Spirit of Ramadan

efficacy of worship. In this way God accepts our worship in its heightened form. Fasting is, in short, a training course. Its purpose is to place man on a special spiritual plane for one month so that he may be able to lead a better life of a true devotee of God and a true lover of humanity. RAMADAN A MONTH OF FASTING AND PRAYER Ramadan, the month of fasting, is a blessed spiritual period for believers, for it is during this month that they do their utmost to awaken and enhance their spirituality. The aim of fasting during Ramadan is to diminish a person’s dependence on material things, so that he may elevate himself to a higher plane of devout living. Abiding by the guidelines of fasting raises believers to a state of humility, truth and honesty. It was in the month of Ramadan that revelations of the Quran first began to be made to Prophet Muhammad. The objective of fasting has been aptly summed up in this Quranic verse: `Believers, fasting has been prescribed for you, just as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may guard yourself against evil’ (2:183). Ramadan teaches the believer to uphold truth and refrain from evil and falsehood. It is important, therefore, to reflect upon the Prophet’s admonition to believers: ‘God does not need the fast of one who does not leave off falsity in speaking or who acts according to his false assertions.’ (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith No. 1903) RAMADAN: A MONTH OF FASTING AND PRAYER