A fast for your system, a feast for your soul

Gandhiji once said, “There are limits to self-indulgence, none to self-restraint.” The entire gamut of social control is based on restraint in human behaviour. We see laws violated, disobeyed and manipulated, because these are controlled by an outward authority. It is ultimately self-control that really works. Self-control is achieved only through introspection, behavioural restraint and fear of god. The month of Ramadan is nothing but a control mechanism for guarding against evil and promoting righteousness. Followers are instructed to adopt taqwa, which means refraining from sins.

The exercise of selfrestraint during Ramadan begins with fasting from dawn to dusk, but fasting does not mean abstinence from food and water only. It very necessarily includes keeping away a person from all wrongful actions and evil thoughts. You cannot lie, create mischief, steal, can’t annoy anybody or use indecent language while fasting. The belief is that if you don’t follow this dictum, your whole day’s fast is wasted. The aim behind fasting is to generate excellence in behaviour. Ramadan detoxifies the system, if observed properly. Health experts advise mediation, yoga, diet control, and positive thinking. Namaz, besides being the worship of God, is essentially an act of yoga and meditation, which is the chief function of Ramadan. The Quran says, ‘O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may guard against evil’ . Prophet Mohammad’s daughter Fatima Zehra highlighting the importance of Ramadan said, “By fasting rich people can realise the hunger of the poor people.”