It has been a day or two since Ramadan has started. Lots of circles have started discussions on some really irrelevant issues, one being the word
'Ramadan or Ramazan'. My interest right now is rather a more complicated one,That's
The Basic purpose of Ramazan and The true Essence of Fasting.
Why we keep ourselves away from food, water and all kind of entertainment? Whats the logic behind this? Let me advice my reader one thing first.
Never apply your logic in religion, they don't work here.
Coming back to the point, we grew up in an Islamic society under the shadow of our Muslim Parents. They told us about this
30 days long fasting marathon, Being a religious obligation for everyone. So we started fasting as per their directions. Admit it that most of us never bothered ourselves to look up in the
Holy Books and find out why are we keeping ourselves away from Edibles during these specific hours. In Short the Ultimate purpose of this holy month Ramadan.
We are humans and we always try to find out the causes and reasons using our senses and try to be as logical as we can. So we apply our logic and the limited knowledge to find out essence of Ramadan. What we do wrong here is that we take it as a physical exercise because that is what we see, our body fighting against thirst and hunger all day long. We eat lots of food in
Sehri and then wait till
Maghrib and once again eat as much as we can taking our fast as a food festivity. After that We think that we have completed what is demanded by
ALLAH from us in this Holy Month of Ramadan.
We believe that this 'not eating and not drinking' is the ultimate destination of our Fasting in Ramadan. If you are also taking it like this then you're doing it wrong. The ultimate objectives and purpose of ramadan is purely spiritual and they revolve around the connections between a person and his
ALLAH. This Not eating and Not drinking are just Catalysts/Milestones, they compel us to reach our destination and develop an exemplary deep connection with our
ALLAH Almighty.
In the Holy Ramadan we are suppose to offer our prayers with more spirit and regularity. We are suppose to practice all the rights of our Parents, Siblings, Relatives and Neighbours, as laid down in the
Holy Quran. Holy Ramadan demands us to be more careful about our communications
with people around us, about our deeds and actions that effect others. These are general preaching of Islam but in Holy month of Ramadan Our Creator demands us to be more conscious about them.Things that are generally Permitted become forbidden in Ramadan during fasting. Eating and Drinking which are Permitted become forbidden acts in Ramadan in fasting hours.
We must take ramadan as a spiritual uplifting and become more closer to our Allah almighty, which is, in fact the true essence of Ramadan. Our Fasting does give us the hope to stay optimistic about our fate. It doesn't necessarily ensure us Jannah in the next world. Following Ramadan with true spirit, which is more than just to stay hungry and thirsty, ensures us a higher level than others on the day of judgment. We must assess ourselves at the end of the Ramadan that was this the month that spiritually uplifted us and are we the men of taqwaa right now ? Do we have a more stronger and deep connection with my ALLAH Almighty ?
If the Answer is
YES then we have successfully fulfilled the basic purpose of the month of Ramadan.
Otherwise :
Hadith e Nabvi Says
مَنْ لَمْ يَدَعْ قَوْلَ الزُّورِ وَالْعَمَلَ بِهِ فَلَيْسَ لِلَّهِ حَاجَةٌ فِي أَنْ يَدَعَ طَعَامَهُ وَشَرَابَهُ
“Whoever does not give up lying and evil actions, then Allah is not in need of his leaving his food and drink” [Saheeh al-Bukhari]
