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More than two billion Muslims around the world are ready to imbibe the essence of Ramadan, the Holy Month which purifies the inner system and the spiritual hearts of the believers.
It is here that they should remember the saying of the Prophet (S) regarding the importance of fasting. He said, ‘fasting is a shield against the Hell Fire’, like a shield of yours in battle.” Meaning, fasting protects a believer from the wrath of Allah due to his or her minor and major sins.
The Prophet (S) also said, “fasting during the month of patience (i.e. Ramadan) and three days of every month removes the poison of the heart”.
By the word poison, he meant hatred, hypocrisy, hard heartedness and the whispers of the devil. Once a believer is successful in thwarting these poisonous elements by fasting, his or her soul would be purified. This, in fact, is the result of piety or piousness which Allah really intended from fasting. Allah says: “O you believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, so that you may become Al Muthaqun (the pious) (2:183).
From the Islamic point of view, piousness or ‘Fear of Allah’ is to obey what Allah has enjoined and to abstain from what he has prohibited. But to achieve the piety or taqwa, it needs physical and spiritual training, and believers may be well-acquainted with these during their month-long fasting from dawn to dusk. If they do not succeed in controlling their lust or desires, it would negate the fruit of his fasting.
One cannot but remember several notable events that happened during Ramadan; the most important of which are the revelations of the Quran. Allah says: The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Quran, as guidance to the mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong).”(2:185)
The night in which the Quran was revealed is known as Lailathul Qadar or The night of power, which is better than one thousand nights. A thousand must be taken in an indefinite sense as denoting a very long period of time. This does not refer to our ideas of time, but to ‘timeless time’.
The above verse lays emphasis on the close relationship of Quran with Ramadan. This close link is observable among believers, who make extra efforts, during the month by reading and pondering over the meanings of the Quran.
Fasting in Islam is distinct as it is observed invisibly. None, except Allah, can know whether all the five organs of the believer – eyes, ears, nose, and tongue and skin - are untouched by all prohibited matters. The Prophet (S) said in a Hadith Qudsi, “Every deed of the son of Adam is for him, except fasting, for it is for Me and I will reward for it (Bukhari).”
For every righteous action, a fasting believer would fetch rewards. Ramadan also is the best period for gaining all virtuous qualities like patience, tolerance, purity, sanctity, and compassion to the poor, which results in a delightful life in the Paradise by the Grace of Almighty Allah.
So, let all believers do more righteous deeds, like charity, reading Quran, mending broken relationships with family and friends and making sincere repentance to their Lord of the Worlds for all the sins during their lives.
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