RAMADAN AND DESIRE-MANAGEMENT

In the Chapter Al-Baqarah (2:183) of the Quran, believers are enjoined to fast during the month of Ramadan: “Believers, fasting has been prescribed for you, just as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may guard yourselves against evil.”

We see that fasting is an exercise aimed at controlling our desires. It is the Art of Desire Management and self-discipline. Every man is filled with desires. One way of leading the life could be by following our whims and doing whatever we feel is correct, be it taking revenge, conducting robbery, indulging in corrupt practices, getting angry, being selfish etc. because all of these are desires. The other way can be leading a life whereby these desires are willfully managed.

God has given us free will and our test is to rightfully use this freedom and thereby control our desires. Thus, the individual who fasts, imposes self-discipline. The one who does not fast, lets his desires loose. In this context, fasting teaches desire-management.

By giving up eating and drinking in the month of Ramadan, a person tries to train himself for a greater form of fasting, that is, refraining from all kinds of evil habits by managing our desires. Self-discipline, in helping one to evolve as a developed personality, is the key to all kinds of success. It saves man from provocation, anger and unnecessary involvement. It is a master formula by which he can manage all the affairs of his life. In this sense fasting is for personality and intellectual development. It could be best described as learning the art of desire management.