To the followers of Islam, I beg your pardon.
When I was born, I was a human being first and then I followed my mother to the place of worhsip she chose. My mother later told me that the doctor who delivered me did not mention that I was a Hindu child or a Muslim child or Christian child.
As a human being I have some questions and would like to address to the various people in the group. But please note that I have no intentions of abusing anyone's belief.
I hope not to cause any harm or create anger to anyone.
It is mentioned that these religious holidays are meant to purify one's soul and fasting during these holidays is the way to achieve that. It is also mentioned that we should follow a regulated diet and strict times.
This dedication and devotion brings us closer to our Creator.
Now, there are less fortunate people around the world in every faith that people have adopted. They cannot afford to earn a meal and provide to their family whom they love.
They are more or less fasting every day of the year. They are all praying to the Almighty every moment that they live. They do not follow any rules of eating and praying.
Does this imply that their souls are purified?
Then why are suffering in their life?
How is the intake of the food, required to keep a person healthy and capable of doing service for others affect their soul?
What kinds of regulated diet (food) should be avoided that would not to create bad habits?
How can self-suffering aid in purification of souls?
How can we raise our spirits to a higher level?
Who raises our spirits? We or others or will we be judged only by our Creator?
I have learnt that if our actions(service to others or charity to the needy) cause comfort to others than they will praise us and pray to our Creator to bless us.
If we cause harm to others then they can ask our Creator to curse us.
So, we are in reality judged by the people who recommend us to our Creator in their prayers. After all our body is a temple of the living God.
I will appreciate if someone can give me some answers.
Once again I beg your pardon for asking them.
Peace be with you all.
May God bestow his blessings to all during these holidays and always.
Ash
Hassan Ali <hassanrazvi786@yahoo.co.in> wrote:
Ramadan Fasting and the purification (cleansing) of souls...The Holy Quran refers to two features of fasting in Ramadan: mental and practical. These are like the wings of a bird on which man flies through the heavenly space of spirituality in the month of Ramadan.The Holy Quran says: "Ramadan is the (month) in which was sent down the Holy Quran, as a guide to mankind, also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (Between right and wrong)." (2:185)This means that in the month of Ramadan, one should get to know the Holy Quran better and, through the clearance of guidance, take a broader view of the right and wrong of life.The Holy Quran says: "O you who believe! fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may guard (against evil)." (2:183)Here the Holy Quran emphasizes piety; that means fighting against and having victory over the false deity of the soul. Imam Ali (A.S.) said: "The bravest are those who gain victory over the false deity of their souls." (Safinatul-Bihar; vol.1, P.689).In the Holy month of Ramadan, human beings are the guests of God; therefore they have to be eligible for His divine honor. The Holy Quran says: "We purified him so that he could be saved." (91:9) Also the Holy Quran says: "We created man of the best stature. Then We reduced him to the lowest degree." (95:4-5)God has given man the power and insight to choose his course in life. God has also given man the attribute of knowledge in an abstract form. This is the divine trust that man has assumed.The Holy Quran says: "Surely We offered the trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they refused to be unfaithful to it and feared from it, and man has turned unfaithful to it; surely he is unjust, ignorant." (33:72) Satan, who symbolizes the wrong and animal dimensions of man, refused out of arrogance to prostrate before Adam and was cast out of Paradise.So, in order to retaliate, he has been tempting man ever since. For salvation, man needs the purification of his soul in addition to knowledge and insight.Such purification is obtained by having heartfelt faith in God. Man's soul should enjoin him unto good, not unto evil.The Holy Quran says: "And I do not declare myself free, most surely (man's) self is wont to command (him to do) evil, except such as my Lord has had mercy on, surely my Lord is Forgiving, Merciful." (12:53)Man should not be a prisoner of his soul enjoining himself unto evil. Imam Khomeini (r.a.) said that if man wanted to attain human perfection, he should avoid worldly pleasures and strive to get nearer to God.The Holy Quran says:"It is He who has placed you as viceroys of the earth....". Then how can man, as a viceroy of God, be without the divine attributes of his Lord?" A true man of faith has kindled the fire of faith within him, and fasting is something that enhances his faith.The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) said: "Fasting is prescribed for man to purify his soul." In Ramadan, the month of fasting, you become the guest of God. Do praise Him with devotion. God will answer all your prayers in this month. Fasting is the glad tidings of God's all-embracing mercy.Imam Ali (A.S.) asked the Prophet on the last Friday of the month of Shaaban:"What is the best thing to do in Ramadan?" The Prophet answered: "The best thing is to avoid committing sins." (Yun al-Akhbar ar-Ridha, vol.1).It is also stated that eating and drinking alone do not cause refraining from fasting. It should be known that refraining from everything that causes man to part from God is also counted.Fasting has many advantages. God calls man to His feast while he is hungry, so then man can best appreciate the value of His bounties.The Objectives of Ramadan Fasting:a) To get rid of bad habits:Ramadan Fasting demands the strict and solid resolution to submit oneself to a special diet which, often corrects habits, harmful to the health, that we may get into, during the running year, thus to comply with a severely regulated diet and some bad habits, as a self-willed sacrifice. This is why we notice that the Holy Quran mentions patience, tolerance, will, and perseverance as being synonyms of fasting.b) To suffer hunger thus feel the difficult life of the poor:This endurance provokes in ourselves the feeling of association with their sorrows and deprivations. This feeling, so humane and compassionate, is much more expressive than a whole series of well-prepared speeches or well-organized public demonstrations. The rich people who never experience deprivation, discover, through fasting, the hardship imposed on needy people. Then, their hearts become more tractable, and their hands, will exercise generosity and charity towards the needy.c) To Appreciate God's beyond measure donations:The daylight is never enough estimated unless we endure the night darkness. Also we cannot know the real value of happiness until we lose it. So when we fast, we suffer hunger, thirst and deprivation of so many other leisure's we used to enjoy before fasting. Then, we effectively evaluate the life comforts Mighty God has gifted us with.d) To discover the sanitary advantages: Dr. Alexis Karlil, in his book... says:The exaggerated variety of our meals, their excessive quantities and assortments, make the alimentary regulating in the human life become ineffective. With the legislation of Fasting by all religions the humanity has known to attract notice to thousands, even millions of human beings who never know satiety. Moreover, fasting activates the blood circulation and purifies heart and soul. Besides, the modern medicine has proved that fasting is a remedy for diseases that affect the man of this century because of overeating and the variety of canned food. In this case, fasting is as being a treatment, and even a preventive at the same time.e) Recalling of evident return to God:In fact, Ramadan fasting is a stage where the human being is the closest to God. The fasting period, Ramadan is a time when one submits to spiritual and social changes.f) One acquires loyalty, honesty and sincerity to God, by fasting:Ramadan fasting is a confidential act which occurs between the human being and his Creator. This act must be impregnated with full sincerity and the deepest loyalty. Now in case fasting loses its honesty, it becomes a hypocrisy.g) Regulating habit:By Ramadan fasting, we acquire the habit of punctuality. We breakfast at fixed time, and we abstain from eating and drinking at a strict and special time. Moreover, becoming accustomed to regulations leads to the respect of time, of word and promise, and so one becomes trustworthy, well estimated, able to carry out one's responsibilities, and to fulfill one's social duties.Ramadan fasting inspires love and tightens links among the family members who live the whole fasting period in the same routine which approaches them to God. Habits change automatically during the period, and the family members meet in the evenings to say prayers appropriated to this holy occasion..
