::PURPOSE OF FASTING : RAMADAN::

::PURPOSE OF FASTING : RAMADAN::
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[In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, the Most Merciful]

Fasting in month of Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Iman in Islam and is obligatory upon every mature (over the age of puberty), sane, and healthy Muslim. A Muslim Fasts as its a merciful recommendation from Allah:
"But to fast is best for you, if you only knew." [Qur'an 2:184]

And when Allah Himself prescribes something as Good for us, INDEED it is the best and we must strive to perfect it.

The Purpose of Fasting in the Month of Ramadan:
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Allah says in the holy Qur'an:

(1). “O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous -” [Qur'an 2:183]

And Allah says:
(2). Allah says: “And when My servants ask you (O Prophet) about Me, surely I am nigh. I answer the prayer of the suppliant when he calls on Me, so they should hear My call and believe in Me that they may walk in the right way.” [Qur'an 2:186]

And Allah says further:
(3). “And swallow not up your property among yourselves by false means, nor seek to gain access thereby to the authorities so that you may swallow up other people’s property wrongfully while you know.” [Qur'an 2:188]

(4). Narrated by Abu Huraira: The Messenger of Allah, sallallahu allihi wasallam, 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 3: Book 31: Number 127 ; Status: Sahih]

Based upon the above mentioned Ayah's from the Holy Qur'an and the Hadith by our beloved Prophet and the Messenger of Mercy, sallallahu allihi wasallam, the following purpose of fasting in the month of Ramadan have been drawn:--

[Extract from 1] To develop and strengthen our powers of self-control, so that we can resist wrongful desires and bad habits, and therefore “guard against evil”.
In fasting, by refraining from the natural human urges to satisfy one’s appetite, we are exercising our ability of self-restraint, so that we can then apply it to our everyday life to bring about self-improvement.

[Extract from 2] To attain nearness and closeness to God so that He becomes a reality in our lives. As we bear the rigours of fasting purely for the sake of following a Divine commandment, knowing and feeling that He can see all our actions however secret, it intensifies the consciousness of God in our hearts, resulting in a higher spiritual experience.

[Extract from 3] To learn to refrain from usurping other’s rights and belongings. In fasting we voluntarily give up even what is rightfully ours; how can then we think of taking what is not ours but belongs to someone else?
Charity and generosity is especially urged during Ramadan. We learn to give, and not to take. The deprivation of fasting makes us sympathize with the suffering of others, and desirous of alleviating it; and it makes us remember the blessings of life which we normally take for granted.

[Extract from 4] Fasting in Islam does not just consist of refraining from eating and drinking, but from every kind of selfish desire and wrong-doing. The fast is not merely of the body, but essentially that of the spirit as well (Based on 4). The physical fast is a symbol and outward expression of the real, inner fast.

Fasting is a spiritual practice to be found in all earlier revelations. All the earlier Prophets, as mentioned in the Holy Qur'an and also in the other earlier revelations, practiced quite rigorous fasting.

Hence, All in All, Fasting could be described as a way for one to attain Taqwa and the person who has attained Taqwa has INDEED attained excellence in the worship of Allah, the Most High. Allah says in the Glorious Qur'an:
"And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and a garden as wide as the heavens and earth, prepared for the Al-Muttaqun (people of Taqwa)." [Qur'an 3:133]

SUCCESS COMES FROM ALLAH AND ALLAH KNOWS THE BEST