FASTING “ Sincere Thanks giving”

Outline Fasting The Essential Elements Who Fasts in Ramadan Wisdom in Fasting Ramadan Sayings of Prophet Verses from Holy QURAN

Fasting Fasting Ramadan is one of Islam’s foremost pillars and greatest symbols. Ramadan is a special month of the year for over one billion Muslims throughout the world. It is a time for inner reflection, devotion to God, and self-control. Muslims think of it as a kind of tune-up for their spiritual lives. Many of purposes of Fasting relate to God’s Lordship and giving thanks for His bounties, as well as to humanity’s individual and collective life, self-training and self-discipline.

The Essential Elements Making the proper intention to fast the month of Ramadan is required. Preferably, this intention should be made before dawn and during every night of Ramadan. It is fulfilled by one’s intention to fast out of obedience to God and to seek only His pleasure.

Who Fasts in Ramadan? While voluntary fasting is recommended for Muslims, during Ramadan fasting becomes obligatory. Sick people, travelers, and women in certain conditions are exempted from the fast but must make it up as they are able. From Dawn to Sunset The daily period of fasting starts at the breaking of dawn and ends at the setting of the sun. In between, Muslims totally abstain from food, drink, smoking, and marital sex. The usual practice is to have a pre-fast meal (suhoor) before dawn and a post-fast meal (iftar) after sunset.

Wisdom in Fasting Ramadan By experiencing hunger, many people who do not appreciate most of the Divine bounties, at the time of breaking fast, understand their value with a heartfelt thanksgiving; thus fasting Ramadan is the key to a true, sincere, comprehensive and universal thanksgiving. Compassion for one’s fellow beings is a foundation of true thanksgiving. However without fasting and perceiving the pain of hunger and poverty it is nearly impossible for many rich and self-indulgent people to help others. Hence fasting is related to humanity’s collective life.

Wisdom in Fasting Ramadan Fasting Ramadan causes even the most heedless and stubborn to feel their weakness and innate poverty, so that they want to take refuge in the Divine Court recognizing their perfect helplessness and destitution, rising to knock at the door of Mercy with the hand of tacit thanksgiving. Thus fasting Ramadan prevents the carnal self from rebelling and adorns it with good morals Learning Self-control Due to the lack of preoccupation with the satisfaction of bodily appetites during the daylight hours of fasting, a measure of ascendancy is given to one's spiritual nature, which becomes a means of coming closer to his All-Compassionate Lord.

Sayings of Prophet (pbuh) "Every action that the son of Adam does, [its reward] will be multiplied, a good deed will be increased tenfold up to seven-hundred fold. Allah, Mighty and Magnificent, says, 'except for the fast, for that is for Me and I will reward it for he left his desires and food for My sake.'" "Whoever provides food for a person to open the fast, he will have the likes of his reward, without the reward of the fasting person decreasing in the slightest.”

Verses from the Holy QUR’AN "O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) taqwaa.” (2:183) “The most honoured by Allah amongst you are those best in taqwaa.” (49:13) “Ramadan is the (month) in which was sent down the Qur'an, as a guide to mankind, also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (Between right and wrong). So every one of you who is present (at his home) during that month should spend it in fasting, but if any one is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed period (Should be made up) by days later.” (2:185)

Sources www.islam-usa.net www.slife.info www.muslimway.org www.welcometoislam.net