One’s goal is to increase in the worship of God, self-examination and repentance for sins, recitation of the Arabic text of the Quran as well as inculcating its teachings into one’s daily life, and rededication to congregational and private prayers.
Source/Credit: LA Inland Daily Bulletin
By Imam Shamshad A. Nasir | July 21, 2012
For Muslims, fasting is a form of worship meant to produce both physical and spiritual benefits and was prescribed in almost all religions before Islam. Its ultimate purpose as stated in the Holy Qur’an is: “O ye who believe! fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may become righteous.” Although there are vast differences in the modes and methods of fasting among the various faiths, the central theme common to all is that one observes the fast to gain spiritual strength and advancement.
In Islam, the 9th lunar month is called Ramadan and is well-known to non-Muslims as the month of Fasting. For one lunar month (29 or 30 days), healthy adult Muslim men and women will abstain from all food, drink or sexual activities from before sunrise until after sunset.
Because the lunar calendar is 10 days shorter than the solar-based calendar, the month of Ramadan moves back 10 days annually. This year, Ramadan will begin with the sighting of the new moon on the night of July 20th, with the first day of fasting on July 21st. This year the Islamic month of fasting will run for 29 days until Aug.18th, with the end-of-Ramadan celebration (called Eid-ul-Fitr) to be held Sunday, Aug. 19th.
During this blessed month, Muslims awake very early each day, observe the pre-dawn supererogatory prayers (called Tahajjud) and have an early breakfast, finishing an hour and twenty minutes before sunrise. Muslims who are adults and not ill or women who are not pregnant or nursing will observe the fast, abstaining from all food and drink, until sunset.
As the month-long fast in Ramadan is centered on spiritual purification, one’s abstinence from food is not the main objective. One’s goal is to increase in the worship of God, self-examination and repentance for sins, recitation of the Arabic text of the Quran as well as inculcating its teachings into one’s daily life, and rededication to congregational and private prayers.
Muslims are particularly exhorted during Ramadan to avoid vain talk, quarrels and fights, or from indulging in any activities which prevent believers from winning God’s pleasure and bettering their spiritual and moral conditions. In this regard, giving charity, feeding the poor, exercising forgiveness and striving to do good deeds whenever possible are all highly emphasized. During Ramadan, the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) used to spend even more heavily in charity on the poor than he normally did.
Fasting is extremely beneficial because it cultivates and strengthens the believer in his worldly and spiritual life. Among other things, he learns through personal experience what hunger, poverty and discomfort are like for the less fortunate in society. Abstaining from even such practices during the month of Ramadan as are otherwise permissible helps refine the human soul and character.
All are welcome to participate in the fasting (for a day, a week, a month…) or if you wish to observe the prayers and join in the evening meal and fellowship afterwards, please call Imam Shamshad at the Baitul Hameed Mosque in Chino at 909-627-2252. For information on Islam and the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, go online to www.alislam.org
Read original post here: Fasting creates hunger for God
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