Alhamdulillah Ramadhan begins tomorrow, the best month of the year, the most blessed and most precious, is coming up. The month that brings the fragrance of Jannah and the sweetness of Imaan, the tears of Taubah and the forgiveness of your Lord. And it's bringing with it a night that is equivalent in worship and reward, to more than a thousand months.. May the blessings of the month shower over you and your family ! May this Ramadan be much better for us than previous ones. Happy Ramadan !! Amiin Yaa Robbal Alamiin.
Originally, in Arabic the word 'as-Sawm' (Sawm) meant 'al-Imsak', that is, to abstain totally from any act including eating, drinking, walking, speaking, etc. Thus, the Arabs used to refer to a horse refusing to run or to be fed, as 'Saum', that is, fasting. As is clear, the word 'Sawm' is ancient and was used in a different context by the Arabs before Islam. Then, however it did not have the specific meaning given to it by Islam as a term denoting a certain religious obligation. As an Islamic term, it means to refrain intentionally from what breaks fasting.
To a Muslim, Ramadan fasting is not just refraining from eating and drinking but carries the added significance of worship, psychological comfort, morality and legislation. It is neither the irrational motionless 'Imsak' of pre-Islamic Arabs nor the mere abstaining from eating and drinking, but is, in fact, the building of one's character, control over desires, and an inspiration towards social and scientific creativity.
The Holy Prophet (S.A.W) has been reported to have said, “Fasting is a shield for you as it saves you from sins in this world and would protect you from Hell in the Hereafter. When anyone of you keeping fast, he should neither use indecent language nor speak loud. If someone picks up a row abuses him he should tell him that he is observing fast.”
Great merit and credit has been described to fast in the Traditions. The Holy Prophet (S.A.W) has said that one who observes fast in the month of Ramadaan for the sake of Allah, all of his sins of the past are forgiven by Him, and that odour of the month of one who fasts is most appreciable to Allah than musk.
“Every good act a man does shall receive from ten to seven hundred rewards”, says Allah, “but the fast is an exception as it is for ‘Me alone and I will give its rewards as much as I like, He who fasts abandons the lust and craving of this appetite for My sake.”
The Holy Prophet (S.A.W) has said. “If a person does not abstain from telling lies or doing wrong when he is observing fast let it be known to him that Allah does not want that he should stop eating his food.”
