Ramadan: Not just Hunger, Thirst

Of course, the blessed month of Ramadan requires fasting for most Muslims. Yet, in our emphasis on refraining from food, drink, and marital relations during the daylight hours, we sometimes forget many other important aspects of this sacred time. Perhaps, it would help us to remember not only the outward act of fasting, but also its underlying purpose:

In order to increase the level of taqwa attained, Muslims should refrain from any behavior that may jeopardize the rewards from fasting. Abu Huraira (ra) reported that the Prophet (pbuh) said: "Fasting is not only abstaining from eating and drinking, but also from vain speech and foul language. If one of you is being cursed or annoyed, he should say: "I am fasting, I am fasting." Abu Huraira (ra) also reported that the Prophet (pbuh) said: "Allah does not need the fast of the person who does not abandon false speech or acting according to his false speech." Frankly, Muslims who engage in lying (even to joke with false statements), backbiting, gossip, spreading rumors, and causing fitna (confusion, dissent) cannot expect their fasts to be acceptable to Allah Subhannahu Wa Ta 'Ala. Because Almighty Allah is Al Haqq, He expects us to be committed to Truth in all our dealings, our speech, and our intentions.

Moreover, we should be mindful that there are Muslims who, through Allah's (S.W.T) Mercy and no fault of their own, are exempt from fasting either temporarily or permanently. This includes those who are ill, traveling, pregnant, breast-feeding, menstruating, or completing post-childbirth bleeding. Believers who are in such conditions respect the fast and find it awkward and embarrassing to have to explain or make excuses about not fasting. It is, therefore, quite insensitive to assume that everyone is fasting during Ramadan by asking fellow Muslims such questions as "Aren't you fasting?" "Isn't fasting wonderful?" or "How is your fast coming along?" In the same vein, it is disconcerting to discover that some Muslims seem to assume that their fasting and making salatul tarawih guarantees them spiritual superiority over those who are exempt from fasting. After all, intentions, truthfulness, peacefulness, and avoiding disruptive behavior throughout the fast are necessary to receive rewards. Abu Huraira (ra) has reported the Prophet (pbuh) as saying: "Perhaps a fasting person will get nothing for his fast save hunger, and perhaps the one who stands to pray at night will get nothing from his standing except sleeplessness."

Certainly everyone in North America knows when the Christians are celebrating their holiday seasons. Yet, how much do we do as Muslims to call attention to our sacred season? Ramadan is an ideal time to offer Dawah, invite neighbors for iftar and explain the fast. Because both Christians and Jews recognize fasting as part of their worship (Christians primarily during Lent, and Jews during Yom Kippur), Ramadan offers some common ground on which to build respect and understanding.

Television news programs often show footage of the lighting of Christmas trees, the singing of Handle's "Messiah", the pope reciting Christmas mass at the Vatican, Jews observing Passover with the traditional sedar meal, or lighting their menorah for Hanukkah. On the other hand, how much do Americans see in the news about Muslims observing their holy month? It is sunnah to make Ramadan the season of extra efforts at reciting, studying, and reading the Qur'an. Therefore, during Ramadan, Islamic centers, weekend schools, full-time schools, and masaajid should conduct recitations, even competitions, as well as salatul tarawih. As Dawah, the local television stations should be invited to videotape segments of such events to be aired on morning, midday, and evening news programs.

The hunger Muslims feel when they fast should prompt them to be especially generous to the poor. Furthermore, those who are permanently exempt from fasting due to medical conditions are required to feed a poor person each day of Ramadan. We learn from the sunnah, that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) viewed Ramadan as a special time for generosity. Imam Bukhari records that Ibn Abbas (ra) said, "The Prophet (pbuh) was the most generous of people, but he would be his most generous during Ramadan when he would meet angel Jibreel. He would meet him every night and recite the Qur'an. When Jibreel met him, he used to be more generous than a fast wind." Thus, offering food to needy families in our neighborhoods or collecting canned goods and dried foods for homeless shelters would reflect the spirit of Ramadan in a very positive light that could open doors for Dawah. In one community last year, Muslim youths visited an orphanage offering clothes and toys after presenting a brief talk about the tenets of Islam and the observances of Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr. Not only was this an excellent method of Dawah, but the Muslim youths left the orphanage deeply touched and more conscious of the blessing of having parents.

'Itikaf (confining oneself to a masjid for salaat and du'a, leaving aside the worldly jobs and matters for a limited number of days) is another activity that can increase the blessings of this special season. It should be noted that although in many communities 'itikaf is only practiced by men, it is perfectly correct and appropriate for Muslim women as well. Narrated A'isha (ra) the wife of the Prophet (pbuh): "The Prophet used to practice 'itikaf in the last ten days of Ramadan till he died, and then his wives used to practice 'itikaf after him. (Sahih Bukhari, volume 3, number 243).