual feature serves as training for the body and soul, a renewal of life, a tool to develop self-restraint and which also encourages the spirit of sharing and giving. There are numerous benefits of fasting. It helps you to learn the art of self-restraint. The Qur'an says: "O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint." Fasting helps to develop patience. In a hadith by Abu Hurairah, the Prophet said: "Fasting is not only to restrain from food and drink, fasting is to refrain from obscene (acts). If someone verbally abuses you or acts ignorantly towards you. say (to them) 'I am fasting; I am fasting'." Fasting helps in conditioning the heart, the soul. and the body with the virtues of patience, tenacity, and firmness in the face of adversity. Human life is an intricate collage of acquired habits. It is very difficult to change these acquired habits. One of the greatest advantages of fasting is that it helps you change your habits. For instance, many people have quit smoking after they abstained from it for the whole month of fasting during Ramadan. Fasting helps to develop moral and spiritual strength. Saleem Kayani in Fasting in Islam says that the objective of fasting is to give man the power to keep in check his unruly desires and tendencies that make him prone to greed, revenge, anger, provocation, and fear: that make him commit various sins, acts of aggression. cruelty, and oppression. It seeks to free the human soul and lends it moral and spiritual strength to promote beauty, harmony, goodness, truth, kindness, peace, compassion and justice. The roza season is meant to help us turn our thoughts inward, even as we engage in disciplining our physical desires. Ramadan is reserved for reflection and rejuvenation of the mind and body, getting ready to face the following 11 months with equanimity.
DISCLAIMER:
The views expressed in the Article above are M Aslam 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: M Aslam and Speaking Tree,Times of India