The New Nation - Internet Edition

Ameer Hamzah

The holy month of Ramazan begins today or tomorrow. During this month, the Muslims all over the world keep from food, drinks and wives from dawn to dusk. The Quran says, "It is made lawful to you to go unto your wives on the night of the fast; they are apparel to you and you are apparel for themt Eat and drink until the whiteness of the day becomes distinct from the blackness of the night at dawn, and complete the fast till dark of night,"-2/187.

Fasting is an order of God decreed not only for the Muslims but all those before them. The Quran says, " O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may guard (against evils),"-2/183.

The said verse teaches man to avoid all kinds of sins including doing harms to others. The sins of serious nature are 18 in number as described at page no. 648 of in Ma Areful Quran by Mufti Muhammad Shafi. These are:

Ascribing partner to God, 2. To disobey parents, 3. To tell a lie, 4.To abandon namaj or prayer, 5. To kill someone, 6. Pre-marital physical union between opposite sexes, 7. Theft, 8. To take wine or any kind of liquor, 9. To make false statement, 10. Perjury, 11. Sorcery, 12. Usury, 13. To devour properties of orphans, 14. To run away from Jihad, 15.To accuse a woman falsely, 16.To snatch away properties of others, 17. Breach of promise, 18. To abuse a Muslim and 19. To convict an innocent

The Prophet Muhammad (SM) said, "There is no need of him keeping from food, drinks and wives who does not stay away from falsehood,"-Bukhari Sharif in Bengali at page No. 175.

Since the number of days varies in the Arabic months, The Prophet said, "(Arabic) month consists of 29 days also. You will not, therefore, keep fasting until the moon is sighted. If the sighting is not possible due to clouds in the sky, fulfill the month (of Shaban) 30 days,"-Ibid at page no. 175. The Prophet has distinctly said, "Keep fasting at the sighting of the moon and break fasting at the sighting of the moon. If the sighting of moon becomes not possible (due to clouds in the sky), fulfill (the month of Ramadan) 30 days,"-Bukhari Sharif in Bengali at page n. 176.

Fasting is compulsory, and not optional. There is no room for a man of sound health to escape it The sick man and the traveler shall fast a like number of days. In case of a sick man having least chance to recover, he will feed a poor twice a day- (ref: 2/184). Regarding the number of days feeding a poor, the Prophet said that a man would feed the poor as many days he was sick- (Ref: Bukhari Sharif in Bengali at page No. 189.

Roza or fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam. The four others are namaj (prayer), zakat (poor-due), hajj (pilgrimage) and Jihad (striving hard for a society based on justice and equality to end exploitation of man by another)-Ma Areful Quran by Mufti Muhammad Sharif at page no. 1080.

Society is divided into two classes--the rich and the poor. The rich does not understand the sufferings and agony of hunger. By keeping fast, the rich takes a taste of appetite and a lesson of standing by the poor in time of need, sharing their sorrows. In the month of Ramadan, the rich is under obligation to pay zakat or poor due @ taka 2.50. In the days of early Islam, the Prophet had a separate ministry to collect zakat from the eligible persons. The amount so collected was used to rehabilitate the poor. Zakat is not a mercy nor optional.

The two most remarkable things of the month of Ramadan are that Allah first began the revelation of the Quran unto the Prophet (SM) and secondly the fate of every human being for the next one year is decided on the Night of Qadr. Allah says, "The month of Ramadan is that in which the Quran was revealed, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs of guidance and the distinction (between right and wrong),"-2/185. The said verse clearly points out that Quan has been sent unto mankind, not for a particular community.

And that Hazrat Muhammad was Prophet unto mankind is known by verse no. 4/79. The text is: We have sent thee (O Muhammad) as Prophet unto mankind. Verses no. 44/2,3,4 and 97/1,4 are the evidence of deciding fate of mankind on the Night of Qadr, also known as Blessed Night

With nightfall, whoso keeps fasting breaks it taking food and drink as ordained by Allah-(Ref: 2/187). At the same time, He has warned men of wasting and exceeding the limit- (Ref: 2/60, 5/87). In this connection, the Prophet said, "Whoso takes varieties of foods, wear varieties of cloths and resort to useless conversation is really unfortunate,"-Murshid-e- Ameen by Imam Ghazzali at page No. 231.

In the society of Bangladesh, a very bad practice has grown over years of taking food as much as possible at the time of Iftar. Islam does not have any sanction. Allah says, "Eat and drink of the provision of Allah and act not corruptly in the earth, making mischief,"-2/60. Again, He says, "O ye who believe! Forbid not the good things, which Allah has made lawful for you but exceed not the limits,"-5/87.

It is not wrong to think that Allah will not take the account of the varieties of foods in the month of Ramadan. Such kind of thinking is against the Quran. The Quran says, "Allah will take account of all things,"-4/86. Imam Ghazzali writes that roza is of three categories, namely, ordinary, special and extra ordinary.

Above all, Ramadan is a character-building month. It guides man to patience, self-discipline and feelings for others. The return of a man to the truth from sinister way of life is the teachings of Ramadan. The success completely depends upon one's will and determination.

In this regard, the Islamic scholars and imams of mosques have a great role to play. They could admonish the devotees, ask them to take lessons from the Quran and what the Prophet said and to follow a simple way of life. Islam does not promote luxury, wastage of property, lewdness and doing harm to others but justice and equity.