A LIFE OF MORAL RESTRAINT
Purify Your Soul
THE month of Ramazan is called the month of patience (sabr) (Mishkat al Masabih, 1/613). During this month, the believer is trained to control his negative feelings and lead a successful life, while warding off all evils. Negative feelings in man are the greatest obstacle to his progress, and fasting is the solution to this greatest of human problems.
This is explained in the Hadith: (words of the Prophet) ‘There is zakat for everything and the zakat of our body is fasting’. (Mishkat al Masabih, 1/639) Here zakat means purity. There is a way to purify all things, and fasting is the method devised for purifying the body. Fasting acts as a cleanser for the human body. The physical bath using water purifies the external body, while fasting purifies the inner body or the soul.
There is a way of purifying all things, and fasting is the method devised for purifying the soul.
The Prophet once observed: ‘When you fast, you should not utter any evil word. And if anyone abuses you or wants you to engage in fighting, let it be known that you are fasting’. (Mishkatul Masabih, 1/611). The aim of fasting is to purify oneself in action in conformity with one’s pure thoughts. One who is fasting thinks that he has to lead a life of restraint. In such a situation, should anything evil be said to him or aggravate him, he will not be provoked. As he is deeply aware that by fasting he has entered into a covenant with God to lead a life of restraint. If so, how can he take part in any evil act?
A life of restraint is the only guarantee of all manner of religious and worldly progress. Man has been sent to this world to be tested. That is why there are all kinds of trials and tribulations by which man may be tested to find out who has passed the test and who has failed.
“Restraint” is an everlasting principle. Fasting is a lesson which teaches a life of restraint. The true fast is kept by those whose fasting helps them to lead a life of restraint thus enabling him to shun all evil ways.
