بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ
What is the real reason that we fast in the month of Ramadan?
The entire discussion on Ramadan and fasting is encapsulated in one small section in Surat Al Baqarah, the second Surah in the Qur’an. We will take one part of it, where Allah says:
“O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous” [2:183]
This is an ayah that we usually hear in talks and prayers leading up to Ramadan, but what is it really telling us?
Linguistically Allah uses “la’alakoum tattaqoun” which translates briefly to “so that you may become righteous”. However, the specifics used in this phrase have a much deeper meaning. “La’ala” (لَعَلَّ) means several things in the Qur’an. One is “so that” i.e. what is mentioned after “la’ala” is the purpose for what Allah stated before it.
“La’ala” also means “hopefully” i.e. Allah says he’s given us this, then hopefully we will do that. Whatever guidance Allah has given us – in this case it is the month of Ramadan – hopefully we will benefit from it in the way Allah has mentioned; this means that it is not guaranteed – it means that just because we fast, does not mean we will definitely gain the results we were supposed to attain.
However, on one hand there is no guarantee, but on the other there is hope that we will achieve what we need.
What Allah mentions as the true achievement from fasting is taqwa. Taqwa has a deeper meaning than righteousness. It is derived from the word “wiqaya” which means protection. Taqwa is to protect oneself and in the case of the Qur’an and Islam it is to protect from landing ourselves in trouble, from disappointing Allah.
So what is the relationship between fasting and taqwa?
Fasting is firstly a physical action; even if one is not a spiritual person, the physical feeling will be there – we will concentrate on this. We abstain from physical needs such as food and water from Fajr till sunset. Our body calls out to be fed, our stomachs call for food, our throats for water – so there is a physical battle inside of us.
The only other entity inside us is our heart, our ruh. It’s like our hearts are in charge and it orders our stomachs to wait until sunset. This also pertains to other urges of the body, such as the desire for the opposite sex.
The body will call on us to disobey Allah in that sense. However, just as we abstained from hunger and thirst, we will be trained during Ramadan to abstain from other physical urges too. Throughout the year we are in a constant battle with ourselves and our enemy shaytan is constantly whispering to us.
In the month of Ramadan, all the shayateen are chained up. The prophet (ﷺ) said: “when Ramadan begins, the gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of Hell are closed, and the devils are put in chains”. [Bukhari]
Our biggest enemy is chained allowing for our hearts to take full control for 30 days. This itself is a blessing from Allah. A way to train our hearts for the rest of the year. Just as one will first train in a controlled environment for a job, then be put into the field – the training is what gives one the confidence and ability to perform.
Let us all use this month to strengthen our hearts. Time is flying past so quickly and we are not guaranteed to see the month again.
May Allah make us of those who attain true taqwa. Ramadan kareem.
Allah knows best.