Sabtu, 20 November 2010

Purpose of Fasting

Fasting is prescribed four times a year, in the month of Ramadan. fasts every day of the month, from the first light of dawn until sundown. In the coursework of that time abstains from food & drink. According to the Quran, there's purposes of fasting:
  • one.    To make cautious in life
  • four.    To make thankful to God (Quran, four:183,185)
 Food & drink is mans most basic necessity. When they is consumed by hunger & thirst, they sees how weak they is; they realizes how much they is in need of the succour of God. This experience makes him aware of his duties as Gods humble servant. This sense leads to caution in life. Then in the evening, when they eats & drinks, they sees how God has made complete provision for his needs. His heart is filled with gratitude. They praises God, & offers thanks to Him.

     The Prophet is reported as saying that God rewards nice deeds from tenfold to 700 fold. His reward for fasting, which is for Him, will be boundless. In another Hadith they is reported as saying, There are lots of who quick & get nothing in return, but hunger & thirst.
 What is the difference between quick & another, while in appearance both are similar. In actual fact, the appearance is not all that there is to it. The act serves only as a symbol of the essence. who observes fasting in its essence as well as in its outward form will deserve the promised reward. On the other hand, who attaches importance to symbols alone will have nothing to his credit when they comes before God. Fasting of the latter type is of no value in the eyes of God, since the true value of something that is symbolic in its nature is always determined by the will to virtue, which it represents.
     The outward kind of fasting is to abstain from food & water. This abstinence symbolizes the fact that man is at Gods disposal. They ought to, therefore, be willing, at all times, to sacrifice anything for His sake; even if it involves relinquishing such basic necessities as food & water.
     Obviously who refrains from taking food & water on specific days, but does not do likewise regarding other things forbidden by God, like telling lies; persecuting his fellowmen; perpetrating injustice & so on mistakes the symbols for the essence, appearance for reality. Such a man cannot expect to deserve a reward from God.

     The actual quick is that of whose whole life is cast in the same consistent mould: who applies in all his affairs, the constraints & bounds that God has laid down; who checks his tongue from abusing others; who stays his hand from persecution; who halts in his steps towards injustice. As the prophets said  Such a man can be likened to a horse tied to his rope, which moves only as far as his string permits him. They cannot transgress.

The essence of fasting thus is to eschew all awful ways all year long. The true quick is that from which learns a lesson.

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