Lecture 11 - Islamic Studies .pdf

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1. Fasting (موص)

2. The Fast
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3. Believers!Fastinghasbeenmadeobligatoryuponyouasitwasmadeuponthosebefore
yousothatyoubecomemindfulofGod.Thesearebutafewdays,butifanyoneamong
youisilloronajourney,lethimfastasimilarnumberofdayslater;andthosewho
havethecapacity[tofeedaneedy]shouldfeedaneedyinplaceofit.Thenhewhodoes
avirtuousdeedofhisownaccord,itisbetterforhimandifyoufast,thenthisiseven
betterforyouifyoubutknew.ItisthemonthofRamadaninwhichtheQur’anwas
revealed,asabookofguidanceformankindandintheformofmanifestarguments
whichareameansoftotalguidanceandameansofdistinguishingrightfromwrong.
Therefore,whoeveramongyouispresentinthismonth,heshouldfast.Andhewhoisill
oronajourneyshouldfastasimilarnumberofdayslateron.[Thisconcessionis
because]Goddesireseaseforyouandnotdiscomfort.And[thepermissiongivento
travellersandthesicktofeedtheneedyhasbeenwithdrawnbecause]youcancomplete
thefasts[andthusnotbedeprivedoftheblessingsoffasting]and[forthispurposethe
monthofRamadanhasbeenfixedsothatintheformoftheQur’an]theguidanceGod
hasbestoweduponyou,youglorifyGodandexpressyourgratitudetoHim.(2:183-185)

4. Aftertheprayerandthezakah,thefastisthenextimportantworshipritualofIslam.
IntheArabiclanguage,thewordusedforitis(sawm),whichliterallymeans“to
abstainfromsomething”and“togiveupsomething”.
Apersonexpresseshimselfthroughdeedsandpractices;hencewhenhisemotionsof
worshipfortheAlmightyrelatetohisdeedsandpracticesthentheseemotions,
besidesmanifestinginworshippingHim,alsomanifestinobeyingHiscommands.
Fastsareasymbolicexpressionofthisobedience.Whilefasting,aperson,onthe
commandofHislord,givesupthingswhichareoriginallyallowedtohimtowinthe
pleasureofhislord;hethusbecomesanembodimentofobedienceandthroughhis
practiceacknowledgesthefactthatthereisnothinggreaterthanthecommandofGod.
SoiftheAlmightyforbidshimthingsperfectlyallowedbyinnateguidance,thenitis
onlybefittingforapersonwhoistheservantofhisCreatortoobeyHimwithoutany
hesitationwhatsoever.

5. Objective of the Fast
The objective of the fast as outlined in the above quoted verses of Surah Baqarah is
to create the mindfulnessof God in a person. The Qur’anic words used are (that you
may attain taqwa).
Firstly,thefastreviveswithfullforcetheconceptinthemindofapersonthatheis
God’sservant.Assoonascertainnaturaldesiresofthebodyaregivenup,the
feelingsofservitudespringforthandcontinuetoenhance.Thesefeelingstotally
overwhelmapersonatthetimeofbreakingthefast.Rightfromfajrtothistime,a
persondoesnotconsumeasinglebiteoffoodorasingledropofwatermerely
becausehisLordhasdirectedhimtorefrainfromthem.Whentheritualofthefastis
observedeveryyearwithvigilance,aprofoundrealityisinfusedinapersonandin
factbecomesingrainedinhisinstincts:heisaservantofhisLordanditisonly
befittingforhimthatinotheraffairsoflifealsohesubmittoHimandfullyaccept
HisauthoritybymakinghisconceptsanddeedstotallysubservienttotheAlmighty.

6. Secondly,thefastisameansofmakingapersonappreciatethefactfromthebottomofhisheart
thatonedayhewillbeheldaccountablebeforetheAlmighty.AlthoughallMuslimsbelievein
thisaccountability,yetwhilefastingwhentheonslaughtofthirst,hungerandcarnaldesire
makelifedifficultforapersonitisonlythisawarenessofbeingaccountablebeforethe
Almightythatstopsapersonfromfulfillingtheseneeds.
Thirdly,patienceisnecessaryfortaqwaanditisthefastthatproducespatienceinaperson.In
fact,tobetrainedinthetraitofpatience,perhapsthereisnoeasyandeffectiveawaythanthe
fast.Inanutshell,thetrialthatwehavebeenputthroughisthatontheonehandwearepulled
byourstrongphysicalandcarnaldesiresandontheotherhandwearerequiredbytheAlmighty
tolivealifewithinthelimitssetbyHim.Thistrialrequiresthatweexercisepatienceatevery
stepofourlife.Ifthetraitsofhonesty,veracity,justice,forbearance,forgiveness,keeping
promises,perseveranceonthetruth,avoidingevilandlustarenotpresentinaperson,taqwa
hasnobasisandwithoutpatiencethesetraitscannotbeadoptedinaperson.
Thisobjectiveisnecessarilyachievedthroughthefast.However,forthis,itisessentialthat
thosewhofastmustrefrainfromcertainwrongdoingswhichstripthefastoffitsblessings.
Althoughthesewrongdoingsarenumerous,allthosewhofastmustatleastbeawareofsomeof
them.

7. PeopletendtomaketheRamadanamonthofsavoringtheirtastebuds.
Sincehungerandthirstmakeapersonshorttempered,somepeopleinsteadofmaking
thefastameanstocontroltheirtempermakeitanexcusetoventitonothers.
TheProphet(sws)isreportedtohavesaid:“Thefastisashield;whoeveramongyou
fastsshouldnotindulgeinvulgartalknorbeovercomebyhisemotions;thenifanyone
abuseshimorinitiatesafightheshouldrespondbysaying:‘Iamfasting,mybrother,
Iamfasting.’”(AlBukhari)
Peopletrytofindreplacementsforthefoodanddrinksandotherthingsthattheyhave
givenup–replacementswhichtheythinkdonotharmthefastinanywaythinkingthat
theymakeiteasyforthemtospendthetimeofthefast.Theywillplaycards,readnovels
andplays,listentosongs,watchmoviesandgossipwiththeirfriendsandiftheyarenot
abletodothese,theywouldendupbackbiting.
SometimesapersondoesnotfastforGod;hefastsmerelytoprotecthimselffromthe
criticismandcondemnationofhisfamilymembersandfriendsandsometimeshe
undertakesthehardshipoffastingtopretendreligiosity.Thistoodamagesthereal
objectiveofthefast.