The Ramadan is the fasting month in which all the Muslims around the world fast. It is a fasting month on the Islamic calendar, where Muslims all over the world celebrate the holy month of Ramadan. It means so much to the Muslims: fasting, penance, charity, discipline, abstinence, and remembrance of God; it requires full fasting during that month. During Ramadan, one does not commit any evil act; one does everything good, particularly helping the poor and exercising self-restraint. This is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar: fasting, praying, meditating, and doing good acts toward all humanity. It is that one pious month of Ramadan from which one can discipline oneself, practice self-control, and give up material things. It was actually the month of Ramadan in which Prophet Muhammad was inspired. It was during the ninth month in the Islamic calendar, which is when fasting was decreed by Allah from sunrise to sunset, so a person could be granted the right to fast, thereby improving his character in acts of worship, charity, and fasting. Ramadan spans over a whole five pillars in Islam. The beginning of Ramadan is marked on the sighting of the crescent moon, falling between the 29th and 30th day of Dhul-Hijjah.
Fasting, from dawn until sundown, is compulsory for all adult Muslims except for those who are severely or chronically ill, travelling, elderly, pregnant, diabetic, or menstruating. Suhur is the pre-dawn meal, while iftar is the feast that breaks the fast at night. Although in the mid-1970s fatwas were issued declaring that Muslims living in subtended areas of the sun or polar night should follow Mecca's timetable. Common practices are to follow that of the nearest country where night is distinguishable from day. The fasting spiritual rewards (thawab) are going to get multiplied during Ramadan. Therefore, during the fasting hours Muslims refrain from food, drink, any tobacco products or sexual relations and sinful behaviorInstead, they devote themselves to salat—prayer and the study of holy Quran. Ramadan 2025 started on Wednesday, March 2, with much devotion and faith. The last night of Ramadan ends with a big celebration called Eid-al-Fitr, where families feast. This time, however, the spirit of Marie is brought about when well-to-do people extend their helping hands to the poor and needy-a perfect example about the equality among Islam-another religion of peace and kindness. Traditionally, the end of Ramadan is the sighting of the next crescent moon, signalling the beginning of the month of Shawwal and the celebration of Eid-ul-Fitr. Ramadan will likely end between March 30 and March 31, depending on moon sightings this year.
The importance of Ramadan can never be underrated; therefore, it is of tremendous importance to highlight the distinctiveness of the Ramadan celebration and its observance. All over the world, Muslims celebrate the expectations and joyful longing for the opening days of a blessed month of Ramadan. It is a month of fasting which is one of the five pillars of Islam, and Muslims all around the world rejoice in welcoming this blessed month. Each year the month of Ramadan raises interest and awareness as to a full cycle of fasting. Is this fasting a futile exercise of asceticism, or a form of religious discipline that is intended to develop man's moral, physical, and spiritual facets? Is it a new system of asceticism, initiated by Islam? How do other religions of the world put fasting into practice and what is the true concept of fasting according to Islam? What is the real spirit of Ramadan and the expectations that a Muslim should strive to fulfill during his fasts of the month? Considered simply, it may be defined as ‘abstaining from all or some kinds of food or drink especially as a religious observance’.
Fasting incorporated in world religions would clearly mean that fasting stands miles apart from the mere definition of abstention from food and water. Fasting is an important aspect of Hindusim as Hindu devotees across the globe practice it on the eve of every festival. Both Islam and Hinduism propound their believers to fast, though the methods differ; more importantly, it should be noted that fasting among Muslims stands wider apart in organisation and strictness, as believers are very much expected to follow strict rules and regulations during Ramadan. Such fasting is thus unique and distinct in religion Islam, wherein the observant ones may not even touch water or smoke, and so to speak, it conveys a message that fasting in Islam is nothing less than hard discipline and caveats, abided by the public connotation. World religions seek fasting, above all things, to be reflection upon oneself, moral schooling, and the advancement in spiritual aspect. Fasting is not, however born with Islam; the holy Quran contains this acknowledgment, declaring that O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to thee, as it was prescribed to those before you, for prime consideration of you. The fasting practiced among Muslims forms, in fact, an extension of the practices known in the ancient religions. Fasting is generally known in Hinduism as Upavasa. It is entirely a common mode of exhibiting faith to god under an 'ascetic' rigour. The fasting has got a great significance in sanatan Dharma and many rituals of Hindus begin with the observance of fasting. Upvasa may also connote an all-comprehensive-abstaining from every form of sensual gratification.
In Islam, fasting is a means of both physical and spiritual exercise aimed mainly at earning the pleasure of God throughattunement ofone's existence to the behavioral(the underlying rules) injunctions of God. A Muslim observing mere outward observance of fasting will find himself or herself only hungry and thirsty without any other gain. Hazrat Ghulam Ahmad, the Promised Messiah and founder of the Alberta Muslim community, makes categorical clarifications on the real essence of fasting in Islam: “Fasting really does not mean starving and thirsty but rather through experience alone does it acquire its complete state and intense expression." It is a fact that the less one eats, the more one develops spiritually; thus a person more and more into spiritual vision will increase their capability toward it. It is the will of God to deprive humankind of one mode of sustenance while granting them another. A fasting man should always bear in mind that he has not just refrained from eating; rather he should be occupied in the remembrance of God, in order that he may cut off all ties with worldly desires and amusements, and completely dedicate himself to the exalted deity. The very essence of fasting lies in the fact that, having renounced bodily sustenance, he (the fasted) attains another kind of sustenance which is spiritual in nature and provides comfort to the soul.” Only words uttered in most shameful and sinful context the works thereof wasted.
That is why the Holy Prophet of Islam taught: ’’He who does not shun telling a lie by word and fact, let him know that God does not need his abstention from food and drink.’’ For Islam, fasting is a set of rules and regulations which each and every believer within Islamic faith has to observe in letter and in spirit during Ramadan period; otherwise the fast is only hunger and thirst. They are not that easy for the practitioners, but the believers fast during Ramadan in true spirit and according to all commandments of the God and his prophet. It should be borne in mind that fasting has an eminent standing in Islam, and devoted Muslims fast with their minds oriented to God, and indeed it is such good merit that brings down on them the blessings of the Almighty during Ramadan. A conclusion is that fasting is not just hunger and thirst, there is vast scientific philosophy behind the fast kept during Ramadhan, and every Muslim should fast during Ramdan to get the blessings of almighty Allah. May this year's fast fill our body and soul with purifying lights and call for peace, security, prosperity, happiness, and above all contentment, and let us all pray to God who is the supreme lord of the universe, all powerful, and full of mercy, that may He bless us with cleanliness from all our sins!
(Vivek Koul and Omkar Dattatray)
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