Significance Of Fasting During Ramzan

Fasting, as a concept, is present in almost every religion. Hinduism, for example, has the ritual of fast for almost every occasion. Similarly, Christianity also has the ritual of fasting during lent. However, fasting in Islam is a bit different from the rest. The Ramzan fasting not only involves abstinence from eating but also from evils that surround human beings in their lifetime. Ramzan fasting is also one of the longest fast in terms of duration as it lasts for a month.

Ramzan means observing restraint on one's food and drinks with own free will. But the most important part is that one who observes this abstinence must do it in all aspects which are considered negative. This includes abstinence from all kinds of addictions, sex and anything which makes life miserable for a human being. Fasting during Ramzan is practised out of deep love for God.

The Ramzan fast lasts for 30 days. It starts with sighting of new moon and ends after seeing the new moon of the next month. During the month of Ramzan, a person is supposed to fast from the day break till the sunset. Only after offering prayers can he/she take the first morsel of food. There are a number of reasons why the Ramzan fasting is considered to be of great importance. Let us take a look at the significance of fasting during Ramzan.

CHECK OUT: MUTTON HALEEM RECIPE FOR RAMZAN

The Holy Quran
It was in the month of Ramzan when the holy Quran was revealed to Prophet Mohammed. God chose the Prophet to be His messenger and compiled the holy book of Quran. The last 10 days of Ramzan are especially significant as the faithful watch for Lailathul Qadr (Night Of Power) during which the revelation of the book to the Prophet was completed.

Prophet Mohammed Attained Enlightenment
Prophet Mohammed was born a saint. But His time was that of violence. He was mortified by the way people were leading their lives. Disgusted by the world around Him, the Prophet secluded Himself by wandering in the wilderness. During one such haunts at Mount Hijra, he spent days and nights, fasting and praying to God. Finally, God showed Him the path to light. He was the Chosen One through whom God had planned to spread the true light of knowledge. This is the reason why people observe fast during Ramzan and abstain from all evil deeds.

Logic Behind Fasting
Fasting, in every religion, is a method of giving up on all worldly pleasures for the sake of God. An ordinary man is always tied up with the worldly duties and hardly has time for realising God. Fasting is a form of penance in which a person gives up food and concentrates completely on God. Giving up food during the day symbolises that the person who is fasting is dead to the world and is completely engrossed in praying to God. Taking food at night symbolises that the person is eating for his sustenance, closing himself away from the visible world and is drawing sustenance from the inner spiritual world.

The moon signifies the light of knowledge from God. Thus, moon has a very significant role to play in Ramzan fasting. Ramzan is the time when a human being is supposed to refrain from worldly pleasures in order to realise his own spiritual self. Ramzan fasting is not only for God, it is also for the betterment of oneself. It is actually a way of life which every individual should follow in order to move from the darkness of ignorance to the light of true knowledge.