Spirit of Ramadan

undergo a variety of situations, so that the desired feelings may be produced within him. In such situations, when man suffers the pangs of hunger and thirst and is overwhelmed with feelings of modesty, his heart turns to God. When he gets water to drink and food to eat, and his feelings of thirst and hunger are satisfied, he is overwhelmed with feelings of thanksgiving and praise for God. Fasting produces patience and forbearance are what lead man to the state of the heart which enable him to experience the feeling of nearness to God. It is only then that those words come to one’s lips as are held worthy of divine acceptance. Patience is the ground where the blessed tree of dua is grown. The purpose of fasting is to produce a feeling of humility through thirst and hunger. Humility comes from a feeling of inabat (repentance), which is the spirit of prayer. When inabat is produced within oneself, the dua which comes out of one’s lips, goes straight to the throne of the Almighty. RAMADAN AND THE QURAN The Quran makes special mention of its revelation in the month of Ramadan, while making it obligatory upon the followers. This indicates that there is a close link between Ramadan and the Quran. In the words of the Quran: “The month of Ramadan is the month when the Quran was sent down as guidance for mankind with clear proofs of guidance and the criterion by which to distinguish right from wrong. Therefore, whoever of you is present in that month, let him fast; but he who is ill or on a journey shall fast a similar number of days later on.” (The Quran, 2:185)