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The Holy Month of RAMAZAAN
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. |
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