Importance of fasting during Ramzan

Islam is built on five pillars. The middle and very important pillar is unifying with God. Believing in oneness with God and professing it by saying, ‘There is no God except Allah-the one who creates and nourishes the world’. And by professing this statement, man become a servant to Allah. Then the other four pillars have to build. They are: (i) performing prayers five times, (ii) giving charity to the poor, (iii) fasting in the month of Ramzan and (iv) going on pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in one’s lifetime. 

Look into fasting in the month of Ramzan, it is the order of Allah as revealed to the Prophet Muhammed in the Holy Quran, “Those who believe fasting in the month of Ramzan has been made obligatory on you, as it had been made obligatory on the people before  you so that you may safeguard yourself.” (183-Chapter Al Baqara) This verse clearly states that fasting is not a new thing to the people. Before Islam made fasting obligatory in the month of Ramzan, every year people used to fast three days every month.

Islam cancelled that practice and introduced fasting in the month of Ramzan. 

Virtues of the month of Ramzan: In the month of Ramzan, Allah sent down the Holy Quran to the Prophet Muhammed. Allah says, “Certainly, we sent it down in the night of greater, it is better than a thousand months.” A good deed in the month of Ramzan is equal to 70 good deeds in other months. 

Fasting is held with good and sincere intentions for the sake of Allah. From dawn to dusk, one has to abstain from eating, drinking and having a sexual life. If one is travelling or is sick, he is advised  to hold fasting on other days. In every action that Islam obligates, there are benefits. Allah clearly talks about those benefits. Allah says that fasting leads to safeguarding from evils and sins. It protects from evils, whim and desire. Prophet Muhammed has said, “Fasting is a protective shield for man, as long as he does not tear up that protection.” Tearing up is construed as telling lies and backbiting. 

Prophet said, “To mention something about your brother behind his back which he would resent is backbiting, even if what he says is true of that person.” If what he says about the brother is false, then it is slandering. '

Benefits of fasting: 

It teaches the principle of true and sincere love. Love of God and doing good for the sake of God. 

It creates hope and optimism. (Prophet Muhammed said, “Whoever prayed in the night of greater (lallathul qadr) with belief in Allah and hoping for reward from Allah, all his sins would be forgiven. 

It inculcates effective devotion, honest dedication.  

It cultivates in him (a devotee) a vigilance and sound conscience. 

It teaches patience and selflessness. 

It creates will power (He prevents himself from eating and drinking even though there are plenty of opportunities to do so, without others knowledge and without external control. 

It creates self control and self assurance. 

It generates in him the true spirit of social belonging and a sense of brotherhood. (Whosoever feeds a fasting person in order to break the fast, for him there shall be forgiveness of his sins and emancipation from the fire of hell). 

It disciplines and keeps the observer healthy. (It controls the cholesterol level of the body, it overhauls the entire digestive system of the body.