Welcome the blessed month of Ramadhan. The month has started bringing a different experience to people’s daily lifestyle, both Muslims and others. Everyone gets adapted to the spirit of Ramadhan, which brings calmness and tranquility to one’s character. The attitudes and behaviours change during this month, especially Muslims who fast all day. People tend to be more compassionate and patient; it is the month of mercy overall. These are some of Ramadhan’s blessings that are reflected into one’s attitude.
The month-long fasting is a very effective way of acquiring self-control and development skills in different aspects. As Ramadhan is the month of fasting, mercy, forgiveness and kindness, people become more compassionate to one another. Fasting teaches people to stay soft, compassionate, merciful and respectful to others. One can also be more supportive to his family, colleagues, friends and others. In other words, people tend to be more emotional more than other times of the year.
Ramadhan comes with various objectives, among of which is that the Almighty Allah wanted to teach Muslims different personal and social lessons. Fasting during Ramadhan helps Muslims to develop and strengthen their powers of self-discipline, so they can resist wrongful desires and bad habits. Hence, Muslims can control their behaviours, thoughts and desires even. The 30 days of fasting will be enough to urge people give up bad habits and avoid wrong deeds.
Another key lesson that one learns from fasting is that by being away from all the bad things and refraining from personal desires, one can be closer to Allah. Acknowledging that Allah knows what we all do and think about, whether it is good or bad it intensifies the consciousness of Allah in our heart. This increases the bar of our spiritual attitude, so we become more religious and attached to Allah. That is why you can see people more obedient and kindhearted during Ramadhan more than ever.
Furthermore, fasting, as a religious ritual, teaches Muslims to think about the poor and needy people who have shortfall of food and cannot afford getting three meals a day. In view of that, fasting allows others to experience hunger like those poor families and individuals. Accordingly, Ramadhan brings the focus on the importance of practicing charity and voluntary work in the society. Thus, you see people strive to do different sorts of charitable tasks with the poor people and needy families. This reflects their spirit of compassion that Ramadhan instills in people.
Fortunately, people become more considerate and they contribute to helping others through various charitable organisations and deeds. Their interest to support voluntary work and charities is not only limited to this month, but it increases in Ramadhan as the credit and reward of such activities is getting double. That is why Ramadhan is called the month of giving and generosity. Sparing one’s attention towards charity while fating marks a major value of Ramadhan.
To tell the truth, fasting, generally, does not only tells us to refrain from eating and drinking, but from all kinds of selfish desires and wrong doings. Fasting is not merely intended for the body, but for the spirit as well. Therefore, the physical fasting symbolises and expresses the real and inner fasting. Fasting is a spiritual practice that is targeting the spirit and body alike. It calls upon us to discover ourselves, master ourselves, and discipline ourselves.
The month of Ramadhan is an opportunity, which should not be missed and undervalued. Its religious and social advantages are many and we should all invest on this time of the year, which brings blessings to life. It also unites people together in special moments. May the Almighty Allah bestow us all truthful and honest fasting. Wish you all a rewarding fasting and a blessed Ramadhan.
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