Fasting – the Blessed Opportunity to Gain Allah’s Mercy

“O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may become God-Fearing” (Holy Quran 2:183)

Glad tidings to all the Muslims across the globe for we are about to welcome another Blessed Ramadan after a few days. Yes! Indeed it’s very exciting and I know that just like me, you all are also anxiously waiting for the blessed moments to come in your life when the reward of every good deed will increase manifolds, when we will have the closest connectivity with Allah Almighty while making dues at the time of Iftar, when there will be no fight or quarrel between any of us, when there will prevail serenity within ourselves and the surroundings and when at the end of 30 days fasting, the reward will unwrap with golden joyful moments of Eid ul Fitr.

Being Muslims, we are blessed indeed to have an entire month of Ramadan specified for fasting. The Arabic word “Saum” translated as “fast” in the English language refers to abstinence from food and drink from the time of Fajr till Maghreb - from dawn till dusk. The basic vision behind Saum or fasting is to let the believers learn the dignified attribute of self restraint and to make them realize the sufferings of those who are deprived of even a morsel of food so that they may become thankful for infinite blessings of Allah Almighty.

Fasting is the blessed opportunity to gain pleasure of Allah Almighty not only for 30 days of Ramadan but for the rest of life, for when we wholeheartedly obey the commands of our Supreme Lord, we will be in a good standing to go ahead likewise even after Ramadan. Another exciting blessing associated with fasting is that it’s the best time to come out of false yet alluring traps of Shaitan. It is Ramadan, the month of Fasting when the Shaitan is chained, the gates of Heaven are opened, and the gates of Hell are closed and when our spiritual strength is in complete go to overpower any evil thoughts and desires.

Fasting, as evident from the aforementioned Quranic verse is not only made obligatory on Muslims, but it was prescribed for the followers of all Divine religions i.e. Jews and Christians. Also before the fasting in Ramadan was made compulsory for Muslims, they used to fast in the month of Ashura which was afterwards made optional.

“Hazrat Aisha (Radi Allahu Anha) reported that Allah's Apostle (PBUH) ordered (the Muslims) to fast on the day of 'Ashura', and when fasting in the month of Ramadan was prescribed, it became optional for one to fast on that day ('Ashura') or not.”  (Sahih Bukhari)

Besides, the month of Ramadan, Muslim Ummah is also encouraged to fast in other Islamic months especially Sha’ban – the month preceding Ramadan.

“ Hazrat Aisha (Radi Allahu Anha) narrated that Allah's Apostle (PBUH) used to fast till one would say that He (PBUH) would never stop fasting, and He (PBUH) would abandon fasting till one would say that HE (PBUH) would never fast. I never saw Allah's Apostle (PBUH) fasting for a whole month except the month of Ramadan, and did not see him fasting in any month more than in the month of Sha’ban.”  (Sahih Bukhari)

Fasting is a fantastic opportunity for us all to make ourselves humble in our dealings since any tinge of treachery or any word of anger or abuse may lead towards invalidating the fast as well as bringing towards Allah’s anger. Therefore during fast we need to follow a set of protocols. Anger, vain talk, lying should be strictly avoided and if someone tries to infuriate you and forces towards displaying the same anger and resentment, the best strategy as advised by the Holy Prophet (PBUH) is to say  “I am fasting” as narrated by Hazrat Abu Huraira (Radi Allahu Anho) in the following Hadith,

Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) said, "Fasting is a shield (or a screen or a shelter). So, the person observing fasting should avoid sexual relation with his wife and should not behave foolishly and impudently, and if somebody fights with him or abuses him, he should tell him twice, 'I am fasting." The Prophet added, "By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, the smell coming out from the mouth of a fasting person is better in the sight of Allah than the smell of musk. (Allah says about the fasting person), 'He has left his food, drink and desires for My sake. The fast is for Me. So I will reward (the fasting person) for it and the reward of good deeds is multiplied ten times."  (Sahih Bukhari)

Fasting in fact is a complete source of Divine Bliss and Pleasure. To achieve this esteemed honor, we should try to add as much goodness as possible in our accounts of deeds by following all the protocols of this 4^th fundamental pillar of Islam.