Benefits Of Siyaam (Fasting):
Besides the feeling of hunger and thirst, fasting teaches us to control the love of comfort. It helps us to keep our sexual desires within control. Siyaam builds and nourishes the soul of the fasting Muslim. The fasting person enriches his fasting by the remembrance of Allah, the recitation of the Qur’an, the night prayers, Zakah (required pay to Mosque), Sadaqah (charity), and by refraining from sins and obscenity. The fasting person lowers his gaze and suppresses his desires. He guards his tongue from vain talk and obscenities. He guards his hands and legs from the prohibitions of Allah. He employs his hands and legs in the good and various deeds. Siyaam is not the mere refraining from eating and drinking, it is also refraining from vanity and obscenity. Siyaam builds a strong will and nourishes the truthful zeal in the soul. This is achieved when the fasting person struggles to work for his livelihood and resists his desires and temptations. Siyaam builds the strength to bear difficulties and hardship and instills the character of perseverance. The fasting person by depriving himself from food and drink, and other necessities of life becomes capable of controlling his desires, capricious whims, and temptations. The purpose of fasting is to enable a Muslim to control his passions, so that he becomes a person of good deeds and intentions. If one fasts from dawn to sunset, but continues to be abusive to one’s spouse and children, tell lies, swears wrongly under oath, cheats one’s children by not giving them what is duly theirs in the form of care and love and indulgence in other wrongful acts, then the objective of fasting has not been achieved. Anger, a common human weakness, can also be brought under control by fasting. A Muslim should keep away from all bad actions during his fast. He should not lie, break a promise or do any deceitful act. Fasting in Ramadan helps one to develop good habits and suppress or eliminate bad habits such as smoking, drinking coffee, tea, etc. One can avoid or cut down on excessive consumption of food.
A fasting person has feelings of sympathy for the poor. The sense of compassion springs from the feeling of pain. Fasting is a practical means to develop compassion for other people’s sufferings. The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him) himself was very generous during Ramadan.
Ramadan instills unity and equality among all the members of the Muslim ummah (population). The Muslims fast during the same month, perform qiyaam al lai (night prayers) during the nights of this month and all seek the night of Qadr (whereby all sins are forgiven for the next 1000 months). They offer zakat-ul-fitr (compulsory charity) at the end of the month and celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr together. By doing this together during this month of Ramadan, the ummah becomes like one body living in harmony. Granted, we may start on different days, however, we are all doing it for one reason. The fasting person is alert and cautious not to fall into something that might spoil his or her fasting or seek the wrath of Allah. Which brings up what the MSA provides to the Muslims on this campus. Iftars…it is a time to Muslims on this campus (and non-Muslim alike) to unite for a common good. It is a time whereby when you hardly see others, you see them more often. It is NOT a time where we complain about how when we get served, we only get a small serving knowing very well that you will come for seconds and thirds and that others are still in class. It is NOT a time where people are to keep asking “what’s for iftar” because by not having your presence at times, the MSA may lose certain Baraka (blessing). This is NOT a month of selfishness, it is a month of selflessness. This is NOT a month where we keep mentioning how hungry we are because what is a person to think (outside the faith of Islam) when a Muslim says how hungry they are. They simply ask you, “then why are you doing it?!” I love you here for the sake of Allah but it gets me disappointed when I see how we waste our time before iftar. How we just sit around and play games or just talk. By doing this, not only are taking a risk that your fast may not count for you, but you are taking an even greater risk by losing Taqwaa (belief). I remind myself first Brothers and Sisters, use this month to its advantage…use it for its meant; a month of worship…a month of patience…a month of selflessness….
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Fasting builds important Islamic values, such as compassion, cooperation, diligence, firmness, affection, fear of Allah, trust in Allah, and many other qualities. Fasting establishes equality among the rich and the poor. It is a compulsory experience of poverty in that it makes all people share an quality, of feeling and to sympathize with one another through a collective sense of pain. Fasting Muslims can really sympathize with the starving people everywhere in the world and see the hardship that they go through every day of their lives. This compassion increases the practical aspect of the unity of Muslims and will reduce the idea of nationality and geographical identity. Allah is pleased with his servants and answers the duaa of the fasting person, when he supplicates to Him.
During the month of Ramadan, one should visit and offer prayers more frequently in the local mosques. Ramadan is a special time for visiting friends and family and sharing meals with the less fortunate.
The Prophet(pbuh) said, “ O people! The month of Ramadan has come with His mercy, blessing and forgiveness. Allah(SWT) has decreed this month the best of all months. Its days are the best among days, its nights best among nights, and its hours best among hours. This is a month in which you have been invited by Him to fast and pray. Allah(SWT) has honored you in it. Every breath you take in this month has the reward of praise of Allah(SWT). Your sleep in worship, your good deeds are accepted and your invocations answered.
Therefore you must invoke your Lord in earnest, with hearts that are free from sin and evil, and pray that Allah(SWT) helps you fast, and recite the Qur’an. Give alms to the poor and the needy. Pay respect to your elders, have sympathy for your youngsters and be kind toward your relatives and kinsfolk. Guard your tongue against unworthy words, and your eyes from scenes that are not worth seeing and your ears from sounds that should not be heard. Understand well that Allah(SWT) has promised in the Name of His Majesty and Honor that He will not take to task such people who perform Salaat and Sajda and that He will guard their bodies against the fire of hell on the Day of Judgment.
If anyone among you arranges Iftar for any believer, then Allah(SWT) will reward him and forgive him his previous sins. (A companion of the prophet(pbuh) asked: “But not everyone among us have the means to do so.” The prophet replied: “Do it even if it be with half a date or some water if you have nothing else.”)
Anyone who cultivates in this month good manners will walk over the bridge leading to paradise on the day when feet will tend to slip. Anyone who treats his kinsfolk well in it, Allah will bestow His mercy on him on the Day of Judgment while anyone who mistreats his kinsfolk, Allah will keep him away from His mercy. Whoever recites a verse of the Qur’an in this month, his reward will be that of reciting the whole Qur’an in other months.
The gates of paradise remain open in this month: pray to your Lord that they may not be closed for you. The gates of hell are closed during this month: pray that they may never be opened for you. Satan has been handcuffed: invoke your Lord not to let him dominate you.”
Before I close up, I would like to remind you all of the MSA’s annual Unity in Diversity Dinner held at the Ford Performing Arts Center. What’s the purpose? To please Allah (SWT), to unify the Muslims, the better understand our fellow brothers and sisters in humanity, to let people know what MSA-UMD is actually capable of, and best of all: To unify the Muslims on this campus…Most of you have been so generous in volunteering this year. We have roughly 90+ volunteers this year and on behalf of the MSA, Jazakum Allahu Kheir…May Allah bless you for your efforts and bless you with the right intentions…I pray that Allah (SWT) unifies the Muslims on this campus and puts us on the straight path of Islam….The Islam that is the middle path, the truth that is but the truth.
May Allah(SWT) make us become kinder people, better neighbors and set good examples of the teachings of Islam which we present. Ameen!