Ramadhan, with all its blessings and bounties, is upon us, the 150 crore strong worldwide community of believers.
It was in this month of Ramadhan 1443 years back, according to Hijri calendar, that the light of Divine revelation shone in the Cave of Hira on the Mountain of Light in the vicinity of the holy city of Makkah. The Prophet continued to receive revelation which was completed before his departure from the world in the year 632 C.E. He was able to spread the light of Islam throughout the greater part of Arabian Peninsula within the short span of 23 years and the rest of the work was done by his devoted successors. It was done in such a dedicated way and with exemplary enthusiasm that Islam, the religion devoted to One and Only God, became dominant in the world and started playing the most decisive role in shaping the destiny of humanity.
Fasting and other acts of self purification have been prescribed for the believers, in this month of revelation of the Qur’ān, as an annual training programme of one month duration.
The Qur’ān makes it abundantly clear that fasting has been prescribed as a means to promote taqwa or piety, in the widest sense of the term encompassing the whole life of man. Islam does not confine the concept of piety to just a few acts of worship or observance of certain rituals. Man and his whole life, both individual and collective, is the subject of Islam. Islam demands complete surrender and full devotion to Allah, which should manifest itself in every act of man and should shape his entire conscious life – whole domain of thought and action.
The matchless institution of fasting has an outer and physical feature of avoiding food, drink and sex in the day hours from dawn to sunset. But the real and more important side is of spiritual and ethical nature.
First it involves deep love and sincere devotion to Allah and His commandments, strenuous efforts to shape life in their light and struggle to implement His will in human life.
A man forgoes his food and drink to show his dedication to Allah and this act gives his strength to withstand more hardships in the way of Allah.
Fasting promotes patience and patience is a basic requirement for tackling the problems of life and finding out a way towards the eternal goal of acquiring the ultimate pleasure of Allah.
Furthermore, deprivation of essential requirements of life for a month makes us realise the pain of large sections of humanity who have been made to suffer deprivation permanently. It promotes genuine sympathy for the deprived brethren. Besides this, fasting promotes will power, self confidence, discipline, sacrifice and elevates us in terms of social consciousness.
But one thing must be remembered. All these qualities have to be nurtured with great consciousness. Fasting is after all not a pill which can remove the pain in an instant. It has to be observed with utmost consciousness.
Let the believers prepare themselves in this month to fight evil and let that fight start from fighting the evil within ourselves, because charity begins at home. Therefore every individual, group and the whole Ummah should try its best to realise the goal of purification and move on the path of salvation.