Blessed month of Ramzan
Ramzan is the month of peace, tranquillity, piety, righteousness, generosity and bestowal. Of the five tenets of Islam, fasting in the month of Ramzan is a must every year. During fast one must abstain from eating, drinking and smoking, including inoculation and injections, from dawn to dusk. In this context, the verses of the Holy Quran which ordain for fasting as an obligatory duty for Muslims are as follows:
“O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you that ye may (learn) self-restraint.” (Fasting) for a fixed number of days; but if any of you is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed number should be made up from later days. For those who can do it (with hardship), is a ransom, the feeding of one that indigent, but he that will give more, of his own free will, it is better for him, and it is better for ye that ye face, if ye only knew”. (S.2,A.183-184)
Ramzan’s significance can be gauged from the fact that “the Quran was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in this month as a guide to mankind, also clear (signs) for guidance and judgment (between right and wrong).
Needless to add that like Salat (prayers), fasting has been an essential duty for the followers of earlier Prophets. The Bible says that Jesus Christ fasted for forty days (Matthew 4: 1-4, Mark 1:12-13 and Luke 4:1-4). In Peter 2:21 the followers of Christ are enjoined to fast as the Prophet did. Even the Vedas and the Puranas prescribe fasting. Thus, earlier peoples fasted though with a difference in the number of days and the prescribed time of fasting.
It should be kept in mind that this particular month has been considered sacred even from pre-Islamic days too. Ibn-Hisham states that the Qurayesh in the days of ignorance spent one month a year on Mt. Hira, practising penance (Tahannuth). Before instituting fasting of Ramadhan Muhammad (PBUH) evidently observed fast on the tenth of Moharram”. (History of the Arabs, p. 133)
During Ramzan evil conceals itself while good comes to the fore and the whole atmosphere is filled with piety and purity.
Fasting is a shield against sins, crimes, vices and other un-Islamic acts. The Prophet says: “Fast is like a shield for protection from Satan’s attack. Therefore, when one observes fast, he should use this shield and abstain from quarrelling. If anybody abuses him or quarrels with him, he should simply say: Brother, I am fasting do not expect me to indulge in similar conduct. (Bukhari & Muslim)
To restore real spirit of fast, it is incumbent to observe it with prescribed rules and regulations. The noble Prophet said: “If one does not give up speaking a lie during fast, God does not require him to give up eating and drinking”. (Bukhari)
On another occasion, he said: “Many are the people who fast but who gain nothing from their fasts except hunger and thirst: and many are those who stand pray ing all night but gain nothing except sleeplessness” (Darimi)
To sum up the fasting, according to Islam, is a spiritual discipline and as a consequence it inculcates moral discipline. It also imparts moral strength and leads to the promotion of virtues of piety,.
RAMZAN’S SIGNIFICANCE CAN BE GAUGED FROM THE FACT THAT “THE QURAN WAS REVEALED TO PROPHET MUHAMMAD (PBUH) IN THIS MONTH AS A GUIDE TO MANKIND, ALSO CLEAR (SIGNS) FOR GUIDANCE AND JUDGMENT (BETWEEN RIGHT AND WRONG)