By:
Nurudeen Dauda
nurudeendauda24@gmail.com
nurudeendauda24@yahoo.com
nurudeendauda.blogspot.com
Alhamdulillah for sparing our lives to witness this year's Ramadan. We thank the Almighty Allah for making us muslims! We thank the Almighty Allah for giving us the month of Ramadan, the greatest month. We thank the Almighty Allah for giving us the greatest "night" once in a year in this month of Ramadan. Allahu Akbar! Alhamdulillah!
Sawm (Fasting) literally means total abstinence from all
food, drinks and sexual desires from Dawn to sunset with the intention of Ibada
(worship). This includes all kinds of food, drinks, and things like cigarettes
etc., before the break of the Dawn till sunset, during the entire month of
Ramadan which is the ninth month of the Islamic year. However, the following
are some of the social benefits of fasting:
(1) The month of Ramadan has some social benefits to
muslims; such as: giving us feeling of "sympathy" with the
"poor" and "hungry". Anyone who has experienced the pangs
of hunger while fasting must "sympathize" with the "poor"
and the homeless refugees to whom hunger is a common experience. The poor and
the hungry habitually experience the pangs of hunger throughout the year. The
rich and the powerful among the muslims only experience hunger while fasting.
Accordingly, If not for the month of Ramadan the rich men
will hardly know what is called hunger or poverty, but for Ramadan, the rich
and the powerful abstain from eating and drinking from Dawn to Dusk not because
of poverty, but in obedience to Allah. The feeling of "thirst" and
"hunger" is a routine exercise by the poor while the rich only
experiences it in the month of Ramadan. Alhamdulillah for the blessings of
Islam!
(2) The month of Ramadan promotes "patience" and
"selflessness" because the muslims deprive themselves of essential
commodities and pleasures in "obedience" to the Almighty Allah. This
will consequently, make us feel for and sympathize with other people who
experience "needs" and "deprivations" perpetually.
(3) It promotes self-control: as muslims fast, they are
expected to control their own tempers, they are expected to remain calm and
refrain from harming others, verbally and/or physically. The month of Ramadan
promotes self restraint among muslims. Even if one is highly provoked in this
greatest month he or she is expected to state in clear terms that "I am
fasting". Abu Hurayrah narrated that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said:“Fasting
is a shield, so when one of you is fasting, he should neither indulge in obscene
language nor should he raise his voice in anger. If someone attacks him or
insults him, let him say: I am fasting”.(Muslim). Alhamdulillah for making us
muslims!
(4) The month of Ramadan injects us with discipline. It
brings discipline in our lives which otherwise we cannot have and see in our
lives. To spend a life with discipline is the most difficult thing. But a
muslim can make his life an example for others with respect to discipline. When
a person observes the regular course of fasting in consecutive days of the Holy
month of Ramadan and in the months of the consecutive years, he is certainly
applying himself to a high form of discipline and a superb sense of order.
(5) The month of Ramadan promotes unity, Brotherhood and
charity among muslims. The fast of Ramadan helps the muslims to be aware of
their unity. From the moment the new moon is seen, the whole muslim world
enters into the spiritual discipline of fasting. Mutual awareness and mutual
sympathy between muslims is increased. We try doing more acts of charity
towards each other. Alhamdulillah for making us muslims!
(6) The month of Ramadan promotes moral up rights, muslims
bear in their minds that back-biting, Gossip, Quarrelling and so on can take
away the spiritual benefits and reward of their fasting, as shown in a Hadith
from Abu Hurayrah in which the Prophet is reported to have said: “if a person
does not keep away from falsehood and false conduct Allah has no need of his
fast.” (Bukhari).
(7) The month of Ramadan shows muslims new way of wise
savings and sound budgeting; because normally when he or she eats less
quantities or less meals he or she spends less money and effort. And this is a
spiritual semester of home economics and budgeting. More so, wise savings and
sound budgeting is very important in ones life.
May the Almighty Allah accept our Fasting!
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