In the Name of Allah,  Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Composition No (5)

.Write on the topic: “Fasting in Ramadan“

 Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic Hijri Calendar. Muslims worldwide observe this as a month of fasting. Fasting in Ramadan is regarded as one of the Five Pillars of Islam. It is obligatory or compulsory for Muslims to start fasting when they reach puberty except for those who are sick, travelling, pregnant, or going through menstrual bleeding. Those with such excuses are obliged to make up for it later.

    However, Fasting is not pursued to the point of complete starvation. In the evening, usually the first food to break the fast is served. Fasting span covers the period from dawn “fajr” until the dusk ”Maghreb”. During this period, Muslims refrain from eating food, drinking liquids, smoking, and engaging in sexual relations with wives.

    It has been stated in Qur’an” (O you who believe ! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that you may learn self-restraint). 2: 183. So, the principal purpose of prescribing fasting is to acquire piety. Of course, piety has got double meanings. It means spiritual cleansing. It also means acting as a shield with which the Muslim protects himself/herself from hell. In other words, the purpose of fasting is to cleanse the soul by freeing it from harmful impurities. Thus, fasting is believed to help promote chastity and humility and prevent sin, the outburst of uncontrolled lusts and wrongful desires. Such objectives lie within the core of all Heavenly Religions. Therefore, fasting was prescribed to Jews and Christians; yet the periods and style of fasting was different from those in Islam where a whole month is devoted for fasting.

    It follows that, Ramadan is a fruitful time of spiritual reflection, improvement and increased devotion and worship. Muslims are expected to exert more effort into following the teachings of Islam.

    For the sake of increasing these efforts, Muslims indulge in reciting Qur’an and performing additional special night prayers called “Taraweeh”.

    In some communities, taking food to break the fast has grown into some festivals. This is a time for fellowship with families, friends and surrounding communities, to gather in larger spaces outside houses.

    Within Ramadan, there is a sacred night called “Laylat-al-Qadr” which is believed to be the most holy night throughout the year. In this night more mercy and forgiveness from Allah is expected to descend upon those who fast this month. Therefore, Muslims keenly observe this night to be exposed to its mercy. It is believed to occur on an odd-numbered night during the last 10 days of Ramadan, i.e., the night of the 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th or 29th.

    At the end of Ramadan, after terminating their fasting, Muslims engage in the holiday ”Eid ul-Fitr”-  “festivity of breaking the fast”. It takes three days, during which Muslims rejoice and show happiness, tolerance and good relations to each others.                                                                                  

    In fact, there is a Prophetic Tradition “Hadith” which says: (Fast in order to be healthy). This (Tradition) has preceded and surpassed the modern technological inventions. It is only recently that science has discovered various benefits from fasting: 

    Research suggests that there are major health benefits such as restricting calorie intake. Benefits include reducing risks of cancer, cardiovascular (heart) diseases, diabetes, insulin resistance, immune disorders. Fasting is often indicated prior to surgery or other procedures that require general anesthetics, because of the risk of pulmonary aspiration of gastric contents after induction of anesthesia i.e., vomiting and inhaling the vomit, causing life-threatening.

    From stand point of psychology, fasting strengthens control of impulses and helps develop good behavior. This purification of body and soul harmonizes the inner and outer spheres of an individual. For some Muslims, fasting may inculcate a sense of fraternity and solidarity, as they believe they are feeling and experiencing the same sensations of their needy and hungry brothers and sisters.

     Above all, fasting is a sacred spiritual conduct. Consequently, it must be carried out for the sake of worshipping Allah. Therefore, abstaining from eating and drinking, “hunger strike”, on the basis of political protest is merely committing suicide, and it is void of any spiritual approval or reward.