Ramadan and Disciplining the Self-III

12/07/2011| IslamWeb

(Continued)

Ramadan is a great opportunity to overcome your soul and control all your desires. During this month, Allah The Almighty has prescribed fasting, which is the most beneficial means of disciplining the soul. Fasting means to abstain from food, drink and sexual relations from the outbreak of dawn until sunset.

This is the desired moderation that the monks failed to achieve in their innovated monasticism. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {And monasticism, which they innovated; We did not prescribe it for them except [that they did so] seeking the approval of Allah . But they did not observe it with due observance.} [Quran 57: 27] They made unlawful to themselves what Allah The Almighty has made lawful. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {O you who have believed, do not prohibit the good things which Allah has made lawful to you and do not transgress. Indeed, Allah does not like transgressors.} [Quran 5: 87]

One of them would deprive himself from eating meat, having sexual intercourse, sleeping during the night or on beds, and so on. These exaggerated practices were imitated by some people at the beginning of Islam and by some of the early Sufis. Such people were far removed from moderation. That is why the Prophet , forbade continuous fasting. When someone argued with him that he used to fast for days on end, he responded: "I am not like you. My Lord provides me with food and drink." [Al-Bukhari]

Most of the scholars are of the opinion, and it is the sound opinion, that continuous fasting is forbidden, not just disliked. This occurs when one abstains from food and drink for two consecutive days. The Prophet, , forbade continuous fasting and said: "When one of you wants to fast continuously, he should do so until the predawn time of the next day." [Al-Bukhari]

The Prophet, , permitted continuous fasting [without eating or drinking] until the pre-dawn hours of the next day. This means that he would have only the pre-dawn meal (Suhoor).

Thus, moderation in fasting is a necessity.

On the other hand, it is blameworthy that one eats whenever he is hungry and drinks whenever he is thirsty and cannot control himself throughout the year. Undoubtedly, such a person will be overcome by himself.

The voluntary night prayer has been prescribed for us, and we have been enjoined to abandon excessive sleep. However, the Prophet, did not spend the whole night in worship without sleeping – except during the last ten nights of Ramadan. This is actually a good and moderate approach. Thus, the Prophet, said: "But I observe fasting (sometimes) and break it (at other times); I perform the night voluntary prayer and sleep; I also marry women. So whoever turns away from my Sunnah (way) is not from me." [Al-Bukhari]

Sexual intercourse is not completely forbidden in Islam; rather, there is a specific time for this and man is required to control himself during the day in Ramadan. When one violates and deliberately has sexual intercourse during the daytime of Ramadan, he is required to offer expiation by freeing a slave, fasting two consecutive months or feeding sixty poor persons. This grave expiation is to urge man to control himself.

It is prescribed for us not to engage in needless and idle talk during Ramadan. In a Hadeeth, the Prophet, , said: "When one of you is fasting, he should neither shout nor engage in obscene talk." In another Hadeeth, the Prophet, , said: "If someone insults him, he should say, 'I am fasting, I am fasting.'" [Al-Bukhari]

For further warning against backbiting, talebearing and false speech, the Prophet, , said: "Whoever does not give up false speech and acting upon it as well as foolish deeds, Allah does not need him to give up his food and drink." [Al-Bukhari]

Thus, committing grave sins during the daytime of Ramadan takes away the reward of fasting and renders it unacceptable. Fasting has been prescribed so that one achieves righteousness, as Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous.} [Quran 2: 183]

(To be continued)