While the month of Ramadan was moving to its final ten days, a report in a newspaper was both interesting and shocking. According to this report, in some Arab countries of Middle East, Ramadan becomes the busiest month in terms of advertisement on television because a lot of people pass so many hours in front of their television screens and television is viewed more than any other month of the year. It was also mentioned that, due to Ramadan, people leave their offices and workplaces early and thus have nothing to do except to watch television. The report was prepared by a Non-Muslim reporter who had described this month as a month observed by Muslims around the world in which they prohibit eating and drinking anything from dawn till sunset and they can even not talk openly (linked to some extent with freedom of speech restrictions).
If someone has prepared such a report, I have nothing to say against him because we have shown from our conduct that this month became a burden instead of blessing and we, Muslims, are solely responsible for whatever message is transmitted about us and the religion we follow.
As made clear by the religious scholars, all the religious worships are meant to make the lives of the followers better by purifying their body and soul so that they should be better people for those living around them and the God is not in need of our worships. In the same way, Islamic scholars explain that the holy month of Ramadan is also meant for bringing so many physical, emotional, spiritual and more importantly, social betterment for Muslims. When we keep busy in our worldly affairs for eleven months which really exhausts our body and spirit, this month is like a cold breeze in which positive changes suddenly surround our body and mind and as mentioned on the same pages, same routine becomes boring and change adds more taste to our lives. Now, the points would be mentioned one after the other that how the month of Ramadan was meant to be treated and how we misused this month and could not avail the benefits attached with it.
One of the most important gains of this month was to make our body healthy by keeping control on our eating and drinking habits. It has been reported by a large number of Muslims and of course, followed by some Non-Muslims as well that with this routine, they were able to control their blood-sugar, cholesterol, diabetes, heart diseases and many other ailments and their general health improved. When we abstain from eating or drinking anything for the whole day, it releases a lot pressure from our body organs and metaphorically, they get a new life. On the other hand, we lose all these benefits because we fast for the whole day but as the time of eating comes, we stuff our bellies with so many things that at once immense pressure comes to our stomach. We also believe that we cannot eat the whole day so there a lot many people who keep drinking and eating different things the whole night and it becomes meaningless to keep fast the next day.
Next important thing was to give the lesson of time management. As people have to wake up before dawn to eat something so the routine sleeping hours cannot be practiced. It was aimed that we should properly plan our timing in a way that there should not be any disturbance in our daily routine and while fasting, we should be able to perform all our daily duties. If one follows a competent routine, he would be able to avail all the benefits of fasting and would also be equally efficient in his routine functions. But, unfortunately, once again, many of us fail to do so and bring down our output in our offices and workplaces. There are many people who think that the fast would be easy if they slept in most part of the day and thus they remain awake the whole night and then sleep in day till 2 to 3 PM. As mentioned earlier, I witnessed many people who keep watching television for many hours in the day until the sun sets and they get free to eat or drink something.
It was also aimed that by remaining hungry, we should try to realize the conditions and sufferings of poor and hungry and should be helpful to them but as mentioned earlier, we remain hungry and thirsty during the day and there are many who, instead of feeling the condition of being hungry, feel very irritated and get angry on petty things and create a lot many problems to the people around them. I doubt on the health of such fasting.
Ramadan is to elevate our spiritual condition as people remain hungry and thirsty for winning the favor of the God and then participate in the ‘Tarawih’ congregation and after getting up after midnight for eating something, remain busy in worship and meditation till sunrise. Such a routine would definitely make us mentally calm and satisfied, having more realization of our duties. But as mentioned earlier, with the exception of a small minority, large number of people remain busy in watching cable, films and arranging useless gatherings with friends and talking on unnecessary issues. Such a routine would never make any kind of effect on our inner world of feelings and contentment.
It is in the same month that Muslims must separate 40th part of their wealth for giving to the poor and needy (Zakat). In the same way, every person is required to give ‘Fitrana’ (thus called ‘Eid-ul-Fitr) which is a very minimal amount to the poor and needy. But the accumulated value of these two charities can be great and would act as a catalyst to speed up the economic activities in the society but there are a lot of people who try to hide the real worth of their wealth and avoid giving away Zakat. This act of cheating and deception kills the mere spirit of this important work and instills in us the habit of cheating and telling lies.
There are many who arrange dinners on ‘Iftari’ or fast-breaking for the needy. In the same way, there are people who give away free juices and meals to others. It is a good way of doing generosity and goodness to others and teaching the same to our kids and people around us. No doubt, there are a lot many people doing this (Including the White House) but again it is unfortunate to discover that majority of them do it for their personal name and reputation.
It has also been stated that being in the condition of fast, you should control your anger and treat others in the best possible manner. But on the other hand, it is also a sad fact that we fight more with others in this month and many people are found to be saying, ‘When I am fasting, I cannot control my temper. People should better be careful with me’. I would not like to comment on such a mentality.
But in the end, it must not be forgotten that sole aim of this month for a Muslim is to win the favor (Reza) of Allah because if Allah became happy of us, all the things would turn in our favor.
I would like to conclude with the famous and often-repeated words of our religious scholars who say that, ‘When you are fasting, your hand, your eyes, your legs, your ears and your every organ should be fasting. If it is not the case, then you are not different from a cow that has been tied in a farm and if you forget to give it food and water, it also remains hungry and thirsty for the whole day’.