Ramadan 2009 calendar: Divine Gift to Muslims Ummah

By PROF. JAMIL FAROOQUI

Ramadan 2009 calendar: Divine Gift to Muslims Ummah. Fasting is one of the pillars of Islam. The holy month of Ramadhan is a sort of refresher course period for Muslims to strengthen their relationship with the Creator by sticking to the commandments of the Lord and abstaining from all things prohibited. Also the believers are exhorted to do good deeds, particularly during this sacred month, with the expectation that this training for one full lunar month, throughout the day and the night will generate piety among Muslims so as to make them able to achieve nobleness of conduct throughout the year. This holiness will be reflected in their general conduct i.e., abstaining from doing any wrong such as telling lies, bloodshed, exploitation, fornification, hurting others, breaking familial ties, indulging in immorality, usurping others’ wealth or property or appropriating an orphan’s property, giving false evidence or accusing a man or woman falsely. Along with these don’ts, there are several do’s which a Muslim is supposed to do positively such as offering prayers, giving alms, helping the needy, speaking the truth, honouring one’s promises, helping relatives travellers, widows, orphans and the destitute.

Observance of Fast

Every adult Muslim, man or woman must fast from dawn to sunset during the whole month of Ramadhan. The sick and the travellers can defer fasting during the Ramadhan and make up for it later. The very purpose of fasting is to enable Muslims to control their passions, so that they become persons of good intentions and deeds. Fasting can also bring anger under control. Fasting develops self-control and helps us to overcome the evils of selfishness, greed, laziness and wasting time in the wicked pastime of picking other’s faults. In fasting, one experiences hunger and thirst. We then can better appreciate the hunger and thirst of others devoid of means of fulfilling their needs. This develops a soft corner for the suffering, helpless brethren not having the wherewithal of life.

Concept of Ibadah

The concept ibadah in Islam is different from that in other religions and quite diverse in its forms. Prayer, remembrance of God, calling people towards good deeds and restraining from the path of evil, imparting education to the unlettered, and giving instructions to the lost and gone astray or men of wayward conduct are noble deeds indeed. These are categorised as ibadah based on speech i.e., good deeds performed by the use of tongue. There are some other forms of ibadah which are visible in action such as offering prayers (salah) and zakah or alms giving or helping the needy. Yet another form of ibadah is a mixture of bodily and financial efforts (sacrifice) to please the Almighty.

Different Forms of Ritualistic Ibadah

Quite different from these forms involving use of the tongue and money in performing an ibadah is observance of fast during the month of Ramadhan in accordance with the Qur’anic injunction of Surah Al Baqarah, verse 183 which says, "O Ye who believe; Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you (earlier Ummahs) that ye are expected to be truly obedient". A truly obedient Muslim is called a muttaqi and his true obedience or piety – developed through sawm – is known as taqwa. It keeps a man from sin and further gives him strength to fight evil.

But the fasting as a from of ibadah is quite different from other forms in so far as while other forms of ibadah are visible and have externally perceptible form, sawm (fast) is the name given to one’s abstinence from the acts of eating, drinking and indulgence in conjugal co-habitation with wives from the dawn to dusk. Having fulfilled the obligations, the fast comes to an end with the sunset. Then there is the obligation of offering additional prayers after Isha during which whole of Qur’an is recited during the Ramadan