Ramadan Special

The Philosophy of Fasting in the Month of Ramadan

Why Muslims follow a purely lunar calendar for fasting?

Normally the fast should not affect the daily avocations, and it should not be a pretext for neglecting normal duties. Islam never approves, much less demands, of keeping vigil during the whole night and passing the following day in sleep and indolence. Fast means a greater effort to perform all the usual duties and something else, more prayers and more charity, and all this in the absence of food and drink.

THE REASON WHY MUSLIMS FOLLOW A PURELY LUNAR CALENDAR IN THE MATTER OF FASTING

Jews, Christians and Hindus have a solar year, either directly or a lunar year with intercalation, so that the time of fasting always falls in the same season. Muslims follow a purely lunar calendar, and consequently their month of fasting. Ramazan. Rotates gradually in all the seasons of the year.

Sense Of Fasting (Spiritual aspects)

Experience shows that a blind man has generally a stronger memory, and certain of his senses are more developed them those of an ordinary man who has sight. In other words, if certain faculties are not utilized. They may strengthen some other faculties. Similar is the relation between the body and the soul. In weakening the body there is strengthening of the soul (spirit), even as the pruning of the branches of a tree procures more flowers and more fruit.

When an individual fasts, his conscience pricks him in the face of evil deeds, and he is more able to resist temptations. Further, the fast makes him think of God more, develops his inclination for charity, makes him taste the sweetness of obedience to the Lord.

MATERIAL ASPECTS

Students learn for several months continuously, then they get a summer vacation. Employees work for six days of the week, the seventh day being a holiday for leisure and rest. Men expend mental and physical energy the whole day, whereafter the repose of sleep renovates their faculties for the next day.

Even machines and tools require relaxation, and we observe this for motor cars, aeroplanes, locomotives, etc, is it, therefore, not reasonable to think that the stomach and the digestive organs also require rest? In fact modern medicine has also reached the same conclusion, and a large number of doctors in Switzerland, Germany, etc., prescribe, for various chronic diseases, forced hunger and thirst for longer or shorter periods according to the exigencies of the sickness and the physical capacities of the sick person.

They have also found that various glands secrete certain acids in the stomach on account of hunger and thirst and that these acids kill many a germ which produce different diseases. Statistics have also shown that several digestive and other diseases are less abundant among people who have the habit of fasting every year.

We know that man requires a change of climate, air and water from time to time, Patients recovering from illness are sent away for convalescence to a place other than their habitual living place. The more fortunate among the Westerners pass a month of summer vacation outside their home. In other words, it is necessary to change the normal habits from time to time. This is also a kind of rest.

We see, for instance that cultivators use their fields alternately and give 'rest' to the soil. Continuity being harmful, Islam has forbidden fasting during the whole year, even for those who want spiritual benefits thereby. Experience has also shown that if one fasts forever, it becomes a habit, and a second nature, and does not profit by it as does he who fasts with intervals. In fact, if one fasts more than 40 days consecutively, it becomes a habit; and if one fasts for less than a month it has not much effect.

To terminate this discussion, those who fast on medical prescription or even under compulsion as a discipline, do get the material benefits inherent in fasting; but there being no intention of a spiritual search, they do not benefit thereby spiritually. Muslims fast with the intention of complying with the command of Allah. They therefore have its reward for their piety, while not losing the physical and materials benefits of the fasting.

In short, from whichever point of view one may study the Muslim way of fasting, it compares favourably with its counterparts in other civilizations. In fact, if it is day in Switzerland it will be night in America, and vice-versa. Every 1,000 miles East or West makes the difference of about one hour.

The Prophet is reported to have said at breaking the fast: "0' Allah for You have I fasted, in you have I believed, and with You nourishment do I break the fast. Accept it from me O' Lord!"

THE FAST

Those people who have not a deep insight into human nature and do not look at both the spiritual and material aspect often have the morbid mental state to object to the injunctions of Religion. Among them are those who pass taunting remarks against fasting. They say what sort of worship is this to starve from morning till evening.

If we think over the philosophy of worship and understand in the light of the Quranic verse that our existence is meant for worship and existence is based on eating and drinking, therefore it also has a bearing on worship.

Then we shall realize that just as sometimes talking is worship and some time keeping silence, in the same way some times eating will be worship and some times abstaining from it. Both these aspects are some times prescribed by the physical physician and some times by the spiritual one, Accordingly Allah sent this message to us through the spiritual Physician [Prophet Mohammad (S.A.).

Fasting has been ordained to you as it was ordained to those before you so that you guard yourself (against evil). In this holy verse:

(i) 'has been ordained' shows 'Fasting is incumbent'.

(ii) 'As it was ordained on those before you' indicates 'Fasting dates back to the beginning of mankind'.

(iii) 'So that you may guard yourself against evil' means fasting will make you pious. Now if we consider over the different phases of piety, the advantages of fasting will be clear. Man has three instincts:

(i) Quwwate Shahwania (Faculty of Lust) By this instinct a man nourishes his body and produces children. If it exceeds its limit concerning diet, it makes him greedy and gluttonous. It may make the blood impure or a man may fall a permanent prey to dyspepsia and so on. The excess of this very instinct in sexual sphere causes many internal and external diseases which can not be enumerated here.

(ii) Quwwate Ghazabania (Faculty of a version and acquirement): By this a man seeks his advantages and wards off his disadvantages. If this instinct is not kept within proper bounds, a man either becomes a coward or quarrelsome. All these aspects are against 'piety' and to end the obligation of fast with piety shows that the observer of fast becomes pious, the natural conclusion of which is that his instincts are moderate. Neither he is gluttonous nor quarrelsome. Accordingly the Holy Prophet (S.A.) and the Infallible Imams (A.S.) have mentioned these attributes of fasting.

The Holy Prophet (Mohammad) (S.A.)

The Commander of the Faithful [ALI (A.S.)] says that a party of the Jews came to the Prophet (S.A.) The most learned among them put a few questions, one of which was: 'What is the good to your people in that Allah has enjoined fast on them and that, too only for thirty days (excluding nights) whereas the other people had to fast for more than thirty days?'

The Prophet (S.A.) replied: "When Adam ate of that tree the fruit remained ill his stomach for thirty days. So Allah enjoined upon his progeny to remain hungry and thirsty for that period, and the permission to eat in the night is Allah's grace. Adam also had to fast for so many days and Allah enjoined those fasts upon my people."

Then the Prophet (S.A.) recited this verse: Fasting has been ordained to you as it was ordained to those before you so that you may guard yourself against evil (and that too) for counted days'.

The Jew savant said, Mohammad, You are right. Now tell me what is the reward for a person who observes those fasts." The Prophet replied: " Allah will characterize the believer who keeps the fasts in Ramazan to please Allah, with seven traits:

(i) If he has partaken of the forbidden food, it will be excreted after being digested.

(ii) He will not be deprived of the mercy of Allah.

(iii) He will share the compensation of his father's (Adam) fault,

(iv) Allah will grant him relief in his agony of death.

(v) The observer of fast will not feel hungry and thirsty On the Day of Judgment.

(vi) Allah will grant him deliverance from Hell fire on the day of Resurrection.

(vii) He will satisfy him with the sacred diet of Paradise.

The Jew said:

"Mohammad, you are right."