Questions and Answers

The main purpose of fasting is to go through the Quran with complete focus and dedication. This is a very serious study. So, believers are required to stay away from all other activities and concentrate their minds totally on the study of the Quran so that they are able to discover the deep meaning in the Quran. How can we discover the deeper meaning of the Quran? According to a Hadith, “The wonders of Quran shall never cease.”(Sunan al-Darimi, Hadith No. 3358) From this we understand that just as taking more and more water from an ocean does not dry it up; similarly, continually reflecting on the Quran only allows its deeper meaning to unfold. Materialists think on the lines of “more and more money” but the mindset of a believer should be “more and more wisdom from the Quran.” In other words, if you dedicate the month of Ramadan to the study of Quran, you shall discover newer meanings. Taking us away from the routine of life fasting prepares one for the study of the Quran. And when a person studies the Quran with a wellprepared mind, contemplating on the verses, he can understand the teachings of the Quran in greater depth and discover the deeper meaning of the Quran. Can you give an example of discovering the deeper meaning of the Quran? I think the following verse of the Quran opens a whole new meaning to the reader: “Believers, fasting has been prescribed for you, just as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may guard yourselves against evil.” (The Quran, 2:183) This verse highlights that fasting is a universal practice and was a common element across religions. And ever since man inhabited earth, prophets were sent to guide him, and they enjoined their community to observe fasts. When man observes a fast today, he gets connected to a long history.