By Prof M. Aslam
The month of ‘Ramadan Fasting’ has just begun. Fasting in one form or the other does exist in almost all the religions. We witness “Navaratra Fasting” for nine days among Hindus. The Christians (Catholics) do have 40 days fast but it is not mandatory, but fasting on ‘Ash-Wednesday (beginning of Eastern Season of fasting and abstinence) and ‘Good Friday’ are mandatory except for sick and pregnant women. However, fasting or Roza as practiced by Muslims is an elaborate process stretching over a period of one month every year.
What I have been observing over the years is that there is lack of understanding among people from different religions about the essence behind such fastings and we are carried away more by the festivities and rituals. In the process we lose the essence behind these mandatory religious fastings. It is, therefore, necessary that we highlight the essence of fasting to help people understand and appreciate such practices. This write- up on ‘Ramadan – The Month of Benevolence” is a modest step in that direction
Essence of Ramadan Fasting
The Ramadan Fasting or Roza as practiced by Muslims is an mandatory process stretching over a period of one lunar month every year. Basically, it provides an opportunity for believers to reinforce their faith in Almighty through the process of self-purification. It essentially means that a person observing fast will not only abstinence from eating and drinking but will get into a sublime state of mind in order to develop positive feelings. In order to achieve this one has to restrain oneself from listening, speaking, hearing or thinking bad about others. The Holy Qur’an says,
“O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you
as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint.”
It implies that the main essence of fasting is to strengthen Self-restraint/Self-control. Perhaps one needs to experience Ramadan to understand it. As Michael Wolfe, who was curious to understand its essence kept a “Ramadan Fast” . Expressing his experience in his column “Armouring the Heart’ he says– “My first Ramadan fasting taught me self-control and empathy.” perhaps he rightly experienced the virtues of Ramadan and expressed them in following words, “From feelings deprived, you come to feel empowered by your ability to shake off the promptings of appetite. From thinking how slowly the time is passing, you move along, as the fast progresses to not watching the clock. You may take a larger interest in the minutes right around sunset, but the rest of the day drifts along, once you are in the swing and time as a social habit loses some of its importance. Indeed, Ramadan stands time on its head”.
The human being consist of physical, emotional, biological and spiritual aspects. A balanced mix of these can lead to spiritual harmony and healthy life. The fasting during the month of Ramadan orients the observer to the art of balancing the spiritual essentials with other aspects of life.
Ramadan Fasting also instils moral courage and guides the seat of our emotions on moral issues. Since fasting helps in conditioning the heart, soul and body, it leads to tranquillity and calmness in the face of adversity. This helps one to become patient. Patience is the pinnacle of discipline and spiritual suppleness. Jalaluddin Rumi once said: ‘Have patience, for that is true worship’.
Ramadan – A Process of Self-purification
One of the objectives of ‘Ramadan Fasting’ is to facilitate its followers to undergo an elaborate process of self-purification. This month long fasting is expected to mould the behaviour and pattern of life of its practitioners in such a way that they turn out to be ideal human beings. The expectation is that if one passes through this process of self-purification for a period of one month, its impact will at least last for the remaining 11 months, when this process will be again repeated. Unfortunately, we take it as ritualistic physical fasting only and do not achieve what is expected of this process of self-purification.
Ramadan Fasting- A Sociological Perspective
Sociologically speaking, fasting is an expression of solidarity with the poor. It is manifested through the concept of charity, neighbourhood and hospitality. Apart from helping to purify body and soul through the process of self-purification, addressing these areas of social significance are bound to help people to shed all those things, which are not socially desirable.
Essentially a Ramadan 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. Fasting should make one remember the hunger and starvation of the poor and develop empathy for the deprived people. It is an opportunity to experience hunger so that people will understand the pain of the hungry and will go forward to help them. Ramadan fasting is also an exercise in self-discipline. For those who are chain smokers or who nibble food constantly, or drink coffee every hour, it is a good way to break the habit.
Human being consist of physical, emotional, biological and spiritual aspects. The fasting during the month of Ramadan orients the observer to the art of balancing the spiritual aspects with others. It helps curb the animalistic tendencies originating from the stomach, in full. It is an effective tool for sobering of a mind and reconstruction of our spiritual faculties.
One of the greatest advantages of fasting is that “Its true observance is expected to inculcates in a person a habit of speaking the truth”. The Prophet (SAW) said: “ say what is True, although it may be bitter or displeasing to people. “ If a person speaks the truth, practices the concept of hospitality and neighborhood and gives charity as prescribed, he/she will not only become an ideal human being, but will certainly be also entitled for God’s blessings and protection which all of us so desperately need in these turbulent times.
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Prof. Aslam is a Social Scientist and Former Vice-Chancellor, IGNOU, New Delhi. He is a Member of the Collegium of Eminent Social Scientists constituted by the ICSSR; Fellow EDI of the World Bank; Distinguished Fellow, AGRASRI, Tirupati, A.P.
He was conferred 7 national and International awards including “Commonwealth Of Learning President’s Award of Excellence.” Authored 8 books and dozens of book chapters and papers, published in India and abroad. Prof. Aslam Visited 35 countries across the world. He can be reached at profaslam10@gmail.com
This is really an excellent article about month of holy Ramzan covering the various aspects of human life, finally stressed upon the patience, tolerance and sympathy for the poor people.