Experience the school of Ramadhan…

Generally, the holy month of Ramadhan holds a special significance for all Muslims around the world.

Besides being the month of fasting, one of the five key pillars of Islam, it marks a different school of learning. It brings various religious, health and personal-development teachings that Muslims could learn through fasting. All what one should do is to realise the real message and reason behind fasting, while understanding the values of fasting as a sacred ritual.

To tell the truth, fasting does not only promote refraining from eating and drinking, but stopping all kinds of selfish desires and wrong doings. Fasting is not just intended for the body, but for the spirit likewise. Thus, the physical fasting symbolises and expresses the real and inner fasting. Fasting is a spiritual practice that is targeting the spirit and body at the same time.

In fact, Ramadhan calls upon us to discover, master and discipline ourselves via various tasks.

Accordingly, there are many objectives and lessons behind the ritual of fasting during Ramadhan. The major one is that fasting urges Muslims to develop and strengthen their powers of self-control, so they can resist wrongful desires and let go of bad habits. Thus, one can control his or her behaviours, thoughts and wishes too. The month-long fasting will be a great motive to help Muslims give up bad habits and avoid wrong deeds, which they used to do before Ramadhan.

Another important lesson that one can learn while fasting is that by being away from all the bad things and refraining from personal desires, one can have a closer and stronger relation with Allah. Knowing that Allah knows what we all do, whether good or bad, it increases one’s consciousness and remembrance of the Almighty Allah in our hearts. This uplifts our spiritual bar, so we become more compliant to Allah’s instructions and seriously attached to Him during this sacred month. That is why you can see people more devoted and kindhearted.

Furthermore, fasting teaches Muslims to think about the poor and needy people who have shortfall of food and cannot afford getting three meals a day. Throughout such learning, fasting allow others to experience hunger like those poor families. Ramadhan brings the focus on the importance of charity and voluntary work in the society. Therefore, you see people strive to do different sorts of charitable deeds with poor people and needy families. This reflects people’s spirit of compassion, which recovers in Ramadhan.

Being more considerate, people contribute a lot in helping others through various charitable activities. Their interest to support voluntary work and charities is not only limited to this month, though it increases in Ramadhan as the reward of such deeds is getting double. That is why Ramadhan stands as the month of generosity, where one can be more supportive to his family, colleagues, friends and society overall.

In other words, people tend to be more emotional more than any other time of the year.

In general, Muslims observe a change on their daily routine due to their adaption to the spirit of Ramadhan, which instills calmness and tranquility to people’s personality. Their attitudes and behaviours change to reflect the moral of mercy during this month, tending to be more compassionate and tolerant. Besides, Ramadhan revives people’s fresh sense of care and sympathy.

Overall, the holy month of Ramadhan marks an opportunity, which should not be missed or undervalued. Its religious and social advantages are many and we should all invest on this time of the year that brings blessings to our life and unites people together. May the Almighty Allah bestow us the great rewards and blessings from this month. Wish you all a rewarding fasting and a blessed Ramadhan!