The Islamic Fast of Ramadhan

Fasting is an age old institution that became perfected in Islam. Allah has revealed in Surah Baqarah verse 183: “O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was described to those before you, so that you may learn self-restraint.” Allah further says: “Every one of you who is present during that month – reference to Ramadhan, should spend it in fasting, but if anyone who is ill or on a journey; the prescribed period should be made up by days later. Allah intends every facility for you. He does not want to put you to difficulties….”

The Islamic fast of Ramadhan begins from just before sunrise to sunset each day. It may consist of 29 days or 30 days, depending on the sighting of the moon.

The observance of fasting during Ramadan constitutes one of the five pillars of Islam. The experience of fasting is intended to teach Muslims self-discipline and self-restraint.

Through it we experience what hunger and thirst is all about, so that we may understand a little of the plight of the less privileged, who in some parts of the world may be starving due to drought or internal strife. However, the fast of Ramadan is not just about disciplining the body to refrain from eating and drinking from predawn until sunset, but is also about exerting control over the mind. This involves restraining anger, doing good deeds, exercising personal discipline, and preparing one’s self to serve as a good Muslim and a good person. Though the fast may have an impact on one physically, but in truth one is strengthened spiritually.

It is apparent and obvious that fasting dehydrates a person causes him to be slow and less responsive to fulfilling his or her obligations, but it also makes it possible for the individual to dominate these traits by fasting, because the balance on the scale has shifted dramatically to one of physical denial, thus enabling the soul to be nourished spiritually.

Fasting the month of Ramadhan does have an impact on the individually physically, mentally and spiritually. Anyone who observes the fast diligently will experience some weight loss at the end of Ramadhan. In fact, there is also a tremendous shortage of blood supplies during Ramadhan, which clearly indicates that Muslims do contribute a great deal towards saving the lives of others through this voluntary act throughout the year.

However, the goal of fasting in Ramadhan is not about seeking weight loss but rather to acquire “Taqwa” or piety. This has been expressed in the Qur’an, and it is the only reason mentioned in the Qur’an. Fasting may slow you down considerably but it also shifts the balance of power to a mental and spiritual state. So the objective and goal of fasting is to sharpen your mental and spiritual faculties which are usually dominated by carnal desires. For example, abstention from food and drink from sunrise to sunset becomes a challenge. It sharpens your skills in the field of determination and steadfastness.

It is this supreme act of obedience and determination that develops will-power within you, thus enabling you to face critical situations in your life, where temptations often over power one and cause one to succumb to bribery, corruption, vice and evil. Basically this is true, but unfortunately it does not work out the way it should. Many Muslims succumb to corruption and yet they are known to pray as well as fast, so what went wrong?

The answer to this is simple. If you end up observing religion on a ritualistic basis, then it has no impact on you spiritually. But if you are a person who understands and appreciates religion spiritually, then every physical act becomes an enhancement, beautify your existence spiritually, making it more meaningful.

Ramadan comes only once a year, therefore, we should host it in the best possible way. We should not treat it as something that need to be undertaken just because it is obligatory, but rather look upon the fasting month as an opportunity to be purified, forgiven and granted the opportunity to start all over again.

If you look upon the fasting month of Ramadhan as a mere obligatory requirement, and that as a Muslim you must fast, then you could end up fulfilling the Prophet’s words, were he said that some people gain nothing but hunger and thirst. Another perception to this saying of the Prophet s.a.w. is also related to the duty of fasting, where if a person spends it in idle gossip, backbiting and slander, then that person gains nothing but hunger and thirst for his effort of fasting in Ramadhan.

So we should avoid such bad behaviour and try to improve upon our conduct because Ramadhan is an opportunity that comes. We should also make an effort to complete recitation of the whole Qur’an, attend Tarawih Prayer, perform Tahjud Prayer prior to Sahur – the breakfast meal before the fast; and if we are capable of doing this during the month of Ramadhan, why not continue doing so after it.

Together, we must have some concerns within our hearts over improving, because with each passing day, our end is drawing nearer and nearer. One does not pray to Allah for just a long and healthy life, but one also speaks to Him about Iman and Taqwa; forgiveness, mercy and kindness, and to be soft with us, rather than to punish us severely. The fasting month of Ramadhan does offer us the opportunity to repent and to reform, and to acquire rewards easily, multiplied many times over. Such is not available at any other time except in Ramadhan. So make use of this yearly opportunity to repent and to reform.

To some, fasting may be an inconvenience or a burden, but this is a misconception. And the reason why this view exists is because many have not been told about the spiritual values of fasting in Islam. It is not an exercise of restraint from mere food and drink, but it is also an exercise of restraining one’s nafs or one’s carnal desires. It is this struggle that purifies and improves that spiritual state of an individual, thus enabling him to rise in rank and closeness to Allah.

It is important to make a serious effort to fast. Do not offer worthless excuses that will not be accepted by Allah. If there is a valid reason why you can’t fast, then it is a matter best known to you and Allah. But if it is a lame excuse, without making any effort to do so, then you have failed in fulfilling your obligation to Allah to fast in Ramadhan. This will not auger well for you, because fasting plays a significant role in mould your character as well as helping you to meet the final moment of your departure, where thirst, faith and piety, all play an important role in helping you ward off the temptations of Satan, who wishes to distract you or introduce confusion, distress and fear at the moment of death.

Allah Almighty has not simply initiated commands for the fun of it. Every act in Islam is related to a specific condition prevalent in humankind, and it is through these varieties of exercises and commands that we are protected and improved upon. For example, if you want to upgrade your car to have more speed and quality, you will have to undertake changes to it. Likewise, the prayer, fasting, the payment of Zakat and the Hajj, all add up to producing specific results within us.

Most of all, we must realise that we have been created by Allah, and as the Creator, it is His responsibility to look after us, and in this respect, He has formulated a process that grants us success in this world and in the hereafter.

Developing the right attitude in Ramadhan is important. One should ask one’s self the following: Are we going to perform the fast for Allah’s sake or is it going to be just a requirement that needs to be fulfilled? Are we going to fast because Allah has imposed it on us or are we going to do so willingly to gain improvement?

These are important questions because it establishes the platform or rather the approach one is adopting towards the fast. People who treat fasting as a mere obligation that needs to be fulfilled, possess no commitment towards fulfilling it. This can be observed towards the end of Ramadhan, where congregations at mosque dwindle; and where many just abandon the fast because they want to return to their hometowns. Some simply give it up towards the end because the going is tough.

What they have failed to realise is that strength is derived through sincerity, and that with each passing day, the challenge to maintain the fast because greater – so too does the reward, and the final reward is the determining factor for success.

So developing the right attitude towards fasting is important, because it sets us on the path to victory. This is what Eidul Fitr is all about. It is the day on which one is liberated from the command of Allah to fast in Ramadhan.

Now if you fail in this towards the end without any valid reason acceptable to Allah, how can you say that you have been liberated on Eidul Fitr, when it truth you set yourself free earlier!

Therefore, it is indeed important to possess the right attitude about fasting in Ramadhan. And even if after doing so we end up feeling that we have not achieved the targets we have set ourselves, this is something best left to Allah. What is important is sincerity our efforts, while the matter of rewarding is best left to Allah, for He knows best and it is within Him to reward whoever He pleases.

We should seek Allah’s help purifying our intentions to Allah in Ramadhan, seeking to follow in the footsteps of the Prophet s.a.w. and his companions. We should ask Allah to make fasting easy for us; to help us perform it in a perfect way that pleases Him. We should ask Allah to grant us victory, and supremacy in Islam, so that we may protect His good name, Islam and the Ummah, from the mischief of His enemies and ours. We should seek Allah’s forgiveness, mercy and kindness; we should ask for success in this world and in the Hereafter; we should ask for good health so that we may serve Him better and the Ummah; We should ask Allah for prosperity, so that through it we may be able to help the unfortunate, perform deeds of charity and to be kind and compassionate. We should pray to Allah to be soft with us when His Qada and Qadar descend upon us, as well as at the time of death. We should pray to Him to exempt us from the punishment of the grave and on the Day of Resurrection.

Let us also not miss this opportunity of Ramadan to seek to be in the company of the Prophet Muhammad and his Companions; to be among the Prophets, Trustworthy, Martyrs, and Righteous – all of whom Allah has granted entry into Paradise in the Qur’an. Suhaib (r.a.) relates that the Prophet (s.a.w.) said: “When the inmates of enter Paradise, Allah, the Master of Honour and Glory, will ask them: Do you want anything more that I should give you? They will utter: O Allah, have you not made our faces shining? Have you not admitted us to Paradise and saved us from the Hell? What else is left to be desired? Thereupon, the veil will be withdrawn, and the inmates of Paradise will not have known anything dearer to them than looking at their Lord.” – Muslim recorded it.

Zakat is the third pillar of Islam. The Qur’an mentions Zakat eighty-two times alongside Salat or Prayer, to emphasize the importance of it. Zakat means growth, blessings and increase in good purification. Zakat purifies the one who gives it from minor sins and extols him by testifying to the genuineness of his faith. Every Muslim who possesses a Zakat payable amount for one lunar year has to pay 2.5%. The Qur’an states: "Take alms of their wealth and make them pure and clean," – a clear indication that it is not a favour you are undertaking but instead an obligatory duty of purification.

There are two main type of Zakat - Zakat on one’s self which is referred to as Zakat Fitrah and Zakat on one’s Wealth. Zakat was instituted among Muslims to carry out a variety of objectives.

Islam ordained it to achieve social justice and sublime moral and spiritual values. It is a criterion for the believers and a way to success in this life and the next. Allah says, "Who establishes worship and spend of that we have bestowed upon them, these are the true believers. For them are grades of honour with their Lord, and forgiveness, and a beautiful provision".

There is a saying of the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) to this effect: When a person gives out Charity it goes through the hands of Allah before the receiver receives it. The giver should not possess the notion that he is helping a person but instead is doing so out of gratitude to the Owner of all Wealth, Allah, and that he is doing so to purify himself and the wealth that Allah has bestowed upon him.

Throughout our history, whenever Muslims truthfully applied the system of Zakat, as Allah and His Messenger have ordained, the splendid objectives of Zakat were fulfilled and its great effects appeared within the lives of individuals and the society. Therefore, anyone collecting such and dispensing of such, must bear in mind the consequences of abuse and mismanagement of Zakat.

We must remember that first and foremost, Zakat is an act of worship. Giving Zakat is an act of obedience to the command of Allah, and a fulfilment of His covenant. The giver hopes that by giving it, he will receive a good reward in the Hereafter, and the growth and blessings of his wealth in this life. Therefore Zakat is a transfer of possessions and not a favour or a gift, given by the owner to those who deserve it, in accordance with the Qur`an and the Sunnah.

From a social point of view, Zakat ensures social justice. It also guarantees sufficient equalization. Zakat is also purification from envy and greed. Islam recognizes the instinctive love of wealth and love of the self; stinginess is a part of what humans are, "And human inner selves are swayed by greed".

To deal with this Islam treats it psychologically, by attraction and warning. Islam requests that the stingy self be generous and sacrifices what is dear to it, with the hope of attaining something better. For Allah says, "By no means shall you attain righteousness (and reward) unless you spend of that which you love".

Allah has revealed: "And those in whose wealth there is a known right, for the needy who asks and for those who are deprived of it." The Prophet (s.a.w.) said, "The believers in their mutual kindness, compassion and sympathy are just like one body. When one of the limbs is afflicted, the whole body responds to it with sleeplessness and fever". When those in need receive it, envy and hatred is removed from their hearts. So be generous for Allah is ever generous towards you.

Finally, we come to the Day of Eidul Fitr. Festive religious occasions are found in all religions, but they do not share the same experience as Eidul Fitr. It is the act of fasting a whole month that makes this day a day of joy, a day of liberation; a day of victory. [Mokhtar Stork]