What is the Wisdom behind Fasting?
The month of Ramadan for the year 1435 will begin tomorrow for a large part of the Muslim world, and the following day for the rest.
The next twenty-nine or thirty days are the most important days a Muslim will face in a year, for only in these handful of days are we given the chance to wipe the slate clean, turn over a new leaf and start with a new beginning.
Almost all of us sustain major spiritual damage during the rest of the year and in this blessed and powerful month, we are given the chance to repair and rebuild. Fortunate indeed are those who strives to utilize this golden opportunity to it’s fullest.
Have you ever wondered though, why we have been commanded to fast in this blessed month? What is the wisdom, the purpose of fasting?
Allaah, the Exalted and Most High, says in the Noble Qur’an:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ
كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ
h
"O you who believe! Observing As-Saum (the fasting) is prescribed for you
as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqûn”
[Surah al-Baqarah (The Cow) - 002:183]
Usually, when Allaah سبحانه و تعالى commands His believing servants or obligates them with some Legislation, He just mentions the command, without explaining the wisdom for it. This is because the general wisdom behind Allaah’s سبحانه و تعالى placing duties upon His servants is that He should test them by it, so that it should become apparent those who will obey Him and those who will disobey Him, the Exalted and Most High.
However in this aayah, Allaah سبحانه و تعالى mentioned something that is not found frequently in the Qur’an, which is that He mentioned the reason for the order to Fast, by His saying:
"So that you may become Al-Muttaqun i.e. people of Taqwaa"
Ramadan is so much more than just abstaining from food, drink and sexual intercourse. Abstinence from these are obligatory, but the wisdom behind the prescription of Fasting is that the Muslim should increase in obedience to Allaah سبحانه و تعالى in the month of Ramadan, and become more obedient than he was before it.
The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم clearly stated and completely clarified this point of divine wisdom by his saying;
Narrated by Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه:
The Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم said: ”Whoever does not abandon falsehood in speech and action, then Allaah has no need that he should leave his food and drink. (i.e. Allaah will not accept his fasting)”
[Sahih Bukhari - Vol 03: Book 31: #127]
The whole month of Ramadan is an act of worship and as such, Allaah سبحانه و تعالى did not intend and desire, by the obligation of Fasting, that we should only withhold from eating and drinking. Rather, we should also withhold from that which Allaah سبحانه و تعالىhas forbidden with regard to sins and acts of disobedience to Him, and from that is falsehood in speech and action.
Therefore it is obligatory that all Muslims be aware that the actions which disrupt the Fast are not only the physical ones of eating, drinking and sexual intercourse, but also the small and seemingly inconsequential intangible things, which are the most detrimental to us.
Particular care must be taken to avoid backbiting, carrying tales, false witness, lying and all other such forbidden actions that we usually take lightly. Everyday, for the next thirty days, every fasting person should examine his or herself and see; is he just withholding from the material things and neglecting the intangible things? Has he made a conscious effort to change his behavior and manners in this blessed month of Ramadan?
If so, then he or she has fulfilled the saying of Allaah سبحانه و تعالى at the end of the aayah.
"So that you may become Al-Muttaqun i.e. people of Taqwaa"
In this blessed month of Ramadan, while we all try to increase our acts of worship to draw closer to Allaah سبحانه و تعالى, in the hope that Allaah سبحانه و تعالى will guide and grant us all success, know that true tawfeeq will only come if we make this month a month of change for us, inside and outside.
This is a simple but important reminder to myself and all my brothers and sisters.
The month of Ramadan for the year 1435 will begin tomorrow for a large part of the Muslim world, and the following day for the rest.
The next twenty-nine or thirty days are the most important days a Muslim will face in a year, for only in these handful of days are we given the chance to wipe the slate clean, turn over a new leaf and start with a new beginning.
Almost all of us sustain major spiritual damage during the rest of the year and in this blessed and powerful month, we are given the chance to repair and rebuild. Fortunate indeed are those who strives to utilize this golden opportunity to it’s fullest.
Have you ever wondered though, why we have been commanded to fast in this blessed month? What is the wisdom, the purpose of fasting?
Allaah, the Exalted and Most High, says in the Noble Qur’an:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ
كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ
h
"O you who believe! Observing As-Saum (the fasting) is prescribed for you
as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqûn”
[Surah al-Baqarah (The Cow) - 002:183]
Usually, when Allaah سبحانه و تعالى commands His believing servants or obligates them with some Legislation, He just mentions the command, without explaining the wisdom for it. This is because the general wisdom behind Allaah’s سبحانه و تعالى placing duties upon His servants is that He should test them by it, so that it should become apparent those who will obey Him and those who will disobey Him, the Exalted and Most High.
However in this aayah, Allaah سبحانه و تعالى mentioned something that is not found frequently in the Qur’an, which is that He mentioned the reason for the order to Fast, by His saying:
"So that you may become Al-Muttaqun i.e. people of Taqwaa"
Ramadan is so much more than just abstaining from food, drink and sexual intercourse. Abstinence from these are obligatory, but the wisdom behind the prescription of Fasting is that the Muslim should increase in obedience to Allaah سبحانه و تعالى in the month of Ramadan, and become more obedient than he was before it.
The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم clearly stated and completely clarified this point of divine wisdom by his saying;
Narrated by Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه:
The Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم said: ”Whoever does not abandon falsehood in speech and action, then Allaah has no need that he should leave his food and drink. (i.e. Allaah will not accept his fasting)”
[Sahih Bukhari - Vol 03: Book 31: #127]
The whole month of Ramadan is an act of worship and as such, Allaah سبحانه و تعالى did not intend and desire, by the obligation of Fasting, that we should only withhold from eating and drinking. Rather, we should also withhold from that which Allaah سبحانه و تعالىhas forbidden with regard to sins and acts of disobedience to Him, and from that is falsehood in speech and action.
Therefore it is obligatory that all Muslims be aware that the actions which disrupt the Fast are not only the physical ones of eating, drinking and sexual intercourse, but also the small and seemingly inconsequential intangible things, which are the most detrimental to us.
Particular care must be taken to avoid backbiting, carrying tales, false witness, lying and all other such forbidden actions that we usually take lightly. Everyday, for the next thirty days, every fasting person should examine his or herself and see; is he just withholding from the material things and neglecting the intangible things? Has he made a conscious effort to change his behavior and manners in this blessed month of Ramadan?
If so, then he or she has fulfilled the saying of Allaah سبحانه و تعالى at the end of the aayah.
"So that you may become Al-Muttaqun i.e. people of Taqwaa"
In this blessed month of Ramadan, while we all try to increase our acts of worship to draw closer to Allaah سبحانه و تعالى, in the hope that Allaah سبحانه و تعالى will guide and grant us all success, know that true tawfeeq will only come if we make this month a month of change for us, inside and outside.
This is a simple but important reminder to myself and all my brothers and sisters.
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