Fasting (As-sawm) in the month of Ramadan

Bismillahirrahmanirraheem wassalatu wassalamu ala rasoolihil kareem!

The first and foremost thing that comes to our mind when thinking of Ramadan is Fasting (Arabic Sawm). If I say that Ramadan and Fasting have become synonymns to each other, it won't be a overstatement. In fact, non muslims know more about Ramadan as the month of Fasting than anything else.

Allahu ta'ala has made fasting in the month of Ramadan obligatory on all who proclaim that Allah is the only one who is fit to be worshipped.

Allah the Almighty said: "O you who believe, fasting is made obligatory on you as it was made for those before you, so that you may achieve Taqwa. " (Qur'an 2:183)

(Note: Taqwa is translated sometimes as piety, sometimes as consciousness of Allah, sometimes as fear of Allah. It is derived from the word Wiqayah,  which means 'Shield' and the connection is explained by scholars: To shield yourself from Allah' s wrath by hurrying to do what He  has ordered you and by strictly avoiding what He has prohibited).

As we learn from the above verse, the main reason behind the presciption of fasting is that we attain Taqwa. We find that on the designated hours of fasting a muslim shuns from halal food, water and his own halal wife. When a person avoids tasty food, water and wife that are very much his own and permissible at other times, for the sake of seeking the pleasure of Allah, will he ever think of food, drink or women which are not legal for him? So, we find that a thorough practice of taqwa is given to us through fasting.

Moreover, from the mentioned Qur'anic verse it is clear that Allah has prescribed fasting  not only on our stomach or sexual organs but the whole of us. That is, the whole body, all its organs must fast.

Imam Gazzali RA, has classified fasting as three: fasting of the common people, fasting of special people and fasting of the special elite. While the common people regard not eating or drinking or having sexual intercourse with their wives as the necessary acts during fasting, the special people take guard of their whole body. They safeguard their eyes, ears, mouth and other organs from doing anything that causes displeasure to Allah.

The select elite people don't think of anything other than Allah. They don't think any creation has any power to act, live, know, desire, hear, see, speak except using the power and characteristics of Allah that is reflecting on them.

Note: It is not that we can lie or slander when we are not fasting but fasting offers a great chance to practice these good values. Allah says that the Shaithan has been chained in this month and it is much easier to ward of those evils that have been engraved in our character all along.

It is adviced that we have a small meal before the start of the fasting, which is called as Sahar. In an authentic hadeeth the food taken during sahar is said to be a food of barakath (blessing). More over, in a different hadeeth it is said that Allah and His angels are offering Salawath on those who are eating the Sahar meal. (Allah's salawath is the blessing he is showering on us and angels salawath is their prayers for us).

It is also adviced that the fast is broken as soon as the time arrives. It is said that when a person of this ummah, sits in prayer just before breaking his fast, there is no viels between him and Allah and Allah accepts all of his prayers. In a different hadith it is said that the prayers of the three - those who have been done injustice, a king who rules by the law of Allah and justice and a person till he breaks his fast are never rejected. So, it is adviced that just before the ifthar, some moments are spent in silent prayers from the heart.

Ramadan and its blessings
Taraweeh (night prayers in Ramadan)

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