ASK MAULANA
Your Questions Answered
Abstaining from food and water is a physical act. How does this benefit
a believer in the spiritual sense, or what spiritual qualities does this
abstinence help one inculcate?
In the month of Ramazan, a believer abstains from food and drink
from dawn till dusk. It is only after sunset that he satisfies his hunger
and quenches his thirst. When a person goes through this process,
he trains himself in the art of desire management and so builds up
his self-control. This trait of restraint or abstinence does not remain
restricted to one’s intake of food, rather by exercising restraint for one
month in a year, one is able to lead a life of self-discipline in all matters
for the rest of the year.
The practice of fasting is also largely aimed at saving a person from
distractions. It produces sincerity in him. It draws a person’s attention
away from the external world and into the internal world. This helps
one rise from trivial issues and become more centred on higher and
deeper issues of life.
The main aim of fasting is to lessen a person’s dependence on material
things and strengthen his spiritual resolve, so that he may enter the
higher realms of piety. Fasting is thus a stimulus for spiritual and
intellectual development. Once made aware of his own helplessness,
he connects to God with sincere prayer.
The Quran began to be revealed during the month of Ramazan. Can
you please explain the special relation between the Quran and fasting
during Ramazan?
The Arabic word for fasting is sawm meaning abstinence or restraint
from desires. The abstinence from food and water is symbolic of
saving oneself from all kinds of distraction, including basic needs, for a
temporary period of time. The main purpose of fasting is to go through
the Quran with complete focus and dedication. This is a very serious
study. So, believers are required to keep away from all other activities,
and concentrate their minds totally on the study of the Quran so that
they are able to discover the deep meaning in the Quran. According to
a Hadith, “The wonders of Quran shall never cease.” (Mishkat)
Just as taking more and more water from an ocean does not dry it
up, similarly, continually reflecting on the Quran only allows its deeper
meaning to unfold. Materialists think on the lines of “more and more money” but the mindset of a believer should be “more and more
wisdom from the Quran.” In other words if you dedicate the month of
Ramazan to the study of Quran, you shall discover newer meanings. For
instance the following verse of the Quran opens a whole new meaning
to the reader: “Believers, fasting has been prescribed for you, just as it
was prescribed for those before you, so that you may guard yourselves
against evil.” (
This verse highlights that fasting is a universal practice and was a
common element across religions. And ever since man inhabited earth,
prophets were sent to guide him and they enjoined their community to
observe fasts. When man observes a fast today, he gets connected to
a long history. I was gripped by the realization of this thrilling idea that
those who observe fasts in the month of Ramazan become a part of that
divine chain which begins from the first pious person and ends with the
last man of history! The realization that you have got connected with
the list of those pious and God-fearing men who led a rightly guided
life is an overwhelming experience.
Fasting thus prepares a person for the study of the Quran. And when a
person studies the Quran with a well-prepared mind, he can understand
the teachings of the Quran in greater depth.
Many people overeat before the beginning of their fast so that they
do not feel hungry during the fasting period. Also they eat elaborately
at the time of breaking of their fast. What do you have to say about
this trend?
The Quran has laid out detailed commandments pertaining to fasting
in the month of Ramazan. The following verse signifies the unique
relationship between Quran and fasting: “The month of Ramazan is the
month when the Quran was sent down as guidance for mankind with
clear proofs of guidance and the criterion by which to distinguish right
from wrong. Therefore, whoever of you is present in that month, let
him fast.” (
According to another verse: “Believers, fasting has been prescribed for
you, just as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may
guard yourselves against evil.” (
Ramazan is the month of heightened God-consciousness, of attaining
piety (taqwa). As I deliberated upon the verses above, I realized that
taqwa actually, refers to sensitivity. Fasting by its very nature is an act
of patience and restraint. It helps a person to attain a state of mind,
which makes him a more sensitive person. In fact, those who indulge in overeating to curb the feeling of thirst and hunger, in effect do not
observe the fast as they do not allow the purpose of Ramazan to be
met. Let me clarify this with the following instance from the life of the
Prophet.
When Prophet Muhammad was returning from Taif, he was
overwhelmed with sorrow at the response he received from the leaders
of Taif. The people of Taif ordered their children to throw stones at
Prophet Muhammad to drive him out of the city, causing him to bleed
profusely. It was in this state of being wounded, hungry and thirsty,
that God suggested turning the valley of Makkah into gold for him
but the Prophet replied, “No, my Lord, but let me have enough to eat
and be hungry on alternate days; then when I am hungry I shall make
supplication to You and make mention of You, and when I have enough
I shall praise and thank You.” (Musnad Ahmad)
From these Hadith, it can be drawn that the feeling of hunger and thirst
serve the purpose of inculcating sensitivity within a person by making
him experience helplessness. This develops piety. Unless he is sensitive,
a person cannot seriously deliberate over issues. In psychology, ‘high
sensitivity,’ is explained as the ability to process information deeply,
to concentrate deeply and be highly conscientious. High sensitivity
inculcates curiosity, seriousness and all other high qualities in a person.
The author of a book on high sensitivity wrote, ‘a person of high
sensitivity can grasp a point with greater intensity.’ This statement
illustrates the purpose of fasting—to inculcate sensitivity so that one is
able to understand the profound meaning of the Quran.
What is the religious and social significance of Eid-ul-Fitr?
Eid-ul-Fitr literally means ‘festival of breaking the fast.’ Like other
festivals, it is a symbol of an important article of faith. It reminds one
of an Islamic belief in the form of social practice.
Muslims believe that human life is divided into two parts: the predeath
period and the post-death period. One who follows divine
commandments in the pre-death period will be rewarded in the postdeath
period.
Just before Eid-ul-Fitr, Muslims keep fast throughout the whole month
of Ramazan. Fasting symbolizes life in the present world in which
Muslims follow God’s commandments. Eid-ul-Fitr denotes the reward
that will be given by God Almighty in the Hereafter in return for our
good deeds.
This festival also has a social connotation. On this day Muslims go out
of their homes, offer a congregational prayer, meet their neighbours,
exchange good wishes with other people and eat and drink without any
restriction. All these activities are reminders of life in Paradise.
Eid-ul-Fitr may be a Muslim festival, but Muslims, like other communities,
live in a society, in a neighbourhood. This makes it automatically a
social festival. Therefore, Muslims meet not only with their religious
brothers, but also with neighbours of other denominations and with
their colleagues at work or in business.
