The month of Ramadan has come up on us again. For some it would be the first time they would be venturing into and exercising their Ramadan duties. During this blessed month, Muslims all over the world abstain from food, drink, and other physical needs during the daylight hours; but Ramadan is much more than that.
Ramadan is not just about holding off food and drink. Beyond such physical restraints, it is also a time to purify one’s being, refocus attention on God, and practice patience and self-sacrifice.
During Ramadan, every part of the body must be restrained. The tongue must be restrained from backbiting and gossip. The eyes must restrain themselves from looking at unlawful things. The hand must not touch or take anything that does not belong to it. The ears must refrain from listening to idle talk or obscene words. The feet must refrain from going to sinful places. In such a way, every part of one’s body submits to the conditions of the fast.
Spiritually, we are called upon to use this month to re-evaluate our lives in light of Islamic guidance. We are to make peace with those who have wronged us, strengthen ties with family and friends, do away with bad habits — essentially to clean up our lives, our thoughts, and our feelings. This month is also a means of making some of us understand the trials and tribulations of the less fortunate who suffer from lack of food and drink not just during this month.
“Siyam”, the Arabic word for “fasting” literally means, “to refrain”. That restriction does not apply only to food and drink, but from evil actions, thoughts, and words.
Therefore, fasting is not merely physical, but is rather the total commitment of the person’s body and soul to the spirit of the fast. Ramadan is a time to practice self-restraint; a time to cleanse the body and soul of impurities and refocus one’s self on the worship of God.
Ramadan is not a time to exercise one’s impatience or aggressive behavior, or to look at oneself, as if he or she is the only one fasting and putting up with hardship. It is perhaps a time when our civic sense should be at its peak. So should be our code of ethics and behavior toward others.
Those of us speeding erratically on our roads with not a hint of concern to the plight or safety of others are not practicing Ramadan. Others who boorishly barge in and jump queues because they are fasting are also not observing the sanctity of this month. They are simply not eating and drinking during daylight hours.
By placing others at some level of stress just to appease one’s own desires does not qualify a successful fast. By ignoring work responsibilities and schedules, by sleeping in when duty calls, or by avoiding responsibility toward others does not do for a good Ramadan. Cats and dogs often go without food during daylight hours. But that does not qualify them to be fasting spiritually.
Let us then elevate our consciousness this month to a much higher plateau — one that strives to spiritually guide us toward the care and concern of others who may need our assistance. Let this be a month when our spirit of welfare toward our community is marked by concrete steps that etch our progress.
Let this month not be simply reduced to food or sleep deprivation, for then it would have no spiritual value. Let this indeed be a month of virtue within us.
