━━━━━✧❂✧━━━━━ RAMADAN HELPS YOU | Spiritual Universe
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RAMADAN HELPS YOU
PAUSE & REFLECT
Fasting is not just a religious ritual; it is also a course of nature. For example, while driving your car on the road if you encounter a speed-breaker or get into a traffic jam, you are compelled to shift your gear. This is an experience similar to fasting which inculcates a spirit of patience. Both fasting and this experience have one thing in common, that is, self-restraint. Keeping this fact in mind, one can say what nature does as a principle, fasting does the same by way of routine.
The Prophet of Islam said that one who undertakes fasting and at the same time engages in abusive language. Then, his fasting will give him nothing but starvation. This emphasises the true spirit of fasting for one’s fasting can be judged not by its form but by its spirit.
It is said that man is a social animal and therefore needs to develop a social culture. Here social culture means to live peacefully among people who are different from us. The most important value for social life is discipline. Every member of society must adopt disciplined behaviour. It is this value that makes an individual a healthy member of society.
Fasting in the month of Ramadan is not for the sake of fasting alone. Neither is it merely a ritual. In fact, fasting is for the sake of spiritual training. In terms of form, fasting refers to abstinence from food and drink from dawn to dusk but in terms of spirit, it refers to adoption of restrained behaviour in life. Fasting in Ramadan is an annual training to indoctrinate this disciplined culture. One who observes this kind of culture for a month is expected to observe discipline for the remaining eleven months of the year.
There are some other benefits of Ramadan -- it is good for health and balance -- these kinds of benefits are only by-products of fasting. The real purpose of fasting is psychological and not physical. Fasting trains one’s mind to adopt patient thinking, develop self-restrained behaviour and adopt social ethics.
Fasting requires a pre-fasting period, which seeks to develop your consciousness to regulate your way of thinking and to awaken your mind towards a culture of Peace. One who fails to observe such a pre-fasting period of preparation, would also fail to observe fasts in their true spirit. Therefore first comes preparation and then comes observation of fasting.
An important aspect of fasting is that it inculcates the quality of introspection. Introspection is the ability to undertake self-assessment and self-correction. It is very important for every man and woman and fasting seeks to instill this ability of introspection in every individual. Fasting apparently is a peaceful deed but in terms of effect it is a part of social behaviour. It helps an individual become a good member of society.
Another aspect of fasting is to develop the ability to share for common good. When you fast, you are able to experience the problems of those who live in poverty. This experience of fasting inculcates the spirit of philanthropy in the one who is fasting.
In terms of observance, fasting in the month of Ramadan seems to be an individual act but in terms of result, it covers all aspects of human society.
~ Rajat Malhotra
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