| The
great lessons which Allah Ta'ala wanted human beings to
derive from His Commandments and guidelines are not
fully understood by many of them. That is why, some of
them turn their faces away from the absolute Light of
Allah and some of them who abide His orders do not
comprehend their significance. Understanding the
religious precepts will provide with insight into the
reality which moves a person closer to the truth.
The order of Allah to the believers
to keep fasts in the holy month of Ramadan possesses
manifold benefits. The element of hunger and thirst is
only one aspect of this spiritual exercise, which is
inclusive of a total experience of one's being at the
personal, social, universal and metaphysical levels.
Some of the great benefits of
fasting can be briefly outlined as under:
01. While fasting, the believer
abstains from eating and drinking even when he is alone.
This is a reminder of the fact that Allah Ta'ala looks
at him and is aware of his every movement wherever he
may be. Remembrance of Allah at all times, secretly and
openly moves a believer closer to Allah.
02. Fasting gives practice to
control and to be stronger than one's desires, which has
been the cause of ruin of millions of people in the
history of mankind. This inside enemy called desire
should be subjugated to reason and intellect without
letting oneself be governed by desire. Fasting teaches a
believer not to be a slave of one's desire for the sake
of goodness and piety.
03. Fasting inculcates patience
and tolerance in the face of hardship, temptation, sin;
and in showing greater eagerness to be obedient to the
orders of Allah. Tolerance is a great blessing which can
transform a human being if one can make purposeful and
constructive efforts.
04. Fasting makes the intentions
stronger in doing good work. We will not be weak,
hesitating and reluctant in situations where we have the
choice of selecting piety and leaving aside sin.
05. Fasting makes one humble of
heart in front of Allah. A heart full of mercy and
sympathy. Such a heart is closer and dearer to Allah.
06. It teaches our tongue to
abstain from lies and to speak only the truth. Telling
lies on Allah, the Holy Prophet (SAW) and the Masoomeens
(A.S.) will make a fast void, which itself is a big sin.
So a month of uttering and speaking only the truth is a
vital lesson in avoiding lies and becoming virtuous. In
fact fasting cannot be meaningful without the fasting of
every other organ of the body along with the stomach
from all prohibited actions.
07. Fasting makes believers
remember the hunger and starvation of the poor and
initiates empathy for the deprived people. It is an
opportunity to experience hunger so that people will
understand the pain of the hungry and will go forward to
help them.
08. Fasting being a continuous
situation of hunger, thirst and tiredness in the way of
Allah teaches us the virtue of sacrifice and the ability
to suffer. And to know that this sacrifice and suffering
is noting but our salvation.
09. Fasting makes the believer
know the value of the bounties which Allah Ta'ala has
bestowed on us. The various bounties of Allah will be
appreciated more clearly when one fasts.
10. Fasting is a state of worship
which lasts throughout the whole day. This prolonged
form of worship makes Muslims familiar with the
situation of true believers whose life as a whole is the
embodiment of Allah's worship.
"Say: surely my prayer and my
sacrifice and my life and my death are (all) for Allah,
the Lord of the Worlds." (Holy Qur'an, 6: 163)
These are some of the benefits
which every believer can get from fasting. At the social
level, fasting establishes a bond of co-operation
between the rich and the poor. It helps in removing
ill-feelings from the heart of people and brings them
closer to each other. Fasting is a proof of Allah's
concept of the unity amongst all Muslims. All believers
begin and end their fasts at the same time in the same
city. It teaches them to help each other in way of Allah
and to keep away from evil.
Clearly the great lessons of
fasting can make a society humane and civilized to a
great extent if people were to derive maximum benefit
from this remarkable form of worship and try to
implement the orders of Allah Ta'ala with understanding.
Those who treat the fast as a customary practice fail to
get much out of it. As the Holy Prophet (SAW) remarked:
"There are people who fast and get nothing from their
fast except hunger and thirst."
May Allah Ta'ala bless us with His
remembrance and worship in a manner leading to
forgiveness of sins and earning bounties of Duniya and
Aakherat. Ilahi Aammeen. ALHAMDO LILLAHAY RABBIL
AALAMEEN. |
