American Muslim

The Real Beauty of Fasting

Asalaam Alaikum (Peace be with you),

When I re-read my first blog posts two years ago, I can't believe how foolish, selfish and ignorant I was. Alhamdulillah, I am so blessed to have learned so much about this deen (religion) since that time. I remember one of my earliest posts was about fasting during my first Ramadan (2006) and I was blabbering about human physiology and stomach intake and dieting. And Dan or Matt grilled me with a comment about whether I was fasting for the right reasons.

Two years later, I've had the opportunity, alhamdulillah, to fast many, many times before and after Ramadan. I've gotten so used to fasting that "lunch" has become this vague word for me. Some of these fasts were "easier" in that I felt less hungry and sunset was earlier. But, sometimes, Allah (SWT) has really challenged me mentally and physically and truly lain tests in front of me to see if I could complete my fast.

As a student these days of Shakyh Husain Abdul Sattar in Chicago, I am constantly taught about sacrificing in this life to obtain Allah (SWT)'s pleasure in the next life, the akhira. When I fast now, I constantly remind myself that I am giving up food and water for the day to submit my body and mind completely to Allah (SWT) and show Him that I can sacrifice now because I want His blessings on the Day of Judgment. And Shakyh Husain is merely echoing and carrying on the wisdom of scholars like Imam Al-Ghazzali (RA), who wrote about this subject 10 centuries ago. In his famous work, "The Alchemy of Happiness," he wrote that there were four steps to a Muslim's path - knowledge of self; knowledge of Allah; knowledge of this world as it really is; and knowledge of the next life as it really is. Further, he wrote that our body, our physical shape, was merely a vehicle, a vessel, for the After-life.

So, when I fast now, I try to keep in mind that Allah (SWT) rewards those who sacrifice for His cause; that fasting is a blessed practice because it limits sexual desires; and it purifies the body and mind.

Another beautiful book I am reading now is Shakkh Mohammad Ashraf Ali Thanvi's "The Wisdom Behind the Commands of Islam." Subhanallah, what a great book. The author takes every practice and command and offers the many truths behind each act. The section about fasting is so true, especially in light of all the work I do with Project Downtown to provide food for the homeless in Chicago. According to Shaykh Thanvi (155 - 156):

Wisdom #1: "Fasting aids man's intelligence to fully dominate his base self."

Wisdom #2: "Fasting grows in man the fear of Allah and deep devotion to Him."

Wisdom #3: "A man who fasts sees his own humbleness, indigence, the greatness of Allah and His power."

Wisdom #4: "Fastng opens a man's insight."

#5: "It also promotes farsightedness."

#6: "The fasting man finds the reality of things uncovered to him."

#7: "Fasting distances wild, beastly qualities in man."

#8: "Fasting gets man nearer to the angels."

#9: "Fasting affords man an opportunity to show gratitude to Allah."

#10: "Fellow feeling grows in fasting man. This excellence is explained by realizing that one who does not experience hunger and thirst cannot understand the plight of the hungry and thirsty. He cannot value the blessings on him and be grateful to the Absolute Bestower of sustenances. the Absolute provider of livelihood. He may even thank Him with his tongue but he cannot show gratitude from the depths of his heart until his belly knows the pangs of hunger and his throat is dry from thirst and his body knows the resultant weakness. Only when someone is separated from something to which he is deeply attached, does he know the value that thing in his heart."

This last point was my favorite, alhamdulillah, because it is so true. Even I take for granted the fact I can eat this evening when I break my fast at maghrib (sunset) time with my iftar (fast-breaking meal). When my sister spent a year in Ghana, she said that some of the Muslims were so poor there that they would fast during Ramadan with the full knowledge they may have NOTHING with which to break their fast. When I hear things like this, I think my life is a joke and all too easy. Subhanallah, these Muslims are fasting for the sake of Allah (SWT) during a whole month and then can't even break their fasts and we Americans are fat with the lard of the land and we take things for granted.

May Allah (SWT) accept my fasts from yesterday and today and may He pardon and expunge all my negative qualities and sins. May He enter me into jannah (paradise) through Ar-Rayan, the gate reserved for those who fast.