But before we get into that, let's recall in brief what fasting entails from a physical aspect.
DEFINITION OF FASTING
Linguistically, fasting (sawm) means to refrain from something and in the usage of the Shari’ah it means to abstain from eating, drinking and conjugal relations from dawn to sunset with the [required] intention.
The time of fasting is from the beginning of dawn (i.e. Fajr) until sunset (i.e.
Maghrib). In countries where the [length of the] day and night are the same or the
day is very long, Muslims should fast according to the times of the nearest country.
PILLAR OF FASTING
Hence fasting has two pillars:
1. INTENTION
One must make the intention to fast. The Messenger of Allah said: “Verily
actions are [judged] by intention.” (Bukhari and Muslim)
2. REFRAINING FROM THINGS WHICH BREAK THE FAST
This means to abstain from eating, drinking and conjugal relations from sunrise
to sunset.
Now that we know what is expected from us, from a physical aspect, when we fast, let us see what is expected from us from a spiritual aspect during Ramadan. For that, we look to Muslim scholars, who explain what is the spiritual purposes of fasting.
On the purpose of fasting, Imam Al‐Ghazali writes:
"The purpose of fasting is that man should produce within him a semblance of the Divine attribute of Samadiyat (i.e. freedom from want), that he should, as far as possible, take after the angels and cast off the beastly propensities because the angels are free from desires and the place of man, too, is above the animals and he has been given the power of discrimination to resist the pressure of inordinate appetites. He is of course, inferior to angels in the sense that desire often overpowers him and he has to strive hard to subdue it. When he succumbs to sensual propensities he degenerates into the lowliest of lowly and joins the herds of cards while he conquers them he attains the dizzy heights of the heavenly host and begins to dwell on the plane of the angels."
Similarly Imam Ibn Al‐Qayyim writes:
"The purpose of fasting is that the spirit of man be released from the clutches of desire and moderation prevail in his carnal self and through it, he can realize the goal of purification and everlasting felicity. It is aimed at curtailing the intensity of desire and lust by means of hunger and thirst, at inducing man to realize how many were there in the world like him who had to go even without a small quantity of food, at making it difficult for Satan to deceive him, and at restraining his organs from turning towards things in which there was the loss of both the worlds. Fasting is thus the bridle of the God‐fearing, the shield of the warriors and the discipline of the virtuous."
Now that we have that covered and have the main idea in mind, let's get to the Ramadan checklist!
Ramadan Checklist
1) Not much time left before the onset of Ramadan for this year, but do know that Sunnah fasts of Shaban (the month before Ramadan) helps to prepare for Ramadan and help to make the transition into the holy month a smooth one.
2) Reduce TV watching and prepare family for the new spirit of Ramadan.
3) Take your Quran out. If you have trouble reading the Quran in Arabic, no need to worry. There are several good online sites that have simultaneous Arabic recitation and English translations to help you. Narrow down the websites (or forms of text or audio) you will frequently use during Ramadan.
4) Buy all necessities for the month of Ramadan in advance so you can spend less time during the holy month rushing around. You can be more focused on your religious rituals and spiritual development. Everyone in the family, even the kids, can participate, writing a shopping list, preparing some meals to be stored in the freezer. Some of the essential Ramadan items you should consider are dates and honey - both are considered prophetic foods, and are beneficial for the health especially this month when fasting.
5) Making dua (supplication) to Allah is encouraged throughout our lives. But this is highly recommended during Ramadan because Allah will grant a fasting person his wishes, if what is asked for is good for him, and He deems it so. We can make our dua in any language. Seek out recommended duas, or list out your own. Try to make a dua before breaking the fast. The Prophet peace be upon him said, "The fasting person has a supplication that is answered when he breaks his fast".
Check out this innovative and inspirational video done by our brothers in Malaysia on making the most of Ramadan.
You Up For It???
