Urdu Ashaar: 2011

"Fasting in Ramadan develops in a person the real spirit of social belonging, of unity and brotherhood, and of equality before God. This spirit is the natural product of the fact that when people fast they feel that they are joining the whole Muslim society (which makes up more than one fifth of world's population) in observing the same duty, in the same manner, at the same time, for the same motives, and for the same end. No sociologist or historian can say that there has been at any period of history anything comparable to this powerful institution of Islam: Fasting in the month of Ramadan. People have been crying throughout the ages for acceptable 'belonging', for unity, for brotherhood, for equality, but how echoless their voices have been, and how very little success they have met..." says Hammudah Abdalati, in Islam in Focus.

"What is fasting?" "How does the fasting of Muslims in Ramadan differ from the fasting of other faiths?" "Why should one 'torture' one's body in the first place?" "What do you really gain from fasting in the end?"...These are a few questions that a number of non-Muslim friends and colleagues often ask us, usually out of fascination with this spiritually-uplifting practice of Islamic faith, and at times out of pity and sympathy for us, thinking, why should anyone suffer from hunger and thirst like Muslims? I wouldn't be surprised if many of us shared the same negative perception of Fasting.

It is important to note that Fasting in Arabic is called, "Sawm", which literally means 'to be at rest'. Fasting in the month of Ramadan (the 9th month of the Islamic lunar calendar) is one of the Five Pillars upon which the "house" of Islam is built. During this month, every able-bodied Muslim, is required to fast, everyday from dawn until dusk

12 Reasons To Fast!

1. Ramadan is a blessed month for a special reason: It is actually the month in which God first revealed His final message and guidance for mankind to our beloved Prophet Muhammad(saws). This message has been perfectly preserved both orally and textually in the form of a Book, called the Qur'an (The Reading/Recital). Therefore, Muslims try to do an intense study of the Quran in this month especially, and evaluate their lives according to the standards and guidance contained in it.

2. Fasting is an institution for the improvement of moral and spiritual character of human being. The purpose of the fast is to help develop self-restraint, self-purification, God-consciousness, compassion, the spirit of caring and sharing, the love of humanity and the love of God. Fasting is a universal custom and is advocated by all the religions of the world, with more restrictions in some than in others. The Islamic Fast, as opposed to mere starvation or self-denial, is an act of worship and obedience to God, thanksgiving, forgiveness, spiritual training, and self-examination.

3. Ramadan gives us a break and provides us with a rare opportunity to think about our own selves, our future, and our families. It is a time to give our selves a mental break and to temporarily forget about the hundreds of worries and stresses we are constantly bombarded with. In hectic times, such as ours, and in places like the West, this valuable time to think about our lives, on individual basis, is a luxury and is desperately needed! It is a unique month of self-analysis, and of taking stock of one's moral and spiritual 'assets and liabilities'.

4. Fasting indoctrinates us in patience, unselfishness, and gratitude. When we fast we feel the pains of deprivation and hunger, and learn how to endure it patiently. The meaning of this powerful experience in a social and humanitarian context is that we are much quicker than anybody else in sympathizing with the oppressed and needy around the world, and responding to their needs. "It is the month to visit the poor, the sick, and the needy to share their sorrows. It is the month where the food, sustenance and the earnings of a believing Muslim increases and they are blessed," says the Final Prophet of God, Muhammad (peace be upon him), a man who was known for his noble humanitarian causes, for social justice, and for being the first to respond to other's needs, despite the fact that he himself lived a very simple and humble life. It is only during such a trying time as Ramadan that we can reflect on the condition of those in this world who may not be as fortunate as us.

5. Fasting in Ramadan enables us to master the art of mature adaptability and Time-Management. We can easily understand this point when we realize that fasting makes people change the entire course of their daily life. When they make the change, they naturally adapt themselves to a new system and schedule, and move along to satisfy the rules. This, in the long run, develops in them a wise sense of adaptability and self-created power to overcome the unpredictable hardships of life! A person who values constructive adaptability, time-management, and courage will appreciate the effects of Fasting in this respect as well.

6. It cultivates in us the principle of sincere Love, because when we observe Fasting, we do it out of deep love for God. And a person, who loves God, truly is a person who knows what love is and why everyone on this Earth should be loved and treated justly, for the sake of God.

7. Fasting elevates the human spirit and increases our awareness of God. It strengthens our will-power as we learn to rise above our lower desires. The institution of fasting is both unique and a shared experience in human history. From the very beginning of time, humans have struggled to master their physical and psychological selves: their bodies and their emotions. Hunger is one the most powerful urges that we experience. Many, through over- or under-eating or consumption of unhealthy foods, abuse this urge. Thus, when a person purposefully denies something to their own self that it craves, they are elevating their mind above their body, and their reason and will above their carnal passions. "A fasting person empties his stomach of all the material things: to fill his soul with peace and blessings, to fill his heart with love and sympathy, to fill his spirit with piety and Faith, to fill his mind with wisdom and resolution," says H. Abdalati in Islam in Focus. The person who can rule their desires and make them work, as they like, has attained true moral excellence.

8. With the clarity of mind and absence of distractions, also comes a greater focus. As students, the period of fasting, especially early during the day, serves as a tool to focus our minds on our academics. In the month of Ramadan, many Muslims try to avoid watching TV, listening to music, and some other leisure activities, which spares them more time and energy to be spent on more productive activities such as academics, intense study of Islam, voluntary prayers, social and humanitarian causes, and a quality time with the family, to name a few. It is a reminder of our duty to God, our purpose and higher values in life, as God Himself describes the purpose of fasting as follows, "O you who Believe! Fasting has been prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may develop consciousness of God" (Quran 2:183).

9. Fasting has numerous, scientifically proven, benefits for our physical health and mental well-being. The time, length and nature of the Islamic Fast all contribute to its overall positive effect. One of the medical benefits is a much-needed rest to the digestive system. The reduced food intake during the day allows the body to concentrate on getting rid of harmful dietary toxins accumulated as natural by-products of food digestion throughout the year. The length of the Islamic Fast itself (around 12-14 hours) is in sync with the 'transit time' of food from the mouth to the colon of the large intestine, ensuring that no stimulus reaches the stomach or digestive system while it remains in homeostasis. Therefore, for the vast majority of healthy individuals fasting poses no medical risks but in fact provides many health benefits, such as: an increase in serum Magnesium, essential for cardio-vascular health and prevention of heart complications; improvement in the quality and depth of sleep; improvement in memory and slower skin aging over time; increased production of growth hormone, etc. Also, as a general note, it has been observed that underfed animals live longer than their heavily fed counterparts and suffer fewer illnesses during their lives.

10. The month of Ramadan provides us with a sort of "Boot camp." It is a month of intense moral training. Since we know that Fasting is a special duty prescribed by God, we learn that any sins may spoil our record of fasting with God, so we go through great lengths making sure we are on our best behavior. Many people who experience fasting in this month, feel the impact that this intense training has on their habits, and realize the power of this transformative tool designed to make us better human beings- the ultimate goal of any spiritual exercise. The entire Ramadan atmosphere provides the driving force for this positive change.

11. It makes us realize the reality of life and death. Fasting makes us realize how dependant our lives are on things that we often take for granted, such as food and water. It makes us think about our dependence on God and God's mercy and justice. Moreover, it reminds us of the life after death, which itself has a great impact on our character and our world-view.

12. After the month of Ramadan is over, Muslims celebrate one of the two most important holidays in the Islamic year: EID-UL-FITR, or the Festival of the Fast Breaking. It is a day to thank God for the blessing and training that He provides us with throughout the month of Ramadan. EID-UL-FITR is marked by praying in a huge congregation at an Islamic center or mosque, and by giving a small donation to the poor in the community. The adults give the donation on behalf of their children as well. Dinner parties, family outings, fairs, carnivals, and great joyous celebrations follow the prayer and charity.

We fast for Allah(swt), out of his love.....In a nutshell, even though the real purpose of the dynamic institution of Fasting is to discipline our soul and moral behavior, and to develop sympathy for the less fortunate, it is a multi-functional and a comprehensive tool of change in various spheres of our lives, including: social and economic, intellectual and humanitarian, spiritual and physical, private and public, personal and common, inner and outer ---all in one.

Fasting During Ramadhan: In Quran and Sunnah

Fasting in the month of Ramadhan is compulsory on every Muslim adult. The Arabic word sawm is used for fasting. The word sawm (plural siyam) literally means 'to refrain', but as an Islamic term, it means refraining from food, drinks and sexual activity from dawn to sunset. Allah says in the Quran, in Surah Al-Baqarah (2-183):
'O you who believe, siyam is prescribed on you as it was prescribed to those before you so that you may become self-restrained.'
The importance of Siyam in Ramadhan is clearly expressed in several sayings of the Prophet (S.A.W.). It is reported by Abu Hurairah that the Prophet said:
'He who fasts during Ramadhan with faith and seeks his reward from Allah will have his past sins forgiven; he who prays during the night in Ramadhan with faith and seeks his reward from Allah will have his past sins forgiven; and he who passes Lailat al- Qadr in prayer with faith and seeks his reward from Allah will have his past sins forgiven.'
(Bukhari and Muslim)
Fasting in Ramadhan is practiced by Muslims all over the world. The most significant aspect of Siyam is the development of Allah-consciousness (Taqwa) in the heart and the soul of a fasting Muslim. One must abstain from immoral behavior and attitude as well. Refraining from food and such is essential during fast but it is not sufficient. The Prophet of Allah is reported to have said:
'If one does not abandon falsehood in words and deeds, Allah has no need for his abandoning of his food and drink.'
(Al-Bukhari)

Ramadhan - The Month of Mercy:
“This is the month the first part of which brings Allâh’s mercy, the middle of which brings His forgiveness and last of which brings freedom from the fire of Jahannam.”
The doors of Jannah are open while the doors of Jahannam are shut. Allâh’s mercy abounds. He calls out every day and night. “Is there anyone begging of Me so that I may grant him his heart’s desire?”

The first one third of Ramadhan (10days ) is MERCY from ALLAH:
1. Can we expect to receive mercy if we only deprive our bodies of food and drink? Of course not. Because Ramadhan is meant for SPIRITUAL development through fasting. Physiologically, by fasting the body eliminates toxins efficiently and the mind becomes clear for "power thinking" so that one may ponder on the meaning of the Qur'an, Hadith and the necessity of Zhikr. One must also do some self-analysis to monitor and correct one's behaviour if necessary. With meditation the mind becomes quiet and so should our tongues!
2. Allah is looking for a sincere commitment from us and not just physical starvation till sunset and then returning to the status quo. Ramadhan does not end at every iftar. It ends only on sighting the hilal of Shawwal. So the hard spiritual work must carry on for the whole of the month.
3. One must plead for mercy and sincerely cry to receive it because without it, we are stuck at stage one and our prospects of "freedom from fire" will be bleak.
4. Therefore this stage one is for sincere confession to Allah that we are weak and sinful and that we desperately need His mercy. We have only about 10 days to qualify to stage two.

The second one third of Ramadhan is ----- FORGIVENESS :
1. We must now beg for Allah's forgiveness because we have broken so many of His rules and covenants and disobeyed His commands during the year, both knowingly and unknowingly. We must say istighfaar day and night and ask in every sajda for forgiveness. We must be afraid that if Allah does not forgive, we will surely be among the losers. Here again, Allah will be assessing the degree of sincerity in our repentance. He looks not for lip service but for soul service!
2. We must also be forgiving to other people's mistakes and tempers.

The last one third of Ramadhan is ......... FREEDOM FROM FIRE :
These are our last ten days or so. Instead of just focusing on Laylat Al-Qadar (the night of power) one should intensify supplications for the whole last third of Ramadhan. If possible and affordable then do go for Umrah ... it will be probably the most spiritually fulfilling experience you will have, aside from Hajj. And Umrah in Ramadhan is equivalent to having done a Hajj with our Rasool pbuh! At the completion of the last fast, be optimistically hopeful that you will be alive to give similar pious worship during the forthcoming Ramadhans. And if you remain guided in your life then you'll be will be admitted to Paradise, insha'Allah, by the Ryan gate of Paradise! Indeed Allah swt does not break His promise to his slaves.

May we all have a blessed Ramadan and May Allah(swt) accept our fasts & prayers...Ameen

Ramadan In The Light Of Sunnah

Assalamu Alaykum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakathu

Abu Huraira (RadiAllahu Anhu) related that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Whoever fasts during Ramadan with faith and seeking his reward from Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala) will have his past sins forgiven. Whoever prays during the nights in Ramadan with faith and seeking his reward from Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala) will have his past sins forgiven. And he who passes Lailat al-Qadr in prayer with faith and seeking his reward from Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala) will have his past sins forgiven.
(Bukhari, Muslim).

Abu Huraira (RadiAllahu Anhu) related that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) said: If anyone omits his fast even for one day in Ramadan without a concession or without being ill, then if he were to fast for the rest of his life he could not make up for it(Bukhari).

Abu Huraira (RadiAllahu Anhu) related that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) said: Allah the Majestic and Exalted said: "Every deed of man will receive ten to 700 times reward, except Siyam (fasting), for it is for Me and I shall reward it (as I like). There are two occasions of joy for one who fasts: one when he breaks the fast and the other when he will meet his Lord"
(Muslim).

When to start fasting
Ibn Umar (RadiAllahu Anhu) related that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) said: Do not start fasting unless you see the new moon, and do not end fasting until you see it. If the weather is cloudy then calculate when it should appear.
(Bukhari, Muslim).

The Suhoor meal (which is eaten before dawn)
Anas (RadiAllahu Anhu) related that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) said: Take the Suhoor meal, for there is blessing in it.
(Bukhari, Muslim).

Breaking your fast
Salman ibn Amir Dhabi (RadiAllahu Anhu) related that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa sallam) said: Break your fast with dates, or else with water, for it is pure.
(Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi).

Fasting during a journey
Aisha (RadiAllahu Anha) related that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) was asked whether one should fast when on a journey, and he replied: Fast if you like, or postpone it if you like.
(Bukhari, Muslim).

Behavior while fasting
Abu Huraira (RadiAllahu Anhu) related that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) said: If a person does not avoid false talk and false conduct during Siyam, then Allah does not care if he abstains from food and drink.
(Bukhari, Muslim).

Forgetfully eating or drinking while fasting
Abu Huraira (RadiAllahu Anhu) related that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) said: If anyone forgets that he is fasting and eats or drinks he should complete his Siyam, for it is Allah who has fed him and given him drink
(Bukhari, Muslim).

Providing for those who are breaking the fast
Zaid ibn Khalid Juhni (RadiAllahu Anhu) related that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) said: He who provides for the breaking of the Siyam of another person earns the same merit as the one who was observing Siyam diminishing in any way the reward of the latter
(Tirmidhi).

Lailat al-Qadr
Aisha (RadiAllahu Anha) related that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) said: Look for Lailat al-Qadr on an odd-numbered night during the last ten nights of Ramadan.
(Bukhari).

Anas ibn Malik (RadiAllahu Anhu) related that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) said: When Lailat al-Qadr comes Gabriel descends with a company of angels who ask for blessings on everyone who is remembering Allah, whether they are sitting or standing
(Baihaqi).

Reaping the opportunities in Ramadan
by Iman Badawi

In the name of Allah, the source of Mercy, the Mercy-giving

The Prophet's (may Allah send His blessing and peace upon him) companions used to say, "Let not the day that you fast and the day that you do not fast be equal." It is important that one's behaviour, attitude and outlook should not be the same on the day that one is fasting and when one is not fasting. There should be a change, as one is trying to worship Allah more, so one's fasting should have an effect.

Lesson 1: Gaining taqwa (fear of Allah)

Allah legislated fasting for gaining taqwa, "O you who believe fasting has been prescribed upon you as it has been prescribed upon those before you, so that you may attain taqwa." (meaning of Sooratul Baqarah (2):138) Tawqa in this case means, to make a shield between oneself and Allah's anger and hellfire. So we should ask ourselves, when we break our fasts, 'Has this fasting day made us fear Allah more ? Has it resulted that we want to protect ourselves from the hellfire ?'

Lesson 2: Drawing us closer to Allah

This is achieved by reciting and reflecting on Al-Qur'an during the night and the day, attending the taraweh prayers, remembering Allah, sitting in circles of knowledge and for those who can, making umrah. The Prophet (may Allah send His blessing and peace upon him) said,"An umrah in the month of Ramadan is equal (in reward) to performing a hajj." (Ahmad & Ibn Majah). Also for those who can, making itikaf (seclusion) in the last ten days of Ramadan, so to leave all worldly pursuits and seclude oneself in a masjid just thinking of Allah, this brings us closer to Allah. When one sins, one feels distant from Allah. That is why one might find it hard to read and reflect on the Qur'an and come to the masjid. However, the obedient worshipper feels closer to Allah and wants to worship Allah more, because Allah forgives and is merciful.

Lesson 3: Acquiring patience and strong will

Allah has mentioned patience more than seventy times in the Qur'an and has commanded patience in more than sixteen ways in His Book. So when one fasts, and gives up one's food and drink, and one's marital sexual relations for those hours, one learns restraint and patience. This ummah needs men and women that are strong willed, who can stand upon the Sunnah and the Book of Allah and not waver in front of the enemies of Allah. We do not need emotional people, who raise slogans and shout, but when the time comes to stand upon something firm, they cannot do so, they waver.

Lesson 4: Striving for ihsan (righteousness & sincerity) and staying away from riyaa’ (showing off)

Ihsan means to worship Allah as if one sees Him, for if one does not see Him, He sees all. Hasan al-basri said,"By Allah in the last twenty years, I have not said a word or taken something with my hand or refrained to take something with my hand or stepped forward or stepped back, except that I have thought before I have done any action,'Does Allah love this action ? Is Allah pleased with this action ?' " So when one is fasting, one should gain this quality of watching oneself and also staying away from riyah (showing off). That is why Allah said in a qudsi hadith, "..Fasting is for Me and I will reward it.." (Bukhari) Allah singles out fasting from all other types of worship saying, "..Fasting is for Me..", because no one knows whether you are fasting or not, except Allah. For example, when one is praying or giving charity or making tawwaf, one can be seen by the people, so one might do the action seeking the praise of the people. Sufian at-thawri used to spend the nights and the days crying and the people used to ask him, "Why do you cry, is it due to the fear of Allah ?", he said,'No.', they said,"Is it due to the fear of the hell-fire ?", he said, 'No. It is not the fear of Allah that makes me cry, what makes me cry is that I have been worshipping Allah all these years and doing scholarly teaching, but I am not certain that my intentions are purely for Allah.'

Lesson 5: Refinement of manners, especially those related to truthfulness and discharging trusts.

The Prophet (may Allah send His blessing and peace upon him) said,"Whoever does not abandon falsehood in word and action, then Allah, the Mighty and the Majestic has no need that he should leave his food and drink." (Bukhari) And the Prophet (may Allah send His blessing and peace upon him) said,"It may be that a fasting person attains nothing but hunger and thirst from his fast." (Ibn Majah) What we learn from this, is that we must pay attention to the purification of our manners. The Prophet (may Allah send His blessing and peace upon him) said,"I was sent to perfect good manners." (Muwatta) So we must check ourselves, are we following the behaviour of the Prophet (may Allah send His blessing and peace upon him). For example, Do we give salam to those we don't know and those we do know? Do we follow the manners of Islam, by telling the truth and only telling the truth? Are we merciful to the creation?

Lesson 6: Recognising that one can change for the better

The Prophet (may Allah send His blessing and peace upon him) said,"Every son of Adam sins and the best of the sinners are those who repent." (Ibn Majah) Allah provides many opportunities to repent to Him and seek His forgiveness. If one was disobedient they can become obedient.

Lesson 7: Being more charitable

Ibn Abbas said,"The Prophet (may Allah send His blessing and peace upon him) was the most charitable amongst the people, and he used to be more so in the month of Ramadan when Gibreel used to meet him on every night of Ramadan till the end of the month. The Prophet (may Allah send His blessing and peace upon him) used to recite the Holy Qur'an to Gibreel." (Bukhari) The Prophet (may Allah send His blessing and peace upon him) said, "He who gives food for a fasting person to break his fast, he will receive the same reward as him, without nothing being reduced from the fasting person's reward." (Tirmidhi )

Lesson 8: Sensing the unity of the Muslims

The Prophet (may Allah send His blessing and peace upon him) said, "...Those of you who will live after me, will see many differences. Then you must cling on to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly guided khalifah. Hold fast to it and stick to it.." (Abu Dawud) It is possible for Muslims to be a single body, but this will only be achieved when obedience is only to Allah and His Messenger. One senses unity, because the Muslims pray and fast together.

Lesson 9: Learning discipline

The Prophet (may Allah send His blessing and peace upon him) said, "Bilal makes the adhan, while it is still night; therefore, eat and drink until Ibn Umm Maktum makes the adhan." (Bukhari) The Prophet (may Allah send His blessing and peace upon him) made us adhere to this strictness. Similarly one cannot knowingly break the fast before the sunset, as this will not be accepted by Allah. Muslims should learn to be very strict in their lives, because they are people of an important message, which they mould their lives around.

Lesson 10: Teaching the young to worship Allah

It was the practice of the people of Madinah, that during the fast of Ashura (which is now a recommended fast of one day) to get their children to fast with them. When the children would cry of hunger and thirst, their parents would distract their attention by giving them some sort of toy to play with. The children would break their fast with their parents. (mentioned in Bukhari) So the young should be brought to the masjid and they should pray with their parents, so that they are able to get into the habit of becoming worshippers of Allah. If one does not encourage children to fast when they are young, they will find it very difficult to fast for thirty days at the age of puberty. This is why the Prophet (may Allah send His blessing and peace upon him) said, "Command your children to pray at the age of seven and beat them at the age of ten (if they do not pray)" (Hakim)

Lesson 11: Caring for one's health

Fasting teaches Muslims to take care of their health and to build strong bodies. The Prophet (may Allah send his blessing and peace upon him) said,"A strong believer is better and is more beloved to Allah than a weak believer, and there is good in everyone." (Muslim)