Fill spiritual vacuum
Being the holiest Islamic month of divine bounties, spiritual blessings and moral virtues, Ramzan has a deep link with the hearts of Muslims. The acts of fasting and engaging in zikr (remembrance of Allah) in this month have been enjoined upon Muslims mainly to attain purity of heart, because it is essential for one’s heart to be purified before it is drawn closer to the Almighty.
Every year, Ramzan comes in the last month of Islamic calendar, so that Muslims can spend the upcoming year in piety, righteousness and in constant remembrance of God. Just as we see our bodies fasting, our hearts should be feasting during Ramzan. In other words, while we endure extreme hunger and self-restrain, we must feed our hearts and nourish our souls.
A sound heart is always the seat of firm faith in God. In Islam, tazkiya or purification of heart is the source of all noble actions and meritorious deeds. But purity of the heart is fully attained only when one’s spiritual knowledge is transformed into his daily practice and action. To benefit optimally from Ramzan, we need to explore the ultimate purpose of fasting as enunciated in the Quranic injunctions and Prophetic traditions. The Quran is very clear in its fundamental objective of enjoining fasts upon Muslims. It says: “O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may become righteous (achieve taqwa)” (2:183). So, the essence of fasting in Ramzan is taqwa, which can be awakened only in pure hearts.
Ramzan comes to fill up a spiritual vacuum in one’s heart. And this practically occurs when a person starts strictly refraining from immoral acts and engages in virtuous deeds such as sadqa (charity), sila-e-rahmi (maintaining bonds of kinship) and zikr (remembrance of God).
Islam has given paramount importance to these noble acts, especially during the month of Ramzan, because they play a vital role to make one a righteous person with pure heart and subtle inner being. Thus, the observance of fasting in Ramzan sets great examples of Islamic righteousness mentioned as birr (righteousness) in the Quran.
The essence of birr is beautifully expounded in the following Quranic verse:
“Righteousness is not that you turn your faces toward the East or the West, but (true) righteousness is (in) one who believes in Allah, the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets and gives wealth, in spite of love for it, to relatives, orphans, the needy, the wayfarer, those who ask (for help), and for freeing slaves; (and who) offers prayer and gives charity; (those who) fulfil their promise when they promise; and (those who) are patient in poverty, hardship and throughout all periods of panic. Those are the ones who have been true, and it is those who are the righteous” (2:177).
Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi is a Delhi-based writer
Post new comment