The benefits of fasting/Fasting and Patience

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Patience

Ramadan is the month of patience as the person who observes fasting is patient regarding acts of obedience and avoiding acts of disobedience. He abstains from the permissible things he used to enjoy out of obedience to Allah the Almighty and in fulfillment of piety. Meanwhile, he stops himself from doing acts of disobedience and forces himself to do many righteous acts which bring one closer to Allah The Almighty, such as observing the voluntary night prayers, giving in charity, maintaining kinship ties, providing food for the needy and bearing the suffering of hunger and thirst.
The Qur’an has interpreted fasting as patience. There is a tradition in which Imam Sadiq (The Sixth Imam of Muslims) has been quoted to have said the following in the interpretation of the Almighty God’s statement “Seek help from patience and prayer”: What is meant by patience is fasting. When something really hard descends upon man, he should fast since God the Almighty says “seek help from patience” – that is fasting. So fasting strengthens people’s patience and such a person is able to resist withstand problems.

Benefits of Ramadan and Fasting/Social Healing

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Social-Healing[su_heading size=”19″]Social Healing[/su_heading]

A man wrote a letter to Imam Askari (a.s) asking him: “For what reason did Allah make fasting compulsory?”
The Imam (a.s) wrote in reply: “God has made fasting compulsory so that the rich shall find the pain of hunger so they have a mercy upon the poor.” (Bihar al-Anwar Vol.96, p.339)
Starvation and its related diseases causes one person per second to die on this planet, 75% of them being infants and children under the age of 5.
Typically, stories involving deaths in Africa receive lesser coverage than those, which occur elsewhere. Nonetheless, let us read the following news.
Exodus newsmagazine in its July 22, 2001 issue reported: Starvation in Ethiopia, Help Slowly Arriving, Death Toll Cannot Be Determined by Howard A. Gutman
“A massive tragedy is unfolding in Ethiopia as thousands of starving people are expected to die. Without help, many expect the death toll to be in the millions. Yet little is being done in the U.S.”
According to the same newsmagazine in the last famine, there were approximately one million deaths.
Now compare the above news with the following:
‘More than half of U.S adults (20+) are overweight. Nearly one-quarter of U.S adults are obese.’ And the figures are drastically increasing. This is despite all weight-loss programs in these countries.
According to Wolf & Colditz in ‘Current estimates of the Economic Cost of Obesity in the US 1998’: “Economic cost in the U.S related to the overweight in 1995 was the total of $99.2 billion. And according to the same source Americans spend $33 billion annually on weight-loss products and services. This includes low calorie foods, artificially sweetened products; such as sodas and memberships to commercial weight-loss centres.
And if you want to know whether you are among those over-weight people in a time when starvation causes one person per second to die, here is your scale.
The biggest problem facing the world today is not people dying in the streets of Mumbai, Zimbabwe or Ethiopia; it is rather the lack of a sense of caring for those disadvantaged people whose rights have been usurped by others. Fasting provides the opportunity for the faster to feel and find for himself or herself the pain and agony that a poor person is going through. A fasting person can also keep his or her money, usually spent on lunch, away to feed a group of poor people with. Thus, Zakatul-fitreh is compulsory and is regarded as the compilation of fasting

Benefits of Ramadan and Fasting/Focus

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Focus[su_heading size=”19″]Focus[/su_heading]

With the constant demands of modern life, it’s all too easy to become lost and forget who we are, and so to unconsciously forget our divine purpose and destiny.
Without constant reminder, we become lost in the dream and disconnected from reality.
Fasting in Ramadan for thirty days is a powerful practice in restoring focus, direction, balance and purpose to our lives.

Benefits of Ramadan and Fasting/Simplicity and Non-Attachment

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Simplicity-and-Non-Attachment[su_heading size=”19″]Simplicity and Non-Attachment[/su_heading]

When living without discipline and restraint, life quickly becomes overly complicated, leading to a heavy burden that results in unnecessary stress, anxiety, unhappiness and difficulty.
By fasting in Ramadan, we limit excess and indulgence, facilitating the return to simplicity and non-attachment, releasing one from dependence on dunya and so contributing to psychological health and happiness

Benefits of Ramadan and Fasting/Restraint and Self-Discipline

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ramadan-2015[su_heading size=”19″]Restraint and Self-Discipline[/su_heading]

The modern world and its culture are largely defined by materialism, consumption and instant gratification of desires. This results in the diminishment of human consciousness, the regression of planetary culture and the suppression of the soul.
Yet by fasting in Ramadan, a Muslim consciously curtails this unhealthy norm by intentionally practicing restraint and self-discipline, separating him or herself from the animal kingdom which is governed by the unconscious drive to satiate one’s immediate needs and desires.
Fasting in Ramadan is thus an essential practice for attaining true freedom and independence from dunya, the external world of form and appearances, and for the liberation of the soul from the self, the mind-body that is unconsciously driven by fear and the struggle survival.
During the month of Ramadhan, the believers learn to curb their desires and check them against transgression, extravagance, and the yielding to the lower desires, all of which degenerate man and bring him to the pit of self-destruction and annihilation. Fast fosters a strong will, teaches patience and self-discipline, the ability to bear hardship and tolerate hunger and thirst. In short, it brings about a clear victory over one’s illicit desires and selfish impulses.

Benefits of Ramadan and Fasting/Empathy and Compassion

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Empathy-and-Compassion[su_heading size=”19″]Empathy and Compassion[/su_heading]

Although we live in a world of natural abundance, of divine grace and providence, unfortunately due to lack of empathy, compassion and solidarity among human beings, there are many throughout the globe who still struggle with hunger, poverty, lack and scarcity.
When a Muslim observes fasting in Ramadan, he or she feels the hunger that many experience daily as a normal consequence of their circumstances.
By fasting in Ramadan, we develop the holy qualities of empathy and compassion, becoming more aware of our intrinsic connection and oneness with all human beings regardless of borders or labels that create artificial separation among the citizens of the human race.

Benefits of Ramadan and Fasting/Humility and Selflessness

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humility[su_heading size=”19″]Humility and Selflessness[/su_heading]

By fasting in Ramadan, a Muslim realizes how totally dependent we as human beings are upon the divine grace of God for survival, and humility is a natural result of this realization.
Generally, we take things for granted and become heedless as a result of living in the world, dunya, yet by fasting in Ramadan, we are continually reminded of our frailty, leading us to humility, reverence, piety and selflessness — primary goals of Islamic Spirituality.

Benefits of Ramadan and Fasting/Gratitude

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[su_heading size=”19″]Gratitude[/su_heading]

It’s true that one generally does not realize what he or she has until it’s gone or not available, and by fasting in Ramadan, Muslims become acutely aware of the unlimited abundance of divine favor God Almighty has blessed humanity with, particularly with regards to sustenance.
The cultivation of gratitude is a core purpose of Islam, and few spiritual practices cultivate gratitude as does fasting in Ramadan!

Benefits of Ramadan and Fasting/Family and Community

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ramadan[su_heading size=”19″]Family and Community[/su_heading]

One of the greatest benefits of fasting in Ramadan is renewing solidarity and cultivating relationships with one’s family and community.
Only one who observes fasting in Ramadan can truly know the beauty and joy of breaking fast with others, celebrating the gift of life daily for thirty days with loved ones.
Fasting in Ramadan is truly one of the greatest social experiences a human being will ever experience, and this is one of the most important aspects of this unique pillar of Islamic practice.

Sulh al-Hasan – eBook

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Sulh-al-Hasan

The Peace Treaty of al-Hasan (a)

Outstanding work on the difficult situation that faced Imam al-Hasan (a) during his Imamate, and the events and political attitudes that led to peacemaking, as well as the unfair accusations made against him.[divider]

[box type=”note” align=”aligncenter” width=”320px” ]Name: Sulh al-Hasan
Author: Shaykh Radi Aal-Yasin
Translated by: Jasim al-Rasheed[/box]

[button color=”green” size=”medium” link=”https://byislam.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Sulh-al-Hasan.pdf” target=”blank” ]Download “Sulh al-Hasan” – PDF[/button]