RAMADAN: A MONTH OF RIGOROUS TRAINING
Prophet Muhammad called the month of Ramadan a month of patience. (Musnad Ahmad, Hadith No. 20323). The Quran states that fasting during this month has been prescribed so that man may become God-fearing. (2:183) These two qualities of patience and piety or God-consciousness (fear of God) are required of us every month of the year. Why is it that they have been so particularly mentioned in connection with the month of Ramadan?
The reason for this is that Ramadan is the special period of the year during which these qualities of patience and God-consciousness (piety) are to be cultivated. Of course, the exercise of patience and piety is required of every believer every day of the year and every year of his life. These are principles to which he must at all times adhere.
In the month of Ramadan, however, special stress has been laid on this so that these two attributes become an integral part of one’s character. This is done by laying down a certain discipline, so that much as people may want to do something, they will then refrain from doing it if it is an action displeasing to God. If they wish to eat or drink something, no matter how strong their desires, they will not do so if the Divine law prohibits it. They will follow the will of God irrespective of the circumstances and regardless of any difficulties they may encounter in the process. Even if it means leaving behind, or abstaining from, that which they hold most dear, they will not abandon the way of God.
Ramadan is a kind of “crash 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.
A true servant of God, trained in this manner, behaves in a disciplined manner, not just on special occasions, but every day of the year. For one month, certain habits are enforced as part of a certain discipline, so that for the rest of the year, the person will have no difficulty in exercising the same control over all of their actions.
Thoroughly imbued with the qualities of patience and piety during the month of Ramadan, one is able to maintain the same high standard of conduct through the rest of the year.
The rationale behind fasting for a month is made clear by psychological studies. It tells us that for a habit to be inculcated, 30 days are required. It is not an overnight miracle but a lengthy process. The practice becomes a part of the personality only when it is observed every day for at least 30 days and it is only then that it may continue for at least a year. Fasting is a special training where one is being prepared to lead a principled life—not merely during the month of fasting, but, in fact, for the whole year round.
