Monday: Ramadan 01: Fasting, incumbent upon you
The obligation to fast in Ramadan was revealed in the first year of Hijrah when the Prophet migrated to Madinah as indicated in Qur’an Chapter 2 verse183. “O you who believe, fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may develop God-consciousness.”
Throughout this month, fasting between dawn and dusk is obligatory on all Muslims, except for the ill, pregnant, traveling, elderly or menstruating. Fasting is considered the biggest act of religious observance, meant to purify the soul and the body, and draws the soul closer to Allah. It is time to refrain from materialistic pleasures, and focus on one’s inner self.
As we observe this fundamental pillar of Islam, we should note that fasting is not only about abstinence from eating and drinking but a spiritual activity for self-reform and self-restraint. The exercise is expected to lead us to a sublime state of mind in order to develop positive feelings about fellow human beings and evoke the ideal change in our attitudes and nation in general.
If we can do without food and drink from dawn to sunset; avoiding sins and fending off immorality, corruption, backbiting, oppression, and other acts of inhumanity to man should not be a hard-fought activity for us. Allah has no need for one who abandons his food and drinks, yet immerses in iniquity.
Let’s rejuvenate ourselves with the virtues of love, justice, kindness, honesty, tolerance, sense of nation building, dedication and patriotism. Virtues that will replace the pain of fellow humans with comfort, restore peace and unity to our family, community and nation at large. Ramadan is one way we can utilise to bring about the desired change in our country. Ramadan Mubarak!