Fasting is a divine prescription with great objectives. Muslims fast to achieve those objectives to become righteous people because righteousness is the solutions for problems in our lives. Allah loves those who are righteous. Let us look at few objectives of fasting briefly:
One, to learn Taqwa. Taqwa is the fear of accountability in the court of Allah on the Day of Judgment in next life. From dawn to sunset, we remain hungry without breaking fast, because we fear Allah’s judgment, and Allah’s punishment. After one-month practice, we use the same fear in all actions in our lives to avoid selfishness, greed, corruption, unfairness, abuse, violence, stealing, robbing etc.
Two, to learn to surrender our will to Allah. Despite our cravings for food, during the fast, we use our will power not to eat because of Allah’s order. Similarly, in our lives when we face wrong actions, inhuman actions, unfair actions, we simply avoid those because Allah has prohibited them. Surrendering our will power to Allah makes us righteous people, best humans and the best citizens.
Three, to learn self-control. During fast we avoid angry outburst, abuse, quarrel, fight and wrong actions because Allah prohibited them. As a result, we can control our anger, greed, dishonesty, and all negative traits for Allah’s sake. Self-control makes us winner in our inner battle between right and wrong tendency in us.
Four, to learn to be kind and compassionate towards hungry and vulnerable people. Through fast we feel the pain of hunger. It motivates us to share our love and means with poor and needy. That makes a better world.
Five, to learn to love Allah very much. Despite hunger, we enjoy fast because we grow love for Allah in our hearts. In return Allah loves us more than our love for Him. Then for His love, we become the loving people, peaceful people and we enjoy peace in our hearts in good or in difficult time, because our Loving Allah never forsakes us.
Six, to get close to Allah. Without food, drink, sex and with prayers, I’teqaf etc. we develop angelic nature. Allah creates this opportunity in this month by chaining the Satan, to allow us to get closer to Allah, to feel His presence, to feel His mercy, blessings and forgiveness on us. We feel Him closer when we make sincere supplications to Him with the belief that He is close to us and listens our Dua.
Seven, to clean ourselves from sins with repents, and with amending our wrongs. Fasting, night prayer all are remedies that Allah has provided for us to remove our sins. Allah forgives lavishly in this month.
Eight, to make friends to request for us to Allah on the Day of Judgment. Fast and Quran will become our best friends when we will desperately need their help. Insha Allah, Allah will forgive us for their request.
Nine, to learn to be the people with best character by following the teachings of fasting such as giving up lying, cheating, deceiving, dishonesty and unfairness etc.
Ten, to forward ourselves one step ahead towards Paradise to receive the enormous reward that Allah has promised for us. Fasting, praying, reciting or studying Quran, praying in the powerful night, supplications, charity, feeding people, kind practices, righteous deeds and so on are to make easy for us to proceed towards Paradise Insha Allah.
So, let us take the opportunity of fasting months to achieve all the objectives Insha Allah.
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