Ramadan as a Psychological Trainer
The month of Ramadan has been bestowed upon us as bundle of blessings which not only benefits our body but mind and soul as well. We are well aware of the physical benefits we get from fasting but we need to know some of the psychological benefits of fasting as well which eventually will turn the tables on the Resurrection Day.
The ruling of Fasting has been capsulated in a comprehensive fashion in the passage in Surah Barakah. And the purpose of Ramadan has been made clear which is to Increase ourselves in Taqwah or to attain Taqwah.
O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous (those who have Taqwah). AL-QUR'AN ( 2:18 )
Taqwah in Arabic refers to the Urge to protect ourselves from falling into sins, to watch out of trouble, and from disappointing ALLAH, Prophet Muhammad SAWW and eventually yourself on the day of Judgment. So, by giving Ramadan, ALLAH hopes us to attain consciousness and be cautious of committing sins, and falling into the horrible pit of Jahannum.
The beauty of Ayah is that it requires us to be optimistic in order to get the proper understanding because in this Ayah there's no guarantee given that we will be achieving Taqwah just by Fasting. On the other hand, there's a hope we develop Taqwah as we fast. It means that if we fast properly, there's a chance we develop the urge to protect ourselves from getting into the loss.
The relationship between Fasting and Taqwah is psychological. It's like a war raging inside of you. When your stomach and throat are screaming to quench their needs and your heart that fears Allah orders them like: Hey stop, not until Maghrib! Similarly when your eyes see something that is Haram then your heart takes the charge and reminds you to lower your gaze and say Astaghfirullah. Ramadan is a time when Allah takes shaitaan away so we get 30 long days to train our Nafs. This is how we get stronger and stronger against the tricks of Shaitaan.
We should try to make the most of this Ramadan and May ALLAH protects us from Shaitaan and our own Nafs. Ameen.
