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and opportunities to be appreciative. God asks us to fast, for it has many physical as well as spiritual benefits. Fasting also remits our sins. It is best for us “if we only knew”. He designed us and He knows what is best for our bodies and for our souls.
[2:183] O you who believe, fasting is decreed for you, as it was decreed for those before you, that you may attain salvation.
Ramadan is a quiet and peaceful month. In this month the atmosphere becomes very favourable for meditation, for reflecting on our deeds, for becoming more reverent, for Quran study and for identifying personal weaknesses. We know that God does not necessarily give us what we desire but He grants us that which is necessary for us. Therefore, we must imbibe the habit of appreciating the blessings of God.
[14:34] And He gives you all kinds of things that you implore Him for. If you count GOD's blessings, you can never encompass them. Indeed, the human being is transgressing, unappreciative.
God brought us into this world knowing nothing. He gave us the sense of hearing, the eyesight and the brains. And these wonderful bodies with their complex systems. Their functions are unimaginable. But we take it all for granted. We forget the important commandment about eating which is, “Eat Moderately”. Fasting in Ramadan teaches us to adhere to this valuable command of God.
[7:31] O children of Adam, you shall be clean and dress nicely when you go to the masjid. And eat and drink moderately; Surely, He does not love the gluttons.
[16:114] Therefore, you shall eat from God’s provisions everything that is lawful and good,
and be appreciative of God’s blessings if you do worship Him alone.
Ramadan is a practice that gives us an opportunity to remember God and to remember those less fortunate people. When we feel hungry or thirsty on these long hot days, we can immediately remember that the reason we’re not eating or drinking is because God told us to fast. It acknowledges that we are doing this just to please God alone. So, we remember God most of the time in Ramadan. This is a habit we need to continue around the year.
We know that a large percentage of the world’s population faces hunger and thirst every single day. Too many children go to bed hungry. Too many people have to walk miles to fetch drinking water that we wouldn’t consider safe to drink. We are so blessed that we turn on a tap and water flows out of it. I remember some forty years ago when I used to go to my native place for a summer vacation, there was an acute shortage of drinking water. I have seen ladies from my family fetching drinking water from a distance of 1 km away from our house. We have to be more appreciative for the tap water we receive in our homes. We are also blessed that near our house we simply walk into a market and are surrounded by various choices of cereals, snacks, fruits, vegetables, etc. This is a blessing from God. We get an opportunity to thank God every time when our stomach rumbles during Ramadan. All through the year we drink water just for quenching our thirst. But in Ramadan we appreciate the real taste of it when we break the fast after sunset. Therefore, God asks us to be thankful for all the good things He has provided to us. Ramadan makes us more appreciative. This habit we must continue throughout the year; this is one more take away from Ramadan.
[14:7] Your Lord has decreed: “The more you thank Me, the more I give you.” But if you turn unappreciative, then my retribution is severe.
[2:172] “O you who believe, eat from the good things we provided for you, and be thankful to GOD, if you do worship Him alone.”
We know our body is accompanied with a jinn, who tries to instigate our soul.
We need to say to ourselves, “I’m not going to let my body rule my soul. I’m going to tame this unruly body and put my soul in charge”. This capability of controlling our inner desires comes strongly in the month of Ramadan. And we need to carry on this quality until next Ramadan, knowing only God is in full control.
[4:126] To GOD belongs everything in the heavens and the earth. GOD is in full control of all things.
Fasting in Ramadan is very intimidating to non-Muslims. They wonder how we can cope with it in severe hot summers. For us it is nothing less than a miracle that we do it with ease. God has designed our body so well that it adopts the new eating habits and timings within a couple of days. This is indeed a great blessing of God. He knows well the limits of our tolerance.
[2:286] GOD never burdens a soul beyond its means: to its credit is what it earns, and against it is what it commits…
Praise God, it is due to immense mercy and grace of God that we fast with ease to please God. We need to carry on this feeling of trust in God after Ramadan. He not only supports and takes care of us in Ramadan but also supports us always.
[3:160] If GOD supports you, none can defeat you. And if He abandons you, who else can support you? In GOD the believers shall trust.
So, this Ramadan, let’s focus more on spiritual growth, being God conscious, doing more charity and good deeds, responding with good words, and good thoughts. Let’s try to perfect ourselves. I know we can’t be perfect (only God is perfect), but let’s try to be good. Try to be more reverent to God and really grow our souls.
[3:102] O you who believe, you shall observe GOD as He should be observed, and do not die except as Submitters.
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