MESSAGE OF RAMAZAN — Emotions of Faith

partakes of food and water after going through hunger and thirst, that is the utmost experience or realization of the value of the food and water that God has provided for him. In this world man needs to experience both the feelings of hunger and satiation. He should experience the feeling of a parched throat and the pleasure of drinking cool water to quench his thirst; a feeling of contentment described in a Hadith as ‘My thirst was quenched and my nerves were cooled’. Feelings will not arise without the associated conditions. Fasting in the month of Ramazan is an annual program for creating such conditions. Through fasting one experiences both hunger and satiation so that one can be humble as well as grateful to God. While giving the command for fasting the Quran says: 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 The month of Ramazan 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. He desires you to fast the whole month, so that you may glorify Him for His having guided you and so that you may be grateful to Him. THE QURAN 2: 185 Two essential benefits of fasting are mentioned in these verses. One, that fasting creates piety in an individual. Secondly, fasting makes it possible for man to express genuine gratitude to God. The same feelings that the Quran mentions as piety and gratitude are mentioned in the Hadith as humility and thankfulness. These two feelings are essential to worship. Acknowledgement of God's power and acceptance of our helplessness creates the feelings of piety and humble supplication. And, the acknowledgement of God's blessings creates the feelings of praise and gratitude towards God. If man is conscious of these facts he will experience both these types of feelings every day and in every situation. From every incident he will derive this divine nourishment for his soul. Fasting has been ordained so that these feelings can generally be further developed with more intensity. In other words, fasting in the month of Ramazan is a general training to be accomplished through a specific course. o