Eman Sakina
Mahatma Gandhi once said, "There are limits to self-indulgence, none to self-restraint." Truly, self-restraint plays an important role in shaping human behaviour and guarding against evil. We see laws violated, disobeyed, and manipulated because these are controlled by external agencies; whereas, by practicing self-restraint, we become the masters of our actions.
In Islam, the Holy month of Ramzan was prescribed for the exercise of creating 'self-control' and 'self-restraint' among the faithful, so that they develop excellence in-behavior and lead a peaceful, dignified life. The ongoing month is Ramzan. The month-long exercise of self-control begins with fasting from dawn to dusk, but fasting does not mean abstinence from food and water only. It very necessarily includes keeping away from all forms of evil and wrongful actions. You cannot lie, create mischief, steal or usurp someone's belongings, annoy anybody or use indecent language while fasting. Followers are instructed to adopt taqwa, which means refraining from the dead as well as the minor sins. The belief is that if you don't follow this dictum, your whole day's fast is wasted and will not be accepted by God.
Prophet Mohammad's daughter Fatima Zehra highlighting the benefits of fasting during Ramzan said that out of several benefits of fasting one is that the rich can realize the pangs of hunger of the poor people. It is for this reason that during fasting, charity and poor rates have also been prescribed in Quran to help the needy and destitute.
Besides enabling empathy for the hungry poor, fasting detoxifies the system if observed properly. Doctors now regularly prescribe meditation, yoga, diet control, positive thinking, and eradicating negative thoughts. All these medical directions are observed through the rituals of Ramzan. Namaz, besides being the worship of God, is essentially an act of yoga and meditation, which is the chief function of Ramzan.
Allah has distinguished the month of Ramzan by many advantages and merits that include the following
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The breath of the observer of fast is sweeter to Allah, on the Day of Judgment, than the fragrance of musk.
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Angels seek forgiveness from the observers of fast till they break their fast. • The devils are chained up.
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The gates of paradise are opened and the gates of hell are closed during the month of Ramadan.
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In it, there is Lailatul- Qadr, which is a night better than one thousand months of worship; the one who is deprived of its good is surly deprived.
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The sins of the observers of the fast are forgiven on the last night of Ramadan.
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Allah frees some people from hellfire each night of Ramadan.
Someone asked Hadhrat Ali-ibn- Abi Talib, "How do we know that God accepted our prayers during Ramzan?" Hadhrat Ali replied, " If between the sighting of the moon of Ramzan and the sighting of the moon of Eid, you have noticed a better change in yourself, your prayers were accepted."
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