When we talk about fasting, what actually are we fasting from? What are we thinking and what do we go after? This is what we are going to discuss in this passage.
<Quran> Surah 2:185. Ramadhan is the (month) in which was sent down the Quran, as a guide to mankind, also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (Between right and wrong). So every one of you who is present (at his home) during that month should spend it in fasting, but if any one is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed period (Should be made up) by days later. Allah intends every facility for you; He does not want to put to difficulties. (He wants you) to complete the prescribed period, and to glorify Him in that He has guided you; and perchance ye shall be grateful.
Therefore, during the month of Ramadhan, people should be fasting from their own selfish desires, self-interest, and fleshly desires such as pride, greed, indulgence, complaint, insensitivity as well as being indifferent and so on. At the same time, we should put our whole mind and spirit in focusing on the guidance shown by the Quran; following the Lord’s word, so as to distinguish from the hypocrisy in this world. Who will “glorify Him in that He has guided you; and perchance ye shall be grateful”? They are those who thirst and think of the Quran and understand God’s revelation during the month of Ramadhan.
Thus, it is very important to know what to do during Ramadhan. Do we spend our time and energy in concentrating on the Lord’s word? Where is our attention and interest during the month of Ramadhan? Are we still centering on the needs of self-survival and to satisfy the self-desire? I can hardly imagine a person that is able to fast and at the same time thinking of how to enjoy life or thinking of how to make money and become wealthy. Unless a person pours his thoughts on the Lord’s words and in understanding His revelations, or else how can man, bandaged with self-desires give praise and thanks? Here, I would like to quote a few verses from Hadith:
Abu Huraira related that Rasulullah said: Many people who fast get nothing from their fast except hunger and thirst, and many people who pray at night get nothing from it except wakefulness (Darimi).
Sahih Bukhari : Volume 3, Book 31, Hadith # 127
Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, “Whoever does not give up forged speech and evil actions, Allah is not in need of his leaving his food and drink (i.e. Allah will not accept his fasting.)”
Sahih Bukhari: Volume 8, Book 73, Hadith # 83:
Narated by Abu Huraira : The Prophet said, “Whoever does not give up false statements (i.e. telling lies), and evil deeds, and speaking bad words to others, Allah is not in need of his (fasting) leaving his food and drink.”
“The best charity is that given in Ramadhan.”[At-Tirmithi].
During Ramadhan, Prophet Muhammad is especially kind. When there is a beggar in front of your doorstep, cannot let him go empty-handed; the poor should be helped.
The real meaning of fasting is not only not eating and drinking, but not to let the desire and will of the flesh dominate you so that you will be able to overcome the power of flesh, refuse to lie and not judging others, instead will learn to have mercy, be generous, kind, help those who are weak and rescue those who are in need. The actual challenge for those who are fasting is “How do we control our self-desire through fasting when someone slanders us?” Thus, even if a person is fasting and does not eat for day and night, but the inner heart is full of bitterness and anger, lacking of sympathy and compassion, his or her fast will not be considered as true fast. There is one verse in the Hadith which I think is very precious:
Al-Haakim narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Fasting does not just mean abstaining from food and drink, rather fasting means abstaining from idle and obscene speech. If someone curses you or treats you in an ignorant manner, then say, ‘I am fasting, I am fasting.’”
<Bible>Psalm 35:12-14 described David’s (Prophet Daud) fast which I think is one step further than Prophet Muhammad in expressing the deeper meaning of fasting:
They repay me evil for good, To the bereavement of my soul. But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled my soul with fasting, And my prayer kept returning to my bosom. I went about as though it were my friend or brother; I bowed down mourning, as one who sorrows for a mother.
Who was David (Prophet Daud) fasting for? Was he not fasting for those who repaid him evil for good, those who grieved his soul? David (Prophet Daud) treated them as friends, brothers and mothers, fasting for their good. A person can never do this if he or she does not have self-control over self-desire and feeling of being hurt. What is our purpose of fasting? Who are we fasting for?
Many people are very determined and never give up when fasting; however, there is nothing worthy of praise if these people do it for their own piousness and feel proud about it. <Bible>Isaiah 58: 1-7 is a very good example. Allah SWT instructed Prophet Isaiah :
“Cry loudly, do not hold back; Raise your voice like a trumpet, And declare to My people their transgression And to the house of Jacob their sins.”Yet they seek Me day by day and delight to know My ways, As a nation that has done righteousness And has not forsaken the ordinance of their God. They ask Me for just decisions, They delight in the nearness of God. ‘Why have we fasted and You do not see? Why have we humbled ourselves and You do not notice?’ Behold, on the day of your fast you find your desire, And drive hard all your workers. “Behold, you fast for contention and strife and to strike with a wicked fist. You do not fast like you do today to make your voice heard on high. “Is it a fast like this which I choose, a day for a man to humble himself? Is it for bowing one’s head like a reed And for spreading out sackcloth and ashes as a bed? Will you call this a fast, even an acceptable day to the LORD? “Is this not the fast which I choose, To loosen the bonds of wickedness, To undo the bands of the yoke, And to let the oppressed go free And break every yoke? “Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry And bring the homeless poor into the house; When you see the naked, to cover him; And not to hide yourself from your own flesh?
In religions, regardless of Christianity or Islam are now divided, full of hatred and apathy. Thus, it is very important to restore the practice of true faith and godliness – fast, as it is said in the <Bible> Isaiah 58: 8-12
“Then your light will break out like the dawn, And your recovery will speedily spring forth; And your righteousness will go before you; The glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.” Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; You will cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’ If you remove the yoke from your midst, The pointing of the finger and speaking wickedness, And if you give yourself to the hungry And satisfy the desire of the afflicted, Then your light will rise in darkness And your gloom will become like midday. “And the LORD will continually guide you, And satisfy your desire in scorched places, And give strength to your bones; And you will be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.” Those from among you will rebuild the ancient ruins; You will raise up the age-old foundations; And you will be called the repairer of the breach, The restorer of the streets in which to dwell.
If we can understand the word of the Lord and determine to repent and put into practice, perhaps we can hope that the Lord will heal and change this divided, broken, hypocritical and ruined faith in both Christians and Muslims. Let me start from myself first!
Fasting does not mean passively dealing with the desires of the flesh, suffering from hunger. Instead, one should actively turn his or her focus to the Lord, pursue those things that are pleasing in His eyes. Doing what is pleasing in the Lord’s eye is the actual meaning of fasting:
To loosen the bonds of wickedness, To undo the bands of the yoke, And to let the oppressed go free And break every yoke. Do not bring heavy burden and distress to others.
“Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry And bring the homeless poor into the house; When you see the naked, to cover him; And not to hide yourself from your own flesh? If you remove the yoke from your midst, The pointing of the finger and speaking wickedness, And if you give yourself to the hungry And satisfy the desire of the afflicted,”
Fasting is a practice of being merciful and kind to others. If people do not turn their attentions to others, they will never be free from fleshly desires. They can never experience the outcome of fasting that is the light of life and the strengthening of faith. “Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; You will cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’
All things that are sacred and good are the easiest to be contaminated, fasting is one of them. <Gospel> Luke 18: 9-14
And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. “The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. ‘I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ “But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ “I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Why was the Pharisee, who was devoted to religion thought that he was qualified to look down on the tax collector? This was because of his feeling of self-holiness and moral superiority. All those people who feel good about themselves share a common point – look down on people and find fault with others. As compared to the tax collector, the Pharisee was more faithful: he fasted, did charity and was devoted. His self-holiness and moral superiority had caused him to become obsessed with himself. His fasting did not prevent him from his own pride and self-confidence as well as his selfish desires. On the contrary, he was contented with them all.
Those who are really fasting will put all their thoughts and feeling, all their focus on the Lord wholeheartedly. They will see their own unjustness, falsehood and ugliness and therefore will humble before Allah SWT, examine themselves, feel remorse, repent and ask for mercy and grace from Allah SWT, ask to be accepted by the Lord.
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Note:
The ‘One True God’ in the Bible is ‘Allah SWT’ in the Quran. (Surah 29:46)
- All Injil and Torah verses are sourced from New American Standard Bible with Codes (1995), with thanks.
- All Al-Quran verses are sourced from English Translation of Al-Quran by Abdullah Yusuf Ali, with thanks.