A month to cleanse the mind, body and soul

@kabeeryousef

The holy month of Ramadhan is a period for self-refinement and learning life values for the rest of one’s life. It hosts sessions where several self-control and fine-tuning techniques are taught, making the month even heavenly. And this is the chosen month when the holy Quran was revealed to the mankind.

Holy Quran says in 2:183, “O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint.”

“The month of Ramadhan urges everyone to hold on to the holy book, read it more often and practise the life-lessons and values in one’s personal life and to share kindness and be empathetic towards others,” said Mohammed Ali Faizi, educationist.

The world over, psychologists from a number of countries have opined that if a person can control his hunger, it is very likely that he will be able to control most of his desires. The Quran rightly mentions that fasting helps you learn self-restraint, which means in controlling your desires.

“The term ‘Saum’ or fasting controls desire of mankind and is the fourth pillar of Islam. During the complete lunar month of Ramadhan, every healthy adult Muslim is supposed to abstain from eating, drinking and having sexual relationship from dawn to dusk,” adds Ali Faizi.

According to religious scholars, every machine requires servicing and Ramadhan is the month of servicing human beings.

“Every machine requires regular servicing. We service our car or motorcycle once every 3 to 4 months. If human beings can be compared to a machine, it would be the most complicated machine on the face of the Earth. Fasting during Ramadhan is the annual servicing of the human body and spirit once in a year during one complete month,” says Hussain Sawafi, another scholar.

Popular opinion about Ramadhan, the 9th month in Hijri year, is that it also helps to inculcate good habits throughout the 30 days and nights. Besides fasting during the holy month, many Muslims do good deeds like charity, helping the poor and the like which later on became part of their life encouraging the people around them to help and support fellow beings which becomes part of their character.