Originally Posted August 2011
A Look into the Secret of Ramadan and Fasting
Introduction
Fasting is a devotional act performed by the followers of many
religions. Christians, Jews, and Muslims all believe in the fundamental
act of fasting, although they differ regarding its definition and
details. The Qur’an and
Sunnah (practice of the Prophet ﷺ,
peace be upon him) affirm this fact, and provide a complete narrative
regarding the history, purpose, and method of fasting. Fasting is an
essential pillar of Islam, as clearly stated in the Prophetic narrations
(
hadith) and the Qur’an. At face value, it is an external act,
but in reality its purpose is primarily to influence and affect the
internal. Although fasting is always encouraged and recommended, God
has chosen a specific month where man has been commanded to fast and
advised to perform a number of additional devotional acts. As will
become apparent, in the fasting of Ramadan, Islam has transformed
fasting from a simple, personally beneficial act into a complete,
intensive program designed to transform man’s character and his
relationship with God and His creation.
This fundamental pillar
of Islam should be understood as an institution providing education,
training, social programming, and spiritual and character development.
What is Fasting?
The Arabic term
sawm linguistically means to refrain or abstain from something. Mary, the mother of Jesus, uses the word
sawm when her people ask about her pregnancy:
“[…] ‘Indeed, I have vowed to the Most Merciful [God]
abstention, so I will not speak today to [any] man,’” (Qur’an,
19:26).
The translation of this verse shows Mary’s linguistic use of the word. Here, we clearly see the literal meaning of the term
sawm being
used to describe Mary’s abstinence from speaking to anyone until after
Jesus was born (so she wouldn’t have to defend herself from any
allegations). The Arabs would also use the term when referring to a
horse that refrained from running. It is from this linguistic root that
Islam then religiously referred to fasting
as a particular type of abstinence during a particular time period by a particular individual. This
definition concisely states that fasting requires an intention to
refrain from food, drink, and intercourse from the break of dawn until
sunset. Furthermore, the individual who fasts must be in a state in
which fasting is permissible for him. Although this explanation of
fasting is what all Muslims do today, Islam acknowledges that other
faiths and even the Prophet ﷺ and his companions initially fasted in a
different way. This will be explained later in the history of fasting.
However, what is important to understand is the purpose behind fasting,
which will be discussed in the following section.
The Obligation and Purpose of Fasting
Fasting is always something commendable and recommended in Islam, and
it has a clearly defined purpose. God says, “O you who have believed,
decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you so
that you may be protected through righteousness [achieve
taqwa]” (Qur’an,
2:183). This verse states both the command to fast as well as the purpose of fasting: to attain
taqwa
(God consciousness). However, it does not state the exact time period,
as this is explained in the following verses. God explains in the Qur’an
that fasting is prescribed for a limited number of days, which He then
explains as being in the month of Ramadan (
2:183-185).
He confirms the obligation to fast this month by stating, “[…] So
whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it […]”
(Qur’an,
2:185).
The natural question that comes to mind is what is the meaning of
taqwa?
What is the aim of fasting
? The term linguistically implies protecting and saving one’s self from harm. Possessing
taqwa
is also expressed as being God-conscious, pious, in awe of God, and
being careful not to do anything contrary to what God loves. In regards
to its meaning as the purpose behind fasting,
taqwa means to
protect one’s self. This protection is two-fold: protection from God’s
punishment and displeasure by attaining a state of God-consciousness,
awe, piety, and love for what God loves; secondly, to protect one’s self
from the harms of heedlessness, lack of discipline, enslavement to
one’s desires, and poor character. The individual who has achieved
taqwa reaches a lofty spiritual state that deserves God’s love, mercy, and His promise of Paradise.
Some of the Ambitions Behind Fasting
- Developing sincerity in our actions. Fasting is one of the most pure
and sincere devotional acts since no one knows if you cheat while
fasting.
- Purifying the soul from lowly character, which is often the result of being a slave to one’s carnal desires.
- It overpowers Satan and his attempts to deceive man.
- It serves as a means to God-consciousness and staying away from sins.
- Leads to being merciful and compassionate to the poor.
Background about Ramadan
The linguistic meaning of the word Ramadan comes from the root r
amad
implying extreme heat. It is suitable for the month of fasting, as the
name of the month refers to the dryness of the mouth that one feels when
thirsty.
It has been narrated that all the divinely revealed scriptures came
down during the month of Ramadan. The Qur’an descended from the highest
heaven to the lower heaven in Ramadan, and then the initial revelation
to the Prophet ﷺ was also in Ramadan. This important fact is highlighted
as God mentions in the Qur’an: “The month of Ramadan [is that] in which
the Qur’an was revealed, as guidance for people…” Thus, it is of
significance to mention that one of the main reasons we fast the month
of Ramadan is out of reverence for the Qur’an and with the intention to
renew our commitment to it. This is exemplified in the night prayer,
tarawih,
during which large portions of the Quran are read every night. It is as
if God is commanding people to the fast Ramadan as an expression of
gratitude for the gift of the Qur’an to mankind.
The History of Fasting
Fasting the month of Ramadan was made obligatory upon the Muslims in the 2nd year AH.
Fasting
was also something obligatory upon the previous Prophets and their
people. The scholars differed though upon the nature of their fasting as
well as the initial fasting of the Muslims before the 2nd year AH. A
number of scholars stated that the prior generations were obligated to
fast three days a month, and were not commanded to fast the month of
Ramadan. Others stated that the prior generations were commanded to fast
the month of Ramadan and that their fasting began after sleeping after
the night prayer and lasted until the following evening.
In regards to the history of fasting during the life of the Prophet
ﷺ, we find that God employed a gradual method to introduce fasting and
altered its details until the final command and timings were solidified.
The initial obligation was fasting three days a month. Then, the
fasting of the 10
th of
Muharram (the day of `Ashura) was added as an obligation. Then, fasting
the month of Ramadan was introduced; however, people were given the
choice to either fast or to feed a poor person each day of the month.
Then, fasting became obligatory upon those capable, and would start from
the time one slept or after the evening prayer. Finally, the timing was
changed to start at dawn and end at sunset. These five stages show the
gradual implementation, thus giving Islam a unique implementation of
fasting different from other faiths.
The Ramadan Program
The month of Ramadan is intended to be a complete program for
reformation of the mind, body, and soul. It includes a number of
obligatory, recommended, and prohibited acts, all seeking to improve
man’s character and relationship with God. When we see Ramadan as a
program for purification, our attitude will be different. We will no
longer see it as a difficult obligation whereby God is simply testing
our ability to obey him, but rather as a unique opportunity to achieve a
state of peace, spiritual and physical health, love for God, and
realize our full potential in life. For if we see how capable we are of
controlling our natural desires and pushing ourselves to higher limits
in Ramadan, we will realize the strength we possess to achieve our
highest ambitions in life.
When we seek to improve our physical health, we know we need to
change our diet and exercise routine. We may consult a number of
nutritionists and fitness experts to put together a program that will
help us achieve our goals. These programs often define essential foods
that should be eaten and others that must be avoided, and exercises that
must be performed daily or weekly. For example, a particular program
may mandate eating a particular amount of proteins, limiting the amount
of saturated fats, performing a defined number of push-ups and sit-ups,
and running in the morning or evening. Interestingly, we find new
programs every year, whether it be the latest diet fad or exercise
routine. Some of these turn out to be of value, and people continuously
invest their time and money in these fitness and health programs.
God has similarly given us the program of Ramadan, although its
ambitions extend beyond mere physical health, and the Designer of the
program possesses infinite knowledge. Ramadan is an intensive program
designed by the Creator of mankind, who knows best how His creation
should live and knows best what is beneficial to them. For this reason,
we welcome Ramadan as an annual retreat and perfectly designed program;
we recognize its ability to purify, reform, and improve ourselves
through the acts that God has legislated for our benefit. It is thus the
ultimate prescription and program for
taqwa, the most noble
goal and aim in life. By achieving this state of consciousness, we
protect ourselves from harm in this life and the next.
An important point to be understood is that a particular program or
medication doesn’t always feel or taste good immediately. The first few
days, or weeks, of dieting and exercise can be extremely painful as one
gets used to limiting his food intake, stressing his muscles, and
dealing with the burn and soreness of working out. However, once he gets
used to the program, he begins to notice improvements in his health and
his body becomes accustomed to the new regiment. Another example of
this initial discomfort is when a sick patient is given medication. The
taste of the medication or food eaten may be bitter or sour, but the
patient continues to take it knowing it is of extreme benefit. The
reality may even be that the food or medicine prescribed is sweet, but
due to his sickness everything tastes bland or bitter. Likewise, the
initial adjustment period to fasting and the Ramadan program may be
tiring and difficult, but we should always keep in mind that as we get
used to it we will both enjoy it and tremendously benefit from it if
performed properly.
10 High Priority Acts to be Performed in the Month of Ramadan:
- Recitation of the Qur’an (in Arabic)
- Studying the Qur’an (reading the translation and explanation)
- Tarawih Prayer (Recommended Ramadan prayers)
- Qiyam al-Layl (Voluntary night prayers)
- Performing all five prayers on time
- Praying in congregation when possible
- Refraining from lying, backbiting, gossiping, and cursing
- Refraining from excess television and social media
- Fixing our relationships with family and friends
- Giving as much charity as possible
