Two Hadith illustrate the true spirit of
Ramzan, the month of fasting. The Prophet forbade believers from engaging in
uninterrupted fasting (Sahih Muslim). He also said, ‘Beware of continuous fast.
Beware of continuous fast.’ (Al Muwatta)
The focus of this month is to train the
believer. It is not to accumulate rewards by increasing the number of fasts
observed, because if that were the case, the Prophet of Islam would not have
discouraged continuous fasting. The purpose of fasting is rather, to be an annual
refresher course, for training the mind of the believer, so that he may become
a spiritual member of society.
Ramzan is considered a month of restraint when
an adherent of Islam strives to foster good wishes and care for humankind and
develop piety in himself. The Prophet once exclaimed, “It is not good for a man
upon whom Ramzan enters and then passes, before he was purified.”
(At-Tirmidhi). This purification becomes internalised for a whole lifetime as
the believer undergoes ‘training’ fast for a specified period of time during
Ramzan.
Abstinence from food and water is a symbolic
act. It, in effect, represents a resolve that, just as we relinquish food and
water for a month, we shall henceforth, similarly abstain forever from any
practice deemed as spiritually undesirable. While the ‘training’ fast lasts for
a month, the ‘real’ fast continues for a lifetime. The meaning of the real fast
is to give up negativity, malice and hatred for life. We must refrain from
feeling offended by, and vengeful and negative towards fellow human beings.
The actual focus of Ramzan is to train the
mind of the believer on spiritual principles which can be applied in everyday
life. While the Prophet of Islam referred to fasting as a short-term symbolic
activity, he did not say this of acts that call for ridding one’s mind of
negative thinking, refraining from anger, and so on. All such forms of
restraint are to be eternally observed.
According to a Hadith, a person once asked the
Prophet of Islam for a master advice. The Prophet replied, “Do not be angry!”
(Al Bukhari). The Prophet certainly encouraged leaving off anger for one’s
lifetime, just like other negative compulsions, such as hatred, revenge and
malice. Shunning these evils is an act of ‘fasting’ and this must last an
entire lifetime.
Observing fasts during Ramzan, bearing in mind
all of the above, is akin to revolutionising one’s life to the point of
consciously undertaking a renewed spiritual journey. The Quran alludes to this:
“Colour yourself in the hue of God!” (2:138). Spirituality and positive
thinking are the hues of God. During Ramzan, man imbibes the desired spiritual
principles, which he is subsequently expected to observe in his personal,
societal and national affairs for the rest of his life.
For a believer, Ramzan is a process of
rejuvenation, with the power to become a guide for life – teaching him to
abstain from all that is negative and violent and to adopt that which is
peaceful and positive. One who has observed the fasts of Ramzan in their true
spirit can count on being able to draw upon the reservoir of resilience he has
built up and the power of patience and gratitude inculcated in him, which will
stand by him whenever he is faced with any kind of adversity.
