Muslim community mostly perceives Ramadan as a month of fasting during which they engage in a religious ritual and abstain from eating and drinking from dawn to dusk daily for whole month. When we successfully accomplish this task, we see it as quite an accomplishment. Howbeit, Quran inform us that fasting has a longer-term and deeper objective. It is described in Holy Quran that:
“O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may become righteous.”
Here are these ways which increases our faith and lead us to righteousness in Ramadan:
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Fasting Leads to Humility In Ramadan
Suffering pangs of weakness and hunger is a natural outcome of depriving ourselves of food and water and it lead us closer to humility. We end up seeing those things more deeply which we take for granted and begin to realize that our Allah Almighty to whom we should hold a greater attitude of gratitude gives our sustenance.
Fasting also helps us to identify those who are living the life of poverty and are suffering from hunger on daily basis. It causes us to reflect on the numerous provisions of our lives and help us recognize those who are living below the poverty line and are not able to enjoy these privileges.
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Fasting Trains Us To Resist Temptation
Depriving ourselves of food and water is not the only abstinence prescribes from Fajr to Maghrib prayer. We Muslims should also hold fast against any kind of impure impulses and thoughts such as anger, envy, pride etc. Holy Prophet PBUH said that Ramadan is a time when the Shetan is restrained with chains, symbolizing it as a best opportunity to beat sin and progress in faith.
Hazrat Muhammad SAW called fasting in Ramadan a ‘sheild’ and said that people who fast must not behave rudely and if someone abuse you then only reply with, ‘I am fasting’. This means that fasting holds us from all forms of sins and malice.
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Fasting Strengthens Communion Between Believers
Holy Quran guides us to keep company with righteous. As we, all know that people are judged by the company they keep which has great influence on their conduct. Fasting strengthens the communion between its participants who congregate every day for fast-opening ceremonies and prayers. Development of such social network also assists us adopt righteousness and shed sins.