We must not misunderstand the value of fasting; we have this unique privilege of experiencing an entire month in an atmosphere of purity, contemplation, prayer, and devotion. Abstaining from food and renouncing all desires or sexual activities is, in itself, a great act of worship to the Almighty Creator, Allah.
Allah, the Most Merciful, grants us the opportunity once a year to renew our covenant of faith by revisiting the various aspects of His oneness. We express our gratitude to our Creator for all the gifts and blessings with which He surrounds His creation by obeying His formal command as revealed in the Sublime Quran:
Bismi Allah Arrahmane Arrahim:
“The month of Ramadan is the one in which the Quran was revealed as guidance for people, with clear proofs of guidance and the criterion. So whoever among you witnesses the month, let him fast!” (Verse 185 – Surah Al-Baqara)
I wish to reflect on ibadat as-sawm with the gaze of a believer filled with wonder, for Allah, in His infinite kindness, has given us an irreplaceable opportunity to prove our faith in Him—the One, the All-Knowing!
Fasting from food must be accompanied by a sincere desire to earn Allah’s satisfaction. We cannot fast for an entire month while simultaneously violating the moral guidelines of Islamic conduct.
Once again, we must emphasize that Islam is a complete way of life, and selecting only what suits our sinful souls while neglecting other acts of worship and moral ethics is a grave offense against our faith.
Fasting should increase our patience and power of discernment; it should make us more attentive to the many character flaws that tarnish our faith. We cannot claim to obey Allah by fasting all day while simultaneously disobeying Him in other aspects of our behavior. How many of us fast yet do not hesitate to lie, slander others, or act insolently? Such a fast is unacceptable to the Almighty Allah. The true practice of fasting should help us correct our flaws and rise above our worldly nature to attain a higher level of worship.
We should approach the ibadat of sawm just as we approach the ibadat of salat. One of the pillars of faith is sincerity in worshiping Allah, the One, the All-Knowing. We must reflect deeply on our actions throughout the past year and ensure that the declaration “Shahadat La Ilaha Illa Allah, Muhammad Rasul Allah” truly remains our life’s guiding principle. We must live by this commandment: Obey and do not disobey your Supreme Creator.
Some, in the name of personal freedom, refuse to fast and demand the liberty to disobey their Creator. They are free to do so, but they should not do it with the intent of challenging the piety and faith of those who observe the fast.
And how many of these sinners deprive themselves of great blessings by rejecting this pillar of the Islamic faith! They have no idea what they are losing, both in this life and the hereafter, and how much they deserve our sincere pity.
The month of piety has arrived—welcome to it! May Allah accept our fasting, InshâAllah, and forgive our major and minor sins.
Sawm Makboul Wa Thanb Maghfour InshâAllah!
Translated by IA
