Al-Huda
Foundation, NJ U. S. A
the Message Continues ... 3/177
Newsletter for August 2016
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In Islam, the
spiritual, social, economic,
political, and psychological
benefits of fasting are
inter-related. During the month
of Ramazaan, the believers learn
to curb their desires and check
them against transgression and
extravagance. Fast fosters a
strong will, teaches patience
and self-discipline, the ability
to bear hardships and tolerate
hunger and thirst. It regulates
and systematizes the energies of
instincts. It grants its organs
respite so that they may be
ready to resume their
activities. It is a medicine for
many bodily and nervous
ailments. It is a moral
education, a nourishment of
supreme virtues. It teaches them
humility and humbleness. It
promotes the spirit of charity
and compassion towards poor. The
believers strengthen their ties
with Allah, since they express
through fast a continuous desire
to obey His Will and carry out
His commandments.
It is said
that hunger is the cloud from
which rains of wisdom fall
heavily.
Holy Prophet
(s) and infallible A’imma (a) of
Ahlul Bayt highly encouraged the
believers to invite each other
for Iftaar in Ramazaan. Such
invitation should accompany
“Ikraam”
Allah (swt)
says in Holy Qur’an:
O believers,
fasting has been made mandatory
for you as it was made mandatory
for the people before you, so
that you may have fear of Allah.
Fasting is only for a certain
number of days. One who is sick
or on a journey has to fast same
number of days at another time.
Those who can afford redemption
should feed a poor person. Good
deeds performed on one’s own
initiative will be rewarded.
However, fasting is better and
will be rewarded. Would that you
had known this! The month of
Ramazaan is the month in which
the Qur’an was revealed; a guide
for the people, the most
authoritative of all guidance
and a criterion to discern right
from wrong. Any one of you who
knows that the month of Ramazaan
has begun must start to
fast……Allah does not impose any
hardship upon you. He wants you
to have comfort so that you may
complete the fast, glorify Allah
for His having given you
guidance, and perhaps you give
Him thanks. (al-Baqara 183-85)
We have
revealed the Qur’an on a blessed
night to warn man kind.
(al-Dukhan: 3)
The Holy
Prophet (s) said:
Ramazaan is a
month you have been called to
the banquet of Allah.
A guest is a
guide to Paradise.
Surely,
whosoever hates a guest, hates
Allah, and whosoever hates
Allah, Allah hates him.
Paradiseis
enveloped by difficulties and
Hell Fire is enveloped by
desires.
How often is
the share of one who fasts
(nothing save) hunger and thirst
and how often is the share of
one who stands in prayer
(nothing but mere) vigil.
The month of
Ramazaan was named so because it
tends to “ramad” the sins, that
is, burn them.
Some of the
poor companions asked him
whether they would be deprived
of the reward of the invitation
if they cannot bear the expenses
of hosting a mumin brother in
this holy month. The Holy
Prophet said “Protect yourself
from Hell Fire even with a piece
of date or glass of water”
Imam Ali (a)
said:
Prophet
Ibrahim (a) was first to host a
guest. (Hazrat Ibrahim would not
eat any of his meals until he
found a guest to eat with him)
I swear by
Allah, surely the fasting one
among you enjoys in the Gardens
of Paradise and the angels pray
for his success until he breaks
his fast.
Fasting is to
abstain from forbidden acts the
way a man refrains from food and
drink
Lady of
Paradise Fatima Zahra (a) said:
What should
the fasting one do with his fast
if he did not protect his
tongue, hearing, sight, and
members of his body.
Imam Jafar
al-Sadiq (a) said:
Fasting from
food and drink does not merely
mean that human being should not
eat or drink; rather, when you
fast, then your ears, eyes,
tongue, stomach and private
parts must also fast.
One who
recites in one night, 10 verses
of Holy Qur’an during Ramazaan,
will never be written down among
the“Indifferent”. One who
recites 50 verses will be
written down among those who
remember Allah “ Tahkireen”.If
he recites 100 verses, he will
be written down among those who
constantly supplicate (Qaniteen).
If he recites 300 verses, he
will be written down among the
winners (Faa’izeen). If he
recites 500 verses, he will be
written down among those who
reach the degree of ijtehaad (Mujtahideen).
If he recites 1,000 verses, he
will be rewarded with one
“Kantar” which is 5,000 Mithqals,
each Mithqal is 24 Karats, the
smallest of which (in as far as
the weighing in the hereafter)
is as big as Mountain of Uhad
and the largest extends from the
earth to the sky.
At another
place he said that if one
recites Holy Qur’an in the month
of Ramazaan, Allah will let him
enjoy his vision, and such
recitation decreases the penalty
of his parents even if they may
be Kafirs.
Medical
Benefits of Fasting:
Islam means
unconditional surrender to the
Will of Almighty Allah, hence it
is obligatory on a healthy
Muslim to fast he should do so.
This supplementary information
is for us to realize the hikmat
or wisdom for our benefits.
The
physiological effects of fasting
includes, lowering of blood
sugar, lowering of cholesterol,
and lowering of the systolic
blood pressure. Fasting is
recommended for patients with
mild to moderate, stable,
non-insulin diabetes, obesity
and essential hypertension.
However, patients suffering from
severe diseases, severe
diabetes, coronary artery
disease, kidney stones etc.
should not try to fast.
Psychologically there is peace and
tranquility, personal hostility
is at a minimum, and the crime
rate decreases. Recitation of
Holy Qur’an not only produces
tranquility of heart and mind,
but improves memory. |
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