QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
What is the purpose of fasting?
“Believers, fasting has been prescribed for you, just as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may guard yourself against evil. … so that you may glorify Him for His having guided you and so that you may be grateful to Him.” (The Quran, 2:183, 185)
According these verses the purpose of fasting is: to make one cautious in life (2:183) and to make one thankful to God (2:185). The temporary deprivation of food and water makes one realize these as divine blessings. Then one develops thanksgiving towards God Almighty for giving us these blessings. Discovering one’s helplessness or ijz, one prays truly to God. Such prayers connect him to the Almighty. This experience makes him aware of his duties as God’s humble servant. This feeling leads to caution in life. It makes on God-conscious and live a life of piety. This is a training in taqwa or in God-consciousness.
What is the spirit of Ramadan?
The spirit of Ramadan is the spirit of abstinence. In Arabic, fasting is known as ‘Saum’ meaning abstinence. Abstaining from food and drink during the month of Ramadan is aimed to awaken the ‘sawm spirit’ of the believer. Food and drink are two of man’s basic necessities. These are the last things one should be asked to abstain from.
Asking a person to abstain from basic necessities like food and drink is like giving a strong and powerful message that you have to abstain from all the things God has forbidden you, much as this may go against your wishes.
A fast which is devoid of the sawm spirit will not be acceptable to God or be rewarded.
Can you give us an understanding of fasting in modern equivalent terms?
Yes. Fasting is for personality and intellectual development. It could be best described as learning the art of desire management.
In fact, not understanding Islamic teachings in an intellectual way and only using the traditional explanations have led to practicing the religion only in its outer form with the absence of spirit. This spiritless worship is the cause of the rise of a culture which is not the Islam as preached by the Prophet and as followed by him and his Companions.
How does fasting help us to connect with God and pray to Him?
Fasting helps to lessen a person’s dependence on material things and strengthen his spiritual resolve, so that he may enter the higher realms of piety. Fasting is thus a stimulus for spiritual and intellectual development. When one fasts one becomes aware of his one’s own helplessness.
Roza is, therefore, an opportunity or the meeting point between man and God. This meeting point is the last stage of helplessness, which makes you realize that God is
all-powerful and man is helpless. This helps him to connect with God with sincere prayer.
What is the special relation between the Quran and fasting during Ramadan?
The Quran states, “The month of Ramadan is the month when the Quran was sent down as guidance for mankind with clear proofs and criterion by which to distinguish right from wrong.” (2:185) This shows the close link between the month of Ramadan and Quran.
The Quran is a reward to His servants from God and fasting is acknowledgement of the reward. Through fasting man makes himself worthy of being thankful to God.
The main purpose of fasting is to go through the Quran with complete focus and dedication. This is a very serious study. So, believers are required to stay away from all other activities and concentrate their minds totally on the study of the Quran so that they are able to discover the deep meaning in the Quran.
How can we discover the deeper meaning of the Quran?
According to a Hadith, “The wonders of Quran shall never cease.”(Sunan al-Darimi, Hadith No. 3358) From this we understand that just as taking more and more water from an ocean does not dry it up; similarly, continually reflecting on the Quran only allows its deeper meaning to unfold.
Materialists think on the lines of “more and more money” but the mindset of a believer should be “more and more wisdom from the Quran.” In other words, if you dedicate the month of Ramadan to the study of Quran, you shall discover newer meanings. Taking us away from the routine of life fasting prepares one for the study of the Quran. And when a person studies the Quran with a well-prepared mind, contemplating on the verses, he can understand the teachings of the Quran in greater depth and discover the deeper meaning of the Quran.
Can you give an example of discovering the deeper meaning of the Quran?
I think the following verse of the Quran opens a whole new meaning to the reader: “Believers, fasting has been prescribed for you, just as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may guard yourselves against evil.” (The Quran, 2:183)
This verse highlights that fasting is a universal practice and was a common element across religions. And ever since man inhabited earth, prophets were sent to guide him, and they enjoined their community to observe fasts. When man observes a fast today, he gets connected to a long history.
When I understood this I was gripped by the realization of this thrilling idea that those who observe fasts in the month of Ramadan become a part of that divine chain which begins from the first pious person and ends with the last man of history! The realization that you have got connected with the list of those pious and God-fearing men who led a rightly guided life is an overwhelming experience.
Does developing taqwa during fasting help us to find deeper meaning in the Quran?
The Quran states: “Believers, fasting has been prescribed for you, just as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may guard yourselves against evil.” (The Quran, 2:183)
Ramadan is the month of heightened God consciousness, of attaining piety (taqwa). As I deliberated upon the verses above, I realized that taqwa actually, refers to sensitivity.
Fasting by its very nature is an act of patience and restraint. It helps a person to attain a state of mind, which makes him a more sensitive person. And only a sensitive person can seriously deliberate over issues. In psychology, ‘high sensitivity,’ is explained as the ability to process information deeply, to concentrate deeply and be highly conscientious. High sensitivity inculcates curiosity, seriousness and all other high qualities in a person. Elaine N. Aron in her book on high sensitivity wrote, ‘a person of high sensitivity can grasp a point with greater intensity.’ (The Highly Sensitive Person: How to Thrive When the World, Citadel Press) This statement illustrates the purpose of fasting—to inculcate sensitivity so that one is able to understand the profound meaning of the Quran.
Is overeating during sehri desirable?
Those who indulge in overeating to curb the feeling of thirst and hunger during sehri, in effect do not observe the fast as they do not allow the purpose of Ramadan to be met. Let me clarify this with the following instance from the life of the Prophet.
When Prophet Muhammad was returning from Taif, he was overwhelmed with sorrow at the response he received from the leaders of Taif. The people of Taif ordered their children to throw stones at Prophet Muhammad to drive him out of the city, causing him to bleed profusely.
It was in this state of being wounded, hungry and thirsty, that God suggested turning the valley of Makkah into gold for him but Prophet Muhammad replied, “No, my Lord, but let me have enough to eat and be hungry on alternate days; then when I am hungry I shall make supplication to You and make mention of You, and when I have enough I shall praise and thank You.” (Musnad Ahmad, Hadith No. 22190)
From this Hadith, it can be drawn that the feeling of hunger and thirst serve the purpose of inculcating sensitivity within a person by making him experience helplessness. This develops piety in a person.
Is it okay to fast during the day and eat and drink as per our desires at night?
Fasting does not simply amount to observing hunger for a temporary period of time. In fact, it symbolizes a lifelong culture of dedication. The Arabic equivalent of fasting is sawm, which means abstinence.
Abstinence is the gist of fasting. Abstinence from food and water for a limited period is symbolic training. Fasting reminds a faithful person that if the acts of abstinence were to reach the extent of refraining from food and water for a temporary period, then he would be ready to do so for a higher purpose.
Although this training is for a temporary period it enables a person to lead his whole life in accordance with this spirit. Fasting is not a set of rituals. It is the adoption of the well-known principle—simple living, high thinking.
Is throwing lavish iftar parties with sumptuous food part of Islam?
Iftar is an Arabic word, which literally means ‘to break’. In the Islamic context, it means to break the fast, to eat and drink in the evening after the daylong fast. Iftar is not simply a matter of having dinner. It has great significance. It is a combination of spiritual and physical food.
Iftar should be a simple meal and not a lavish affair. Simplicity saves us from distraction and makes us concentrate on the spiritual aspect of fasting. On the other hand, if the iftar takes the form of a lavish affair, all attention will be focused on the taste and the physical aspects of food, and the spiritual benefits will be lost.
These days, organizing iftar parties has become a tradition. But this party should not be like any other party. Such a party should give us an opportunity for spiritual and dawah exchange, turning our individual experiences into a social experience.
Does Islam permit lavish iftars and extravagant shopping for Eid?
We often see people eating lavishly in the evenings after a full day of fast and shopping for the festival towards the last part of the month. These practices have nothing to do with Islam.
I advise that we should not judge Islam in the light of the behaviour of the Muslims but judge the behaviour of the Muslims in the light of Islam. If you wish to know what Islam actually preaches, please refer to the original sources, the Quran and Prophet’s life. After reading them one can see that Islam teaches simplicity.
Simplicity in one’s food (and other things) habits will be an integral part of a believer’s life. One of the teachings of the Prophet is ‘simplicity is a part of faith’. (Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith No. 4118) Extravagance of any kind will not be the way of a true follower of the Prophet.
Can a person fast throughout Ramadan but miss out on its spirit entirely?
Roza (fasting) has a spirit and a form. Both are equally necessary, but without the inner spirit there is no value of fasting.
A teaching of Prophet Muhammad clearly tells us that a person who keeps fasts without observing its spirit, his fasting will be considered insignificant in God’s eyes, as it will be merely hunger and thirst. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith No. 1903)
The spirit of fasting is abstinence. Abstinence from food and water for a limited period is symbolic training in self-restraint. Fasting is not a set of rituals. It enables a person to lead a self-disciplined life.
Does fasting inculcate any spiritual qualities in us?
In the month of Ramadan, a believer abstains from food and drink from dawn till dusk. It is only after sunset that he satisfies his hunger and quenches his thirst. When a person goes through this process, he trains himself in the art of desire management and so builds up his self-control.
While fasting, restraint or abstinence does not remain restricted to a person’s intake of food, rather by exercising 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.
The practice of fasting is also largely aimed at saving a person from distractions. It produces sincerity in him. It draws a person’s attention away from the external world and into the internal world. This helps him to rise from trivial issues and become more centred on higher and deeper issues of life.
How is Ramadan a month of spiritual activism?
Ramadan, the month of fasting is a special and blessed month for Muslims. It was in this month that revelations of the Quran began to be made to Prophet Muhammad, marking the commencement of prophethood.
Prophet Muhammad divided the month of Ramadan into three parts. He called the first ten days, “Blessings”, the next ten days, “Forgiveness” and the last ten days, “Freedom from hell-fire”. (Shu’abul Iman, Hadith No. 3336)
The main aim of fasting is to weaken a man’s dependence on material things and strengthen his spiritual resolve, so that he may enter the higher realms of piety. In this sense, 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. It is a scheme to improve human beings.
How does Ramadan help in moral rectification?
During Ramadan a dramatic change comes over the Islamic community. Believers are seen sitting inside mosques, reciting the Quran, immersed in prayer (dua) and the remembrance of God. They become more detached and contemplative. Their boisterous and frivolous urges are curbed.
Man is a social being: he is either encouraged or depressed by his surroundings. This sea change in communal life during Ramadan therefore affects the individual believer. He is encouraged by the change in his brethren and inclines more and more towards God. Believers turn away from common vices and peace and tranquillity reign in all the neighbourhoods and marketplaces.
All these changes create a good environment for moral rectification. The bad become less so and the good become better.
Why Ramadan is called a month of patience?
In the hadith, Ramadan is called the month of patience. (Musnad Ahmad, Hadith No. 20323). This month is meant to serve as a training course in patience.
Patience enables the individual to lead a successful life in this world by keeping his negative feelings under control.
Negative feelings, it must be remembered, present the greatest obstacle to human progress. Fasting is the pious way to solve the biggest of human problems.
How is Ramadan the month of supplication?
While giving commands regarding fasting, the Quran makes special mention of supplication, or dua. “When my servants ask you about Me, say that I am near. I respond to the call of one who calls, whenever he calls to Me: let them then respond to Me, and believe in Me, so that they may be rightly guided.” (The Quran, 2:186)
Fasting by its very nature is an act of patience. Patience and forbearance are what lead man to the state of the heart which enables him to experience the feeling of nearness to God. It is only then that the words worthy of divine acceptance come to one’s lips.
Patience is the ground on which the blessed tree of dua is grown. Dua is not just a verbal act. In its essence, it is an act of the heart. This is the relation between fasting and dua.
Fasting increases the spiritual capability of a man’s heart and when this capability increases, the dua which ensues is genuine, heartfelt and more precious. Real fasting is that which induces real dua.
How is Ramadan a month of sympathy?
The Prophet said: The month of Ramadan is the month of sympathy. (Shu’abul Iman, Hadith No. 3336) Fasting teaches a man what basic human requirements are. It tells him what hunger is and what thirst is. Those who do not get a chance to feel hungry or thirsty, experience these feelings during this month when they fast. For a few hours, the rich also come to live in the same conditions in which a poor man lives.
Ramadan is, therefore, a process of rejuvenation of a believer. He can look forward to applying the lessons learnt during Ramadan to everyday life.
A person who has fasted in the true spirit can count on drawing upon the reservoir of fortitude that he has built up, on the power of dua, of patience and gratefulness when he is faced with any trying situation.
How does fasting train in humility?
The Quran (2:183) tells us that fasting is prescribed for you so that you may fear God. What does it mean to fear God?
Fearing God means that man should acknowledge his helplessness vis-a-vis God’s greatness. The feeling of helplessness is not simply a feeling but is rather the greatest motivational force in the life of a person. The feeling of helplessness relates to God, but when this feeling is produced in man in the real sense, it finds expression in human relations. It trains one in humility.
One who becomes truly modest before God finds this same spirit making him modest before human beings. This will ensure positive relations in society.
The height of spirituality is a person’s realization of his own helplessness and the supreme power of God. The biggest obstacle to a person’s spiritual growth is his own ego and false pride which lead to his being distanced from God. The sole concern of a spiritually pure person is earning God’s pleasure.
How does fasting help us to develop strength of character?
Fasting helps us to build strength of character within ourselves by learning self-discipline.
Through self-discipline one is able to develop such a character in oneself to live a life of self-denial, inculcating patience, fortitude and forbearance so that one is able to tread the path of righteousness for the rest of the year.
During Ramadan one goes through a spiritual training course, the outward form of which is abstinence from food and drink for a given period, and the inner form is the strengthening of one’s character.
What is the rationale behind the period of 30 days of fasting, why not less or more?
During the month of Ramadan, a believer, of his own free will, abstains from food and drink in the daytime. It is only after sunset that he satisfies his hunger and quenches his thirst. In this way he builds up his 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.
The rationale behind fasting for a month is made clear by psychological studies. It tells us that thirty days are required for a habit to be inculcated. It is not an overnight miracle but a lengthy process. The practice becomes a part of one’s personality only when it is observed every day for at least thirty days and only then it may continue for the rest of the year.
Ramadan is a training course aimed at inculcating in people a truly religious spirit and making them conscious of their responsibilities to God. For one month in the year, people spend all of their time in worship. All of their days and nights are spent in prayer and fasting. In this way, people are trained to perform every action in the divinely appointed way. Their waking and sleeping, their eating and their abstinence, their actions and their inactions; all must be in accordance with the commands of God.
Are there any rituals that we should observe at night?
There are no rituals as such. One has to spend the whole night in prayer and supplication. It could be done in the mosque or in the privacy of one’s home. It should be observed in all seriousness and sincerity.
Anything serious is not connected to any kind of loud behaviour. Every aspect of such an activity will be sombre and solemn. Each one will be wishing for solitude, peace and quiet to supplicate to God. Seeking forgiveness from God cannot be a public or a loud affair. One can understand the kind of atmosphere one needs to be able to do such worship.
What is Itikaf and what are its benefits?
Itikaf means going into seclusion for the purpose of concentration. In the final days of fasting, when a Muslim is more spiritually prepared and more awakened, he goes into seclusion in the environment of a mosque, freeing his mind of the activities of this world. In spiritual terms, it is meditation; in intellectual terms, it is contemplation.
The purpose of itikaf is to engage in muhasaba, which means introspection. During this practice, one finds time to reflect on one’s life, one’s past and present, and what course to follow in the future. The ten-day period of itikaf requires a person to undergo overhauling in the spiritual sense.
If fasting is a spiritual experience, itikaf is spiritual retreat, designed to enable the rebuilding of self. Ramadan is meant to foster this spiritual transformation and itikaf enhances this process during the period of retreat.
What is Lailatal-Qadr?
One of the special features of Ramadan is the ‘Lailatal-Qadr’ in Arabic. Its English equivalent is the Night of Destiny. It is also referred to as the ‘Night of Decisions’ and God takes decisions for the coming year on this night. This night falls on one of the last ten nights of Ramadan. Great importance is attached to this night and the Quran calls it ‘better than a thousand months.’
(The Quran, 97:1-3)
Once Aisha (the wife of the Prophet), asked the Prophet as to how she should pray during Lailatal-Qadr. The Prophet gave this prayer: “O God, You are the forgiver, You love to forgive Your servants, so You forgive me.” (Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith No. 3850)
The greatest thing to ask God is forgiveness. It is forgiveness which leads one to eternal Paradise. Therefore one seek forgiveness from God Almighty on this night.
What is the qualification to receive the blessings of the night of Lailatal-Qadr?
To answer this question, it is important to understand the following incident from the Prophet’s life. During the month of Ramadan, the Prophet of Islam was in seclusion (itikaf) practised in the final phase of Ramadan. Then he came out of the mosque but went back inside again. He later told his Companions that an angel had come to pass on the knowledge about the Night of Destiny. When the Prophet came out to inform the believers, he saw two of his people quarrelling with each other. Instantly, the knowledge of the Night was taken away from the Prophet’s mind. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith No. 2023)
This incident has a great lesson for the believers. The quarrel was not an armed battle: the two believers were merely arguing, but even a verbal fight is enough to have the divine knowledge taken away. Those who adopt the path of violence can never become the recipients of divine blessings.
To receive the blessings or knowledge from God, a believer must be a positive personality in the ultimate sense of the word. Else the blessings may be showered, but not on him! Positivity is the most important trait that makes a man worthy of receiving God’s blessings. We should keep a positive mind at all instances and seek forgiveness from God.
Is there a relations between fasting and dawah ilallah?
The Quran is a book of mission. In the month of Ramadan, every believer goes through the Quran to find out the message of the Quran. This awakens in a believer the spirit of sharing this message with others. And understanding his responsibility of dawah ilallah as a member of Prophet Muhammad’s ummah, he makes the spreading of this message of calling people to God as his mission.
Fasting prepares one for such a mission. Fasting does not simply amount to observing hunger for a temporary period. It symbolizes a lifelong culture, a culture of dedication. According to Islamic ideology, a believer is a man of mission. A man of mission has little time for anything other than his mission. He eschews all activities as are irrelevant to his mission. This is the spirit of the man of mission and fasting symbolizes this spirit.
So, every year, one month is meant to prepare a believer to carry on this divine mission and in eleven months he spreads the message of the Quran (and Islam) to all mankind. One who observes fasting in this sense and prepares himself for the mission of the Quran and dedicates himself for this dawah mission, is promised unlimited reward.
Spreading the message of the Quran is a divine mission. According to the Quran, it is akin to providing support to God as mentioned in this verse” “Believers, be God’s helpers. (The Quran, 61:14)
Due to this speciality, the Prophet of Islam informed that fasting is preparing oneself for the sake of the divine mission. (Sahih Muslim, Hadith No. 1151) This is the greatest mission, so one who devotes himself for it is liable for the greatest reward.
Can zakat be given for dawah ilallah?
Zakat, alms-tax is one of the five basic tenets of Islam. Its payment is obligatory, at the rate of 2.5%, on all wealth that is subject to growth. Eight categories of people, eligible to receive Zakat, have been specified in the Quran: “Alms are only for: the poor and the destitute, for those who collect zakat, for conciliating people’s hearts, for freeing slaves, for those in debt, for spending for God’s cause, and for travellers in need. It is a legal obligation enjoined by God. God is all-knowing and wise.” (The Quran, 9:60)
Of the eight categories for the distribution of zakat mentioned in the above Quranic verse, ‘for the cause of God’ is directly related to dawah ilallah or calling people to God.
The Egyptian scholar, Rasheed Raza Misri, has noted in his commentary of the Quran entitled Tafseer Manar that the words ‘for the cause of God’ are equally applicable to those who strive to spread the word of God. (Al-Risala English, June 1984, pp 6-7)
The highest form of spending zakat ‘for the cause of God’ is, therefore, to strive to spread the word of God (Quran) to mankind and calling people to God (dawah ilallah).
In the following verse dawah ilallah has been called ‘helping God’ or Nusrat-e-khuda: “Believers, be God’s helpers. (The Quran,
61:14) It means to become wholly honest in relation to God and to feel and evince total goodwill towards all one’s fellow men.
Why does spending for dawah ilallah assure high reward?
Spreading the word of God (Islam) worldwide is a responsibility that Prophet Muhammad gave to members of his Ummah. Muslims are duty-bound as followers of Prophet Muhammad to undertake dawah illah. Giving Zakat for propagation of the message of true religion is an effective way to perform one’s duty of dawah ilallah assuring God’s reward for those who spend their wealth for God’s cause:
“Those who spend their wealth for God’s cause may be compared to a grain of corn which sprouts into seven ears, with a hundred grains in each ear: for God grants manifold increase to whom He wills; God is infinite and all knowing.” (The Quran, 2:261)
Fasting prepares a believer for God’s mission. Giving zakat and spending one’s wealth for the sake of God is a way to fulfil this high purpose, making one eligible for a high reward.
Besides God’s rewards in the Hereafter what are some benefits of fasting in this world?
The immediate benefit a fasting person receives is that he is enlisted by angels as a grateful servant of God.
According to a teaching of the Prophet God says: “O people, all of you are hungry except the one whom I feed.” (Sahih Muslim, Hadith No. 2577) This is indeed a reality because if the food we eat does not grow and be nourished by soil, we humans cannot gain it for consumption by any other means.
That is why if a person keeps fasts in the month of Ramadan and is thankful for God’s blessings, he proves himself deserving of receiving the food grown in the soil for the rest of the year as well. Otherwise, he will be deemed a usurper.
How can the benefits I receive while fasting continue throughout the year?
To receive the benefits of fasting throughout the year one must fast in the month of Ramadan in terms of form but must adhere to its spirit through the whole of the year. The spirit of fasting is to be grateful to God (The Quran, 2:185).
The spirit of fasting is that a person must continuously acknowledge the food, drink and other life-sustaining commodities that he draws from nature created by God. He must discover this fact and sincerely acknowledge the Creator for His innumerable bounties not only for the year but also for the whole of his life. This is the way to keep alive the benefits and training gained during the month of Ramadan.
Does a believer who fasts in the best of form and spirit contribute positively to society?
Contributing positively to society is possible for a believer by universalization of the spirit of fasting. Every person in this world who eats, and drinks should acknowledge the act of eating and drinking as exceptional—as if God Almighty were directly sending down these blessings to him.
One must make the spirit of fasting a universal realization for oneself. That is, the profound feeling of God being the Giver and one’s own self being the ‘taker’ should incite him to become a ‘giver’ member of society. That is, one should strive to give to others what one is receiving from the Creator.
Why does God give unlimited reward for fasting?
In a Hadith, the Prophet of Islam has said: “Every deed in Islam is rewarded from ten to seven hundred times. But God says, ‘Fasting is for me, and I will give unlimited reward to one who fasts.’” (Sahih Muslim, Hadith No. 1151)
According to this tradition explains that one who fasts gives up food and water for the sake of God. Here, ‘for the sake of God’ means that one who fasts, does so only for God and prepares himself for the mission of God. Due to this high purpose, he will be given the highest reward.
In the month of Ramadan, it is required that every believer must go through the Quran and find out the message of the Quran and adopt the spreading of this message as his mission. So, every year, one month is meant for preparation and eleven months for spreading the message of the Quran to all mankind.
What is the night of reward?
It is reported in a portion of an authentic Hadith reported by Abu Hurairah: “During the last night of Ramadan, the sins of all the believers who have been fasting are forgiven. It was asked, ‘O Prophet of God, is this night the one known as the ‘night of power’?’ The Prophet replied, ‘No, but as soon as the deed is done, the reward for the deed is immediately bestowed’.” (Musnad Ahmad, Hadith No. 7917)
The night before Eid is called the night of reward. It has been generally noted that people carelessly leave this night unavailed. The ‘night of reward’ is best utilized in more prayer and supplication, in introspection of the whole month of Ramadan that has just passed and in making fresh resolutions for the new year to come.
According to this Hadith, on the last night of Ramadan, those amongst the followers of the Prophet who have fasted in the true spirit will be rewarded for their deeds, and this will be noted in their records. This night of Ramadan is referred to in other Hadith literature as the ‘night of reward’. (Shu’abul Iman by Al-Bayhaqi, Hadith No. 3421)
What is the essence of the festival of Eid after fasting for a month?
As fasting does not imply mere hunger and thirst, the day of Eid al-Fitr does not imply mere feasting and celebration. It should rather strengthen in us the right perspective of the ephemeral nature of this worldly life and the imminent delights of the life Hereafter that are sure to follow.
This should be truly manifested in the thankfulness we present to the Creator by offering prayers and also by giving more in charity to the needy. As the period of fasting is spent in self-preparation and spiritual development, the day of Eid should inculcate in the believer a new spirit and a renewed sense of zeal and determination towards the journey to the life Hereafter. The message of Eid fosters the rekindling of our faith and the opening of new vistas and an entirely fresh and innovative approach to the struggles of life which would culminate by the grace of God with the rewards of everlasting Paradise.
What is Zakat al-Fitr?
According to a Hadith reported by Ibn ‘Abbas: The Prophet made Zakat al-Fitr obligatory for the fasting person to keep him from idle talk and indecent conversation and to provide food for the needy. Discharging the duty before the prayer is an accepted Zakat while discharging it after the prayer is just sadaqah (voluntary charity). (Sunan Abu Dawud, Hadith No. 1609)
Zakat al-Fitr is given before the special Eid prayer. Zakat al-Fitr perfects the fast of Ramadan and purifies the fast of any indecent act or speech. It is obligatory on all Muslims: young, old, male and female. Every Muslim who possesses over and above what is needed as basic food for the duration of one day and night must pay Zakat al-Fitr for himself and his dependants and distribute it amongst the poor and needy. The earlier it is given the easier it is for them to make arrangements, so that they may also take part in the celebrations of Eid without any difficulties.
Does Eid help in strengthening the social bonds among people?
The occasion of this festival provides, above all, a valuable opportunity to extend the hand of friendship to people from other communities and remove misunderstandings often prevalent in society.
Muslims should forge friendship with their neighbours, friends and colleagues to foster harmony and the spirit of sharing.
Eid provides a God-given opportunity for social interaction and dawah between different communities. By sharing our happiness with them we can go a long way in easing the tension existing between Muslims and non-Muslims. The establishment of cordial relations among different communities will definitely result in prosperity of the community and the nation at large.
