FASTING FOR SELF-DISCIPLINE
Ramadan—the month of fasting, is the month that revelations of the Quran began to be made to the Prophet Muhammad, marking the commencement of Prophethood.
Ramadan is a month of restraint and worship; of caring and thanksgiving; of repentance and piety. The multitude of benefits of Ramadan inspired the Prophet to exclaim: “Welcome to the one who purifies!” (Kanzul Ummal, Hadith No. 23692)
Ramadan is a month of spiritual activism when believers endeavour to awaken their spirituality, purify themselves and develop their character.
Fasting is an exercise in self-purification and self-discipline. During the month of Ramadan, the believer abstains in the daytime from food and drink of his own free will. It is only after sunset that he satisfies his hunger and quenches his thirst.
Fasting helps him develop self-control. By practicing restraint for one month in a year, he is able to lead a life of self-discipline in all matters for the rest of the year. He, therefore, learns to live his life as per the creation plan of God.
God has placed man in this world for the purpose of testing him. Apart from man, there are in the universe innumerable other things, all of which—having no free will of their own—adhere strictly to God’s law. God has, however, given man the freedom to choose which path he will tread. Notwithstanding this divine gift of freedom of will, it is still the desire of the Almighty that man should, by his own choice, tread the path of obedience.
It is, therefore, to condition man to follow the path of restraint that the rule of fasting has been laid down. No mere annual ritual, fasting is a lesson in the permanent practice of patience and tolerance throughout one’s entire life.
While on a fast, a man may have food and water before him but, despite his hunger and thirst, he exercises self-control. God desires that he should also exercise the same restraint whenever he has the opportunity to display his ego and his arrogance. He must not fall into unjust ways.
If man is to earn God’s favour, he must eschew the path forbidden by Him, and set his feet firmly on the path of modesty and humility.
The path followed perforce by the universe has to be adopted by man of his own free will. That is why it is desirable that he should lead a life of self-imposed curbs. This is the only way to seek nearness to God Almighty.
