By Syed Ali Asdaq Naqvi
Introduction
Ramaḍān is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar and one of the holiest months in the year for Muslims. It is the only month out of the twelve to be mentioned by name in the Qur’ān:
شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ هُدًى لِّلنَّاسِ… ﴿البقرة: ١٨٥﴾
“The month of Ramaḍān in which the Qur’ān was revealed, a guidance for the people…” [2:185]
Therefore, one of the many reasons this month is revered by Muslims is because Muslims believe that the revelation of the Qur’ān began in this very month. Fasting is thus obligatory on all able-bodied Muslims who are not travelling and are not subject to other conditions during the holy month. It is to note that this is not the only month in which Muslims fast, because there are many recommended (mustaḥabb) throughout the year that are mentioned in prophetic ḥadīth. Ramaḍān, however, is the month in which most Muslims fast and carry out acts of devotion and worship due to it being obligatory in those who satisfy the conditions. Thus, the Qur’ān states:
…فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُمُ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ…
… So, whoever of you witnesses the month, let him fast in it… [2:185]
There are many merits narrated about this sacred month, including that the devils are (metaphorically) chained in this month, that it is the spring season (الربيع) for the Qur’ān since it is recited frequently during this time. Charity is also recommended during the month, and many Muslims will share their food and donate to those less fortunate during this blessed month to honor it and reap the rewards of doing good work in the month.
Etymology
The word Ramaḍān (رمضان) in Arabic comes from the root r-m-ḍ (ر – م – ض), which means intense or blazing heat, since the month would usually occur during the hottest times of the year. Some reports also state that Ramaḍān is one of God’s names, although the scholars of ḥadīth have deemed such reports to be weak. The month existed in the calendar of the pre-Islamic Arabs with the same name. However, we do not find mention of them observing fasts during this month. With the advent of Islām, Muslims started to fast in this month and uphold its holiness due to divine revelation from God.
What does Islām teach us?
There are many wisdoms that have been given as to the reason for fasting. Some Muslims will cite the bodily benefits that are drawn from fasting, while others will mention the spiritual benefits of abstaining from sins and other acts for one whole month (that should be continued throughout the year). Others will cite how this gives them a greater appreciation of what those who are less fortunate go through, which motivates them to be more compassionate towards them and help them in their difficulties. The Qur’ān states:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ ﴿البقرة: ١٨٣﴾
O you who believe! Fasting has been prescribed to you just as it was prescribed to those before you so that you may become God-conscious. [2:183]
So, the Qur’ān does not deny that people prior to Islām fasted. We even find examples of fasting in Jewish and Christian traditions. Although the details and rulings may vary, the concept of fasting is found within all major world religions including Hinduism. In the Old Testament, the Jews are commanded as such:
וַֽיְהִי־ שָׁ֣ם עִם־ יְהוָ֗ה אַרְבָּעִ֥ים יֹום֙ וְאַרְבָּעִ֣ים לַ֔יְלָה לֶ֚חֶם לֹ֣א אָכַ֔ל וּמַ֖יִם לֹ֣א שָׁתָ֑ה וַיִּכְתֹּ֣ב עַל־ הַלֻּחֹ֗ת אֵ֚ת דִּבְרֵ֣י הַבְּרִ֔ית עֲשֶׂ֖רֶת הַדְּבָרִֽים׃
28 Moses was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights without eating bread or drinking water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant—the Ten Commandments.
- Exodus 34:28
Moreover, in the New Testament, we read:
Τότε ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἀνήχθη εἰς τὴν ἔρημον ὑπὸ τοῦ Πνεύματος, πειρασθῆναι ὑπὸ τοῦ διαβόλου. καὶ νηστεύσας ἡμέρας τεσσεράκοντα καὶ τεσσεράκοντα νύκτας ὕστερον ἐπείνασεν.
4 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.
- Matthew 4:1-2
Thus, based on the examples cited above, both Moses and Jesus are said to have fasted for forty days for the sake of God. Some Muslims, in addition to fasting in Ramaḍān, will also continue fasting after the day of Eid (since it is forbidden to fast on the day of Eid) and combine their fast with six more fasts in the month of Shawwāl, the month after Ramaḍān. These six fasts are voluntary, and it is said that fasting in these days is equivalent to fasting all year round. The reason the Qur’ān gives for fasting is for people to become God-conscious. In terms of certain reports that can be cited in explaining some of the wisdoms behind fasting. We shall discuss these in the following section.
The wisdom behind fasting
In the Shī’ī tradition, we find certain reports from the Shī’a Imāms that explain the reasons for fasting in Ramaḍān. Let us share some of the reasons here:
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْعَبَّاسِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا الْقَاسِمُ بْنُ الرَّبِيعِ الصَّحَّافُ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ أَنَّ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ عَلِيَّ بْنَ مُوسَى الرِّضَا (ع) كَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ فِيمَا كَتَبَ مِنْ جَوَابِ مَسَائِلِهِ عِلَّةُ الصَّوْمِ لِعِرْفَانِ مَسِّ الْجُوعِ وَالْعَطَشِ لِيَكُونَ الْعَبْدُ ذَلِيلًا مُسْتَكِيناً مَأْجُوراً مُحْتَسِباً صَابِراً فَيَكُونَ ذَلِكَ دَلِيلًا عَلَى شَدَائِدِ الْآخِرَةِ مَعَ مَا فِيهِ مِنَ الِانْكِسَارِ لَهُ عَنِ الشَّهَوَاتِ وَاعِظاً لَهُ فِي الْعَاجِلِ دَلِيلًا عَلَى الْآجِلِ لِيَعْلَمَ شِدَّةَ مَبْلَغِ ذَلِكَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْفَقْرِ وَالْمَسْكَنَةِ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ
Imām Abū al-Ḥasan ‘Alī b. Mūsā al-Riḍā (8th Shī’a Imām), peace be upon him, wrote to someone in answer to some questions. (One was the reason for fasting). The reason for fasting is to know how it feels to be touched by hunger and thirst so that the servant (of God) may be submissive and tranquil, rewarded, accountable, patient, and so that it may be a proof of the difficulties of the hereafter along with what the fasting has of averting him from vain desires and a reminder for him in this world and a proof of the next word. This is so that he may know the difficulty of what the needy people and destitute go through in this world and the hereafter.
- ‘Ilal al-Sharā’i, vol. 2, p. 378, ‘Uyūn ʾAkhbār al-Riḍā, vol. 2, p. 91, Man Lā Yaḥḍuruhu al-Faqīh, no. 1767
Another report mentions:
وَعَنْهُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْكُوفِيُّ عَنِ الْبَرْمَكِيِّ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْعَبَّاسِ عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامُ بْنُ الْحَكَمِ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ (ع) عَنْ عِلَّةِ الصِّيَامِ قَالَ الْعِلَّةُ فِي الصِّيَامِ لِيَسْتَوِيَ بِهِ الْفَقِيرُ وَالْغَنِيُّ وَذَلِكَ لِأَنَّ الْغَنِيَّ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِيَجِدَ مَسَّ الْجُوعِ فَيَرْحَمَ الْفَقِيرَ لِأَنَّ الْغَنِيَّ كُلَّمَا أَرَادَ شَيْئاً قَدَرَ عَلَيْهِ فَأَرَادَ اللَّهُ أَنْ يُسَوِّيَ بَيْنَ خَلْقِهِ وَأَنْ يُذِيقَ الْغَنِيَّ مَسَّ الْجُوعِ وَالْأَلَمِ لِيَرِقَّ عَلَى الضَّعِيفِ وَيَرْحَمَ الْجَائِعَ فَأَجَابَنِي بِمِثْلِ جَوَابِ أَبِيهِ
The narrator says that I asked Abū ‘Abdillāh (6th Shī’a Imām) about the reason for fasting. The Imām replied, “so that by it the poor and the rich are made equal. This is because the affluent person does not have to face hunger so that he may be merciful towards the poor person, since whenever the affluent person wants to do something, he is capable of it. So, God wanted to do equity between his creation and to make the affluent person taste the touch of hunger and pain so that he may be more compassionate towards the weak person and may be merciful towards the hungry person.” So, the Imām replied to me just as his father (the 5th Imām had done).
- ‘Ilal al-Sharā’i, vol. 2, p. 378, Faḍā’il al-Ashur al-Thalātha, p. 102, Man Lā Yaḥḍuruhu al-Faqīh, no. 1766
Suḥūr and Ifṭār
The Suḥūr is when Muslims eat and drink before the Fajr prayer just before the fast starts, so that they are ready to fast for the day. The Iftār is after sunset at the time of Maghrib prayer when Muslim families gather to break their fast together. Even this act of devotion of waking up in the morning to eat and pray and then finally gathering as a family and community to sometimes break the fast at the mosque or at homes is a way of bringing people together and connecting them. The Qur’ān mentions:
…وَابْتَغُوا مَا كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ وَكُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ الْخَيْطُ الْأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الْخَيْطِ الْأَسْوَدِ مِنَ الْفَجْرِ ثُمَّ أَتِمُّوا الصِّيَامَ إِلَى اللَّيْلِ… ﴿البقرة: ١٨٧﴾
… and seek what God has prescribed for you and eat and drink until the white thread is distinct for you from the black thread of dawn. Then, complete your fast till the nighttime… [2:187]
The martyrdom of ‘Alī, peace be upon him
There are many other important events that have taken place in this month. Ramaḍān is also the month in which the martyrdom of the first Shī’ī Imām and the fourth rightly guided caliph for the Sunnī Muslims, ‘Alī b. Abī Ṭālib, peace be upon him, took place. He was martyred by a Kharijite, and his martyrdom is said to have been predicted by the Prophet (ṣ) as is found in several reports in both Sunnī and Shī’a sources. He was struck on the 19th of Ramaḍān by a sword while praying the morning prayer and passed away on the 21st of the month. Shī’a Muslims mourn the martyrdom of ‘Alī, peace be upon him, just as they mourn the martyrdom of the other Imāms from his lineage.
The night of destiny
The Qur’ān talks about the revelation of the Qur’ān in the night of destiny:
إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ ﴿القدر: ١﴾
Surely, we revealed it [i.e., the Qur’ān] in the night of destiny. [97:1]
It then states about the night’s merit:
لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِّنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ ﴿القدر: ٣﴾
The night of destiny is better than a thousand months. [97:3]
Muslim traditions reported from the Prophet (ṣ), the Imāms from his progeny, his companions and so on discuss the night of destiny and mostly agree that the night falls someone in the last ten nights of Ramaḍān. This would mean that the Qur’ān was also revealed in the last ten nights. Some state that these are the odd nights out of the ten, meaning the 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th and 29th and that one may find the night of destiny in any of them. Muslims will worship in these nights to get the reward of more than a thousand months. Worship is highly recommended, and there are many different statements from the righteous predecessors (salaf) as to the exact date on which this night falls. Some reports in the Sunnī tradition mention that the Prophet(ṣ) was told by God about the exact night but was caused to forget it (see: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, no. 1167). However, there are numerous statements which say that the night falls on one of the last three nights or that it is the 21st. The reason for the date being ambiguous according to some Muslims is so that a person makes the most out of all these nights and worships in all of them sincerely.
Tahajjud / Tarāwīḥ
Recitation of the Qur’ān during Ramaḍān is highly stressed, with many prophetic ḥadīth stressing recitation of the Qur’ān in the month. In addition to fasting during the day and praying during the nights, many Muslims will perform other voluntary prayers known as Tarāwīḥ prayers which are found in certain reports. Muslims will listen and recite the Qur’ān during these prayers and the recitation of the entire Qur’ān is completed in these 30 nights. For Shī’a Muslims, they do not pray the Tarāwīḥ prayer in the mosque and have their own prayers at home which amount to 1000 units (raka’ahs) of prayer to be prayed during the 30 nights. However, in both cases, we find that voluntary prayers are observed, and Muslims stay up late into the night in devotion to God and try to connect to him through prayer.
Spiritual retreat (‘itikāf)
In addition to all these practices, some Muslims will perform ‘itikāf, which is a practice where Muslims will sometimes voluntarily stay at a mosque for the last 10 days of Ramaḍān for worship, with no contact with the outside world and only performing acts of worship in the duration of their stay. There are many jurisprudential (fiqhī) rules associated with ‘itikāf that must be observed for it to be considered valid.
Fiṭrah and Eid al-Fiṭr
At the end of the month, Muslims will celebrate the holiday of Eid. There are two Eids that Muslims celebrate universally, Eid al-Aḍḥā, which is the holiday of sacrifice, and Eid al-Fiṭr, which is the holiday of the end of fasting and in which many Muslims who meet the conditions also pay the Zakat al-Fiṭr. This all part of the overall message of developing compassion for those in need and helping them out, becoming spiritually uplifted and continuing these actions not only in this month alone but in the other 11 months of the year as well.
Some narrations about the spiritual side of fasting
One must know that fasting is not only to do with forsaking food and drink, but it goes much deeper than this. All the month is surrounded in worship and devotion to God, and one must make sure that their tongue, mind, and heart also fast along with their body. The 4th Shī’a Imām discusses fasting in this manner:
وَأَمَّا حَقُّ الصَّوْمِ فَأَنْ تَعْلَمَ أَنَّهُ حِجابٌ ضَرَبَهُ اللهُ عَلَى لِسَانِكَ وَسمْعِكَ وبَصَرِكَ وَفَرْجِكَ وبَطْنِكَ لِيَسْتر’َكَ بهِ مِن النَّارِ وَهَكَذَا جَاءَ فِي الْحَديثِ «الصَّوْمُ جُنَّةٌ مِنَ النّارِ» فإنْ سكَنَتْ أَطْرَافُكَ فِي حَجَبَتِهَا رَجَوْتَ أَنْ تَكُونَ مَحْجُوبًا. وَإنْ أَنْتَ تَرَكْتَهَا تَضْطَرِبُ فِي حِجَابهَا وتَرْفَعُ جَنَبَاتِ الْحِجَاب فَتُطّلِعُ إلَى مَا لَيْسَ لَهَا بالنَّظْرَةِ الدَّاعِيةِ لِلشَّهْوَةِ وَالقُوَّةِ الْخَارِجَةِ عَنْ حَدِّ التَّقِيَّةِ للهِ لَمْ تَأمَنْ أَنْ تَخرِقَ الْحِجَابَ وَتَخرُجَ مِنْهُ. وَلا قُوَّةَ إلا باللهِ.
As for the right of fasting, then it is that you know that it is a veil which God has put over your tongue, ears, chastity, and stomach so that he may guard you from the hellfire by it. Thus, it has come in the ḥadīth, “fasting is a shield from the hellfire.” So, if your sides remain stationary in the veil you will hope to be veiled. But if you leave it you will shake in the veil and you will lift the sides of the veil and look at what is not lawful for you and calls towards vain desires and powers that are outside the domain of fear of God. You will then not be safe from tearing the veil and exiting it. There is no power save with God.
- Tuḥaf al-‘Uqūl, pp. 258 – 259, al-Amālī by al-Ṣadūq, no. 610, al-Khiṣāl, p. 566 etc.
The Prophet(ṣ) is reported to have said:
يا جَابِرُ! هَذا شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ؛ مَن صَامَ نَهارَهُ وَقَامَ وِرْداً مِن لَيْلِه وَعَفَّ بَطْنَهُ وَفَرْجَهُ وَكَفَّ لِسانَهُ خَرَجَ مِن ذُنُوبِه كَخُروجِهِ مِن الشَّهْرِ. فَقالَ جابِرُ: يا رَسُولَ الله! مَا أحْسَنَ هَذا الحَدِيثَ. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلّى اللهُ علَيه وآلِه: يا جَابِرُ! ومَا أَشَدَّ هَذِه الشُّرُوطَ.
O Jābir! This is the month of Ramaḍān. Whoever fasts in its daytime and stands in prayer during its night and remains pure regarding his stomach and chastity, and restrains his tongue, exits sins just as he exits the month.” Jābir said, “Messenger of Allāh, how good are these words!” The Messenger of Allāh(ṣ) replied, “O Jābir! How difficult are these conditions!”
- al-Kāfī, vol. 4, p. 87, Tahdhīb al-Aḥkām, vol. 4, p. 196 etc.
The 1st Shī’a Imām, ‘Alī (as), states:
كَم مِن صَائِمٍ ليسَ لهُ مِن صِيامِهِ إلاّ الجُوعُ وَالظَّمَأ، وَكَم مِن قائِمٍ لَيسَ له إلاّ السَّهَرُ وَالعَناءُ. حَبَّذا نَومُ الأكْياسِ وإفْطارُهُم.
How many people who fast do not gain anything from their fast except hunger and thirst, and how many people who stand up in prayer do not get anything except sleeplessness and suffering. How good is the sleep of the wise ones as well as their breaking of the fast!
- Nahj al-Balāgha, vol. 4, p. 35, Khaṣā’iṣ al-A’immah, p. 104, Rawḍat al-Muttaqīn, p. 350, Musnad Aḥmad, no. 241 (from the Prophet)
He also states:
إنَّما هوَ عِيدٌ لمَنْ قَبِلَ اللهُ صِيامَهُ وَشَكَرَ قِيامَهُ، وكُلُّ يَومٍ لا يُعصَى اللهُ فيهِ فَهوَ عِيدٌ.
The Eid is only for the one whose fast is accepted and his standing in prayer is lauded. Every day in which God is not disobeyed is an Eid.
- Nahj al-Balāgha, vol. 4, p. 100, Rawḍat al-Muttaqīn, p. 354
It is reported from the 6th Imām:
عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنِ النَّضْرِ بْنِ سُوَيْدٍ عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ سُلَيْمَانَ عَنْ جَرَّاحٍ الْمَدَائِنِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) قَالَ إِنَّ الصِّيَامَ لَيْسَ مِنَ الطَّعَامِ وَالشَّرَابِ وَحْدَهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ قَالَتْ مَرْيَمُ إِنِّي نَذَرْتُ لِلرَّحْمنِ صَوْماً أَيْ صَوْماً صَمْتاً وَفِي نُسْخَةٍ أُخْرَى أَيْ صَمْتاً فَإِذَا صُمْتُمْ فَاحْفَظُوا أَلْسِنَتَكُمْ وَغُضُّوا أَبْصَارَكُمْ وَلا تَنَازَعُوا وَلا تَحَاسَدُوا قَالَ وَسَمِعَ رَسُولُ الله (صلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) امْرَأَةً تَسُبُّ جَارِيَةً لَهَا وَهِيَ صَائِمَةٌ فَدَعَا رَسُولُ الله (صلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) بِطَعَامٍ فَقَالَ لَهَا كُلِي فَقَالَتْ إِنِّي صَائِمَةٌ فَقَالَ كَيْفَ تَكُونِينَ صَائِمَةً وَقَدْ سَبَبْتِ جَارِيَتَكِ إِنَّ الصَّوْمَ لَيْسَ مِنَ الطَّعَامِ وَالشَّرَابِ قَالَ وَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم) إِذَا صُمْتَ فَلْيَصُمْ سَمْعُكَ وَبَصَرُكَ مِنَ الْحَرَامِ وَالْقَبِيحِ وَدَعِ الْمِرَاءَ وَأَذَى الْخَادِمِ وَلْيَكُنْ عَلَيْكَ وَقَارُ الصِّيَامِ وَلا تَجْعَلْ يَوْمَ صَوْمِكَ كَيَوْمِ فِطْرِكَ.
Abū ‘Abdillāh, peace be upon him, said, “fasting is not from food and drink alone.” Then he said, “Mary said, ‘I make a vow to the Most Merciful to fast.’ [19:26] Meaning, a fast to remain silent.’ So, when you fast, guard your tongues and lower your gazes (from looking at what is forbidden) and do not quarrel or be jealous of one another.” The Imām further said, “The Messenger of Allāh (ṣ) heard of a woman who insulted a maid of hers while she was fasting. So, the Messenger of Allāh (ṣ) brought some food and said to her, ‘eat.’ She said, ‘I am fasting.’ So, he replied, ‘how are you fasting when you have insulted your maid? Fasting is not from food and drink.’” Also, Abū ‘Abdillāh, peace be upon him, has said, “when you fast, then let your ears and eyes fast from what is impermissible and obscene. Also, leave quarreling and hurting the servant. You should have the dignity of fasting showing on your and do not make the day you fast like the day you are not fasting.
- al-Kāfī, vol. 4, 87, Man Lā Yaḥḍuruhu al-Faqīh, no. 1855 & 1862, Tahdhīb al-Aḥkām, vol. 4, p. 194
Some Scholarly Sayings on Fasting
The Shī’ī scholar al-Narāqī writes:
ینبغی للصائم ان یغض بصره عن کل ما یحرم النظر إلیه، او یکره، أو یشغل القلب ویلهیه عن ذکر اللّه تعالی، ویحفظ اللسان عن جمیع آفاته المتقدمة، ویکف السمع عن کل ما یحرم او یکره استماعه، ویکف بطنه عن الحرام والشبهات، ویکف سائر جوارحه عن المکاره.
So, the person who fasts should lower their gaze from everything that it is impermissible to look at, or is disliked, or preoccupies their heart or causes it to be negligent of the remembrance of God almighty. They should also guard their tongue from all the previously mentioned faults and should restrain their ears from whatever is impermissible or disliked to listen to, and restrain their stomach from the impermissible and dubious matters, and restrain all other both parts from disliked matters.
- Jāmi’ al-Sa’ādāt, vol. 3, p. 380
So, fasting is not just about abstaining from food and drink, but more about focusing inwards and protecting oneself against spiritual impurities. The month is about remembering God and sacrificing our daily routines to remember him and his blessings, since humans in general only value things when they lack them. In this way, when we as humans will even lack the basics of food and drink in the daytime, we will value them more as being blessings and sustenance from God that we should be thankful for and share with others.
The Sunnī scholar al-Ghazālī states in the Alchemy of Happiness (in Persian):
و دو خاصیت است روزه را که بدان مستحق این نسبت است: یکی آنکه حقیقت وی ناکردن و باز داشتن است، و این باطن است و از چشمها پوشیده و ریا را به وی راه نَبُوَد، چه، به شب نیّت کند. و دیگر آنکه دشمن خدای تعالی – ابلیس – است؛ چه، لشکر وی شهوات است، و روزه لشکر وی را بشکند، که حقیقت وی ترک شهوات است. و برای این رسول (ص) گفت که شیطان در درون آدمی روان است، چون خون در تن وی: باید که راه گذر بر وی تنگ بکنی به گرسنگی.
There are two special traits of fasting. One is abstinence, this is interior and hidden from the eyes of people and cannot be used to show off. This is because a person intends it by night. The other is that the enemy of God Almighty is Iblīs. His armies are the futile desires and the fast defeats his armies since the reality of fasting is forsaking vain desires. Therefore, the Messenger(ṣ) has said that Satan runs inside humans just as blood runs in his body. So, you must make his pathway constricted with hunger.
- Kīmīya-i-Sa’ādat, vol. 1, p. 208
The Sunnī scholar Ibn al-Jawzī states regarding fasting:
وَلِلصَّوْمِ آدَابٌ يَجْمَعُهَا: حِفْظُ الْجَوَارِحِ الظَّاهِرَةِ وَحِرَاسَةُ الْخَوَاطِرِ الْبَاطِنَةِ، فَيَنْبَغِي أَنْ يُتَلقَّى رَمَضَانُ بِتَوْبَةٍ صَادِقَةٍ وَعَزِيمَةٍ مُوَافِقَةٍ. وَيَنْبَغِي تَقْدِيمُ النِّيَّةِ وَهِيَ لازِمَةٌ فِي كُلِّ لَيْلَةٍ، وَلا بُدَّ مِنْ مُلازَمَةِ الصَّمْتِ عَنِ الْكَلامِ الْفَاحِشِ وَالْغِيبَةِ فَإِنَّهُ مَا صَامَ مَنْ ظَلَّ يَأْكُلُ لُحُومَ النَّاسِ، وَكَفُّ الْبَصَرِ عَنِ النَّظَرِ إِلَى الْحَرَامِ، وَيَلْزَمُ الْحَذَرَ مِنْ تِكْرَارِ النَّظَرِ إِلَى الْحَلالِ.
And there are some etiquettes to fasting, which are: protecting the apparent limbs and guarding the inner thoughts. So, one must start Ramaḍān with true repentance and a determination of accordance. It is also necessary to put forward the intention, this is necessary every night. Moreover, one must conform to silence regarding foul speech and backbiting, because the one who eats the flesh of people (i.e., backbites) has not fasted. One must restrain the eyesight from looking at what is impermissible and must be alert about repetitively looking at what is permissible.
- al-Tabṣirah, vol. 2, p. 74
Ibn al-Qayyim says:
فالصوم هو صوم الجوارح عن الآثام وصوم البطن عن الشراب والطعام، فكما أن الطعام والشراب يقطعه ويفسده فهكذا الآثام تقطع ثوابه وتفسد ثمرته، فتصيره بمنزلة من لم يصم.
So, fasting is the fasting of the limbs from sins and the fasting of the stomach from drink and food. So, just as food and drink makes the fast void and corrupt, similarly do sins make the reward void and rotten the fruit (of the fast). So, such a person becomes like the one who did not fast.
- al-Wābil al-Ṣayyib, pp. 27 – 28
There is also a report (whose authenticity is disputed) which states:
نوم الصائم عبادة
The sleep of the fasting person is (also an act of) worship.
- al-Maḥāsin, vol. 1, p. 72, Qurb al-Isnād, no. 324, al-Kāfī, vol. 4, p. 64, Da’ā’im al-Islām, vol. 1, p. 270, Thawāb al-A’māl, p. 51, Man Lā Yaḥḍuruhu al-Faqīh, no. 1783, Tahdhīb al-Aḥkām, vol. 4, p. 190, Shu’b al-Īmān, no. 3652 – 3653
This report, although disputed in its attribution to the Prophet(ṣ), shows that every act the fasting person performs is transformed into an act of worship. This is because during his or her state of fasting, the person is in complete submission to God, and anything done in complete submission to God, even if it be sleep, is an act of worship. This is the essence of Islām and its conception of worship because worship is not limited prayer or fasting alone, but every act can be converted into worship if done for God’s pleasure.
There are many other verses, ḥadīth, statements of scholars and beneficial points that one could cite in relation to fasting, the month of Ramaḍān, but we suffice with this much.
Conclusion
We have discussed the main features of the holy month of Ramaḍān and some of the wisdoms and philosophical aspects of why Muslims worship the way they do in this month. Taking all of this into consideration, one must know that Ramaḍān is not merely about fasting and feasting, but it has deep spiritual and symbolic significance within the significance. It represents the internal struggle, the greater jihād (الجهاد الأكبر) that all of us go through in our day to day lives.
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