The spirit of Ramadan

Abstinence is just one component of fasting and more is expected from an individual


With bazaars, fairs, lights and fireworks in the city, and the mosques filled with worshippers, many of us fail to understand what really lies behind Ramadan, the month of fasting.

What does a Muslim actually do during a typical day of this month?

The fast begins as each day dawns. Ideally, a person is advised to have a light meal before dawn, following the example set by Prophet Mohammad (PBUH). During the day the person abstains from food and drink. Come sunset and he breaks his fast, again, ideally, with something light.

Besides not eating from dawn to dusk, what else does Islam expect a person fasting to do – or rather not do?

Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) said Allah does not need those to fast who do not give up false speech or lying or committing any sinful acts. So when a person is fasting, every time he desires to do something that can be considered sinful, he will remember that he is fasting, and thus withhold himself.

This is why Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) ordered the fasting person, when cursed at or abused, to simply say: "I am fasting," cautioning the abuser that a person fasting is commanded to refrain from cursing and reviling, and reminding himself that he is fasting and should not retort.

This simple saying demonstrates the necessity for self-control a believer has to exercise in not only his food, but also in his behaviour during the month. For it is a fact that fasting cultivates a great deal of willpower to overcome one's desires and distance oneself from wrongdoing and disobedience to God.

It is a way of breaking one's habits and alienating oneself from the things one is used to. It also teaches that order and punctuality, if put to practice, would be a cure for much of the disarray, bad habits and bad time management skills many of us suffer from.

A person who is fasting is also cautioned to control himself from telling lies, deceiving, back-biting, slandering, use of obscene language, and, indeed, anything un-Islamic, since any action that is contrary to Islamic principles, though it does not annul it, does greatly decrease the reward of fasting.

Muslims believe that fasting is an act of worship done for God, where man draws closer to his Lord by giving up the things that he loves and desires. The truthfulness of his faith, the completeness of his servitude and his love for his Creator is made apparent by this. It is worship in its purest form.

When the believer knows that Allah's contentment lies in the fasting – which is abandoning those desires that he naturally loves – he gives his Lord's contentment precedence over his desires. He believes that fasting is one of the best forms of worship and the reward for it is known to God alone.

Giving away one's possessions freely does not come naturally to human beings and it takes a lot of willpower to "give off what you love best" as it has been encouraged in Islam. Ramadan is the month of mercy and charity and people are encouraged to give as much as possible. Feeling the pain of hunger while one is fasting is a way of reaching a higher level of awareness, arousing empathy with the poor and motivating one to give.

In Ramadan, the person who has wealth is made to realise the blessing of that wealth which God has bestowed on him. Only when a man has felt hunger and thirst can he empathise with the people who do not have enough food or drink. It is the time to thank and praise Allah for these blessings, and to remember the poor and the needy and help them in whatever capacity one can. Because of the special status of Ramadan, all good deeds and actions have special rewards.

While spending as much time as possible in the mosque, for men reciting the Holy Quran and spending part of the night in prayer is recommended during this holy month. Staying awake during the night and sleeping during the day is not recommended, as the full benefit from the experience of fasting is missed. Spending a great portion of the night indulging in eating, drinking and socialising is contrary to Sunnah, or the example of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), as he would always spend the nights in prayer during this month.

It takes a lot of courage and will power to say: "I'm sorry, let's forget about it," and burying old hatchets and starting afresh is never easy. Fasting exemplifies Muslims' principle of unity. It is a time when forgiving one another is encouraged, as it is the month of forgiveness. It is a time when the whole Islamic nation fasts together and breaks fast together during the same month. They pray together and help each other. It is a time for giving and sharing.

Ramadan is a time to exercise self-control in avoiding excessive spending and being wasteful. Food savoured in the night should be light and simple, as it is strongly recommended to make meals as light as possible.

Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) had once mentioned that the worst thing a man can fill is his stomach. While offering Iftar (food to break the fast) to those who fasted is recommended in Islam, extravagant preparation of food and its waste is not. It should not result in precious time lost, missing Tharaawih or the night prayers and spending time in unnecessary or vain talk.

Ramadan is an annual training for the mind body and soul. It's about exercising self-control in all aspects of your life. About giving, loving, being grateful to your creator and spending the time in the best possible way: in prayer and devotion. It means not wasting a minute of your day, never forgetting that you may never live to see the next one. That is what this holy month is all about.


Mosque etiquette

As the words "come for prayer, come for success" reverberate from the mosques five times a day, people join together for prayers with no distinction of rich or poor, black or white, Arab or non-Arab. The mosque becomes a place where there is no room for different levels of society, where the king and the pauper stand together, shoulder to shoulder and feet to feet in prayer.

With people spending more time in the mosques during Ramadan, here are a few do's and don'ts for better mosque etiquettes.

- Do wear clean clothes to mosque. Dirty or sweaty clothes are not only unhygienic, but they also distract others from their prayer and create gaps in the rows when people move away from you. Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) said that cleanliness is half of Islam and has made having a bath before one goes to mosque for the congregational Friday Juma prayer mandatory.

- Do brush your teeth before prayers if possible, as the Prophet (PBUH) would always use a siwak or miswak (twig from particular trees used to brush one's teeth) before every prayer. He once said that if it had not been a burden on his believers, he would make brushing one's teeth before each prayer a mandatory practice.

- Do use perfume if you are a man as it has been recommended by the Prophet (PBUH). Women though are prohibited from using perfume as it may attract attention to oneself, which is against Islamic principles. This does not however mean that they should not wear deodorant or other such products to prevent body odour, as long as the fragrance does not permeate outsi