In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful'O you who believe! Fasting has been prescribed upon you just as it was prescribed upon those before you, in order that you may gain taqwa (God-consciousness, self-restraint)- Quran 2:183'Fasting is for me and it is I would reward the believer who fasts'. Hadith Qudsi.BRETHREN, fasting became obligatory on the Muslims during the second year after the Hijra, migration of the Prophet from Mecca to Madinah. Thus the Prophet fasted nine Ramadans in his lifetime. As we began this year's fasting, I sought the opinion of our spiritual forebears on its inner dimensions. I consequently found that of al-Ghazalli highly instructive.According to him, fasting can be divided into three: Ordinary fasting, fasting of the elites in the spiritual realm and fasting of the elite of the believing elite. The first, which is ordinary fasting, means abstaining from food, drinks and sexual relation during the day though the person fasting may indulge in vain talks and watch forbidden scenes and images.The second, fasting of the elite, means avoiding the pitfalls in the ordinary fasting; it entails keeping one's ears, eyes, tongue, hands and feet - and all other organs - free from sin.The third variant or form of fasting- fasting of the elite of the believing elite- refers to fasting of the heart from unworthy concerns and worldly thoughts, in total disregard of everything but the Almighty, Great and Glorious is He. This kind of fasting is broken by thinking of worldly matters, except for those matters that are conducive to religious ends, since they constitute provisions for the Hereafter and are not of this lower world.Those versed in the spiritual life of the heart have even said that a sin is recorded against one who concerns himself all day with arrangements for breaking his fast. Such anxiety stems from lack of trust in the bounty of the Almighty and from lack of faith in His promised sustenance. To this third degree belong the Prophets, the friends of the Almighty. It does not lend itself to detailed examination in words, as its true nature is better revealed in action.As for Special Fasting, this is the kind practised by the righteous. It means keeping all one's organs free from sin and six things are required for its accomplishment. One: See not what displeases Allah. Prophet Muhammad, on him be peace, says: 'The furtive glance is one of the poisoned arrows of Satan, on him be God's curse. Whoever forsakes it for fear of God will receive from Him, Great and Glorious is He, a faith the sweetness of which he will find within his heart.'Two: Speak not what displeases Allah. Guarding one's tongue from idle chatter, lying, gossiping, obscenity, rudeness, arguing and controversy; making it observe silence and occupying it with the remembrance of God, Great and Glorious is He, and with recitation of the Quran, is one of the ethics a believer learns in fasting. The Prophet is quoted to have said: 'Two habits annul fasting: backbiting and telling lies'.Three: Hear not what displeases Allah. A Muslim who is fasting should endeavour to close his ears to everything reprehensible. This is because in Islam that which is unlawful to utter is likewise unlawful to be heard.Fourth: Do not do anything that Allah has forbidden. In other words, the value accruable to the believer would be redeemed in full once we keep all our limbs and organs away from sin. It is meaningless to abstain from lawful food only to break one's fast on what is unlawful. A man who fasts like this may be compared to one who builds a castle but demolishes a city. The unlawful is a poison: It is deadly to religion, while the lawful is a medicine, beneficial in small doses but harmful in excess.One important caution that is very apposite is the need for Muslims to avoid over-eating during this season. Our Prophet reminds us that there is no receptacle more odious to Allah than a belly stuffed full with lawful food. Of what use is the Fast as a means of conquering the enemy of Allah and abating appetite, if at the time of breaking it one not only makes up for all one has missed during the daytime, but perhaps also indulges in a variety of extra foods'It has even become the custom to stock up for Ramadan with all kinds of foodstuffs, so that more is consumed during that time than in the course of several other months put together. It is well known that the object of fasting is to experience hunger and to check desire, in order to reinforce the soul in piety. If the stomach is starved from early morning till evening, so that its appetite is aroused and its craving intensified, and it is then offered delicacies and allowed to eat its fill, its taste for pleasure is increased and its force exaggerated. Passions are activated which would have lain dormant under normal conditions.The spirit and secret nature of Fasting is to weaken the forces, which are Shytan's means of leading us back to evil. It is, therefore, essential to cut down our intake of food to what one would consume on a normal night, when not fasting. No benefit is derived from the Fast if one consumes as much as one would usually take during the day and night combined. Moreover, one of the properties consists in taking little sleep during the daytime, so that one feels the hunger and thirst and becomes conscious of the weakening of one's powers, with the consequent purification of the heart.During this month, it is essential that our hearts should swing like a pendulum between fear and hope, for we do not know, for certain, if our Fast will be accepted, and through that become one of those who would find His favour. In other words, we should pray to the Almighty to accept our acts of worship despite their inadequacies. This is how one should be at the end of any act of worship one performs.It is related of al-Hasan ibn Abil Hasan al-Basri that he once passed by a group of people who were laughing merrily. He said: 'Allah, Great and Glorious is He, has made the month of Ramadan a race-course, on which His creatures compete in His worship. Some have come in first and won, while others have lagged behind and lost. It is absolutely amazing to find anybody laughing and playing about on the day when success attends the victors, and failure the wasters. By God, if the veil were lifted off, the doer of good would surely be preoccupied with his good works and the evildoer with his evil deeds.'Those who are focused on attaining eternal bliss hardly have time to indulge in idle sport; those who are destined to suffer eternal reprimand usually find ease in displeasing the Almighty.From al-Ahnaf ibn Qays: It is reported that he was once told: 'You are an aged elder; fasting would enfeeble you.' But he replied: 'By this I am making ready for a long journey, Obedience to God, Glorified is He, is easier to endure than His punishment.'(guardianfridayworship@gmail.com)
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