How many of us have ever felt that we lacked will-power or self-discipline to achieve our goals? The feeling is universal. ‘If someone draws near to Allah during it with a normal good act, he will be like one who fulfils an obligatory duty in another month, and he who fulfils an obligatory duty in it will be like one who fulfils seventy obligatory duties in another month.’ 3.
All of these deeds are commendable on their own, but when done during the month of Ramadan, they are especially acceptable to God. Fasting invokes feelings of gratefulness to God for all of His blessings upon us. Muslims also spend more time offering obligatory and voluntary prayers, reading and studying the Holy Qur’an, as well as being more charitable. Fasting has a tempering effect on the body it cools the passions and sharpens the mind. In regards to the fast, Allah states in 2:184 that its purpose is ‘so that you become righteous’. Allah isn’t a tyrant blindly sending down commandments from on high His instructions in the Qur’an are designed to benefit man in a variety of ways. A Means to Becoming RighteousĮvery commandment in the Holy Qur’an is accompanied with an explanation as to why it has been legislated. The first of these heavens refers to the life of purity and inner satisfaction that is granted to a believer who sincerely follows the path of Islam out of love for his Creator. As the Qur’an states in 55:47, ‘ But for him who fears to stand before his Lord there are two heavens’. A Muslim follows all of the various instructions found in Islam because it is through this submission in word and deed, that Islam promises that a believer will find salvation one that finds its manifestation firstly in this world and thereafter in the afterlife. The Qur’an, the holy book revered by Muslims as the verbatim word of Allah, in 2:186 instructs Muslims to fast during this month. A Commandment of GodĪ Muslim is by definition a person who has found peace by submitting themselves before Allah (God). Nevertheless, below I present five reasons why Muslims fast during Ramadan. It seems difficult to understand why Muslims would willingly put themselves through a month of self-deprivation and hardship. Just ask any Muslim that has to fast during sweltering summer days (although fasts during the short winter season are much easier!). So, why do they do it? It’s not that it’s an easy undertaking. It is a time of introspection and meditation, where Muslims focus on improving the quality of their prayers as well as helping their fellow man all while abstaining from food, drink and conjugal relations during daylight hours. Over the next few days, millions of Muslims will begin to fast during the holy month of Ramadan.
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