Prof. M. Aslam
Every year when month of fasting commences, I feel inclined to write about it. The main reason being that in our day to day interaction, our non-Muslim colleagues and friends ask a number of questions about the Ramadan fasting which shows their ignorance about the basic objectives of ‘Ramadan fasting’. This write up is a response to share significance of this month with them.
We all know that Fasting in one form or the other does exist in almost all the religions. We have “Navaratra Fasting” for nine days among Hindus. Similarly, Hindu women also fast for a day – “Karwa Chouth” for the well being of their husbands. 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 sick and pregnant women.
However, fasting or roza as practiced by Islam is an elaborate process stretching over a period of one month every year. What does it mean to those who want to understand what fasting is all about. It essentially means that the practioner of fasting (roza) has to start fasting from dawn to dusk for a month after the moon of month of Ramadan is sighted. A person on fast has to have ‘sahri’ or pre-dawn meal. It is light meal which can be taken up to roughly one hour and twenty minutes before sunrise. The breaking of fast is called ‘Iftar’.This fast has to be broken 2-3 minutes after the sunset with any food available but dates are preferred. After breaking the fast one can take anything till the next ‘sahri’. A Muslim in general and a ‘Rozadar’( one who keeps the fast) has to observe five time prayers and all other things necessary to keep the fast intact. The basic objective of this month long annual process is to mould the behaviour and pattern of life of its practitioners in such a way that they turn out to be ideal human being. In order to achieve this one has to restrain oneself from listening, speaking, hearing or thinking bad about others. Why do Muslims keep fast? The common answer is that the holy book “The Qur’an” ordains it. The‘ 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 (Qur’an, A – Baqara, 2:183.)
The fasting is also a tool for reconstruction of our spiritual faculties. The fasting instills the essence of consciousness of the Creator in the devotee’s heart. It also instills moral courage and guides the seat of our emotions on moral issues. Since fasting helps in conditioning the heart, soul and body, it simply leads to tranquility and calmness in the face of adversity. This helps one become patient. Patience is the pinnacle of discipline and spiritual suppleness. Jalalluddin Rumi said: ‘Have patience, for that is true worship’.
One needs to experience Ramadan to understand its social significance in its totality. It is an elaborate process of self-purification. The expectation is that if one passes through this process of self-purification for a period of one month, its impact will remain for the remaining 11 months, when this process will be again get repeated. Unfortunately, many Muslims take it as physical fasting only. The physical fasting alone does not have any social or religious significance.
Sociologically speaking fasting is an expression of solidarity with the poor. It is manifested through the concept of Charity, neighborhood and hospitality. Apart from helping to purity 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.
The Charity includes helping the poor through alms. A true Muslim is expected to take stock of his personal wealth both cash and kind, every year and calculate ‘Zakat’ at the rate of about 2.5%, which is to be earmarked for distribution among the poor and needy. In return God will safeguard his wealth and property. This is normally done in the month of Ramadan. The returns promised on charity particularly in the month of Ramadan are very high.It is said that if one gives a charity of Rs. 10/- during this month, he/she will get 70 times more blessings in return. What a wounderful scheme to bring about social justice! If all the rich and well to do muslin families practice this concept of charity, there will be very few dying for hunger and shelter in the colonies inhibited by desperately poor people. I also hope that good sense will prevail over all of us not to host ‘iftar parties’ this year and that the amount saved is spent on feeding the poor or else poor should be prime invitees for such parties. Such Iftar parties should not become politically significant and should be allowed to remain socially significant
The practice of the concept of neighbourhood is equally important. It has wider connotations than its literal meaning. The Prophet (SAW) had said, “One should behave decently with the whole of humanity and foremost among them is your neighbour.” It applies to both immediate neighbourhood as well as humanity at large. What we are witnessing around us in the name of Islam is not Islam. In essence Islam in general and ‘roza’ in particular teaches a person to address human concerns and values, propagate peace and tranquility.
It is high time that Muslims face the realities of contemporary situation and demonstrate through observance of ‘Roza’ ( in its totality), Islam’s relevance in today’s world. Let us make clear once for all that any type of violence has no place within the boundary of Islam. One of the greatest advantages of observing the month of fasting is that its true observance inculcates in a person a habit of speaking truth, remain patient, practice the concept of hospitality and neighbourhood and gives charity to poor. If followed in letter and spirit a person will certainly become a true ‘Insan’ and will be bestowed with God’s blessings and protection, which we all need so desperately in these turbulent times.
******
The author is a Senior Sociologist working with a National University in Delhi. The views expressed are personal. He can be reached at maslammir@yahoo.co.in. An abridged version of this article has been published in TOI.