FROM THE EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
Prof. Farida Khanam is an author, editor, translator, public speaker and former professor of Islamic Studies at Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. Among her books are ‘A Simple Guide to Sufism’ and ‘A Study of World’s Major Religions’. She has translated into English many books authored by Maulana Wahiduddin Khan. Currently the chairperson of CPS International, she is a regular contributor of articles to various publications. Prof. Khanam has edited Maulana’s English translation of the Quran and has also translated his Urdu commentary of the Quran into English. She can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
RAMADAN: A MONTH OF RIGOROUS TRAINING
THE Prophet Muhammad called the month of Ramadan a month of patience. The Quran states that fasting during this month has been prescribed so that man may become God-fearing. These two qualities are required of us every month of the year. Why is it that they have been so particularly mentioned in connection with the month of Ramadan?
The reason for this is Ramadan is the special period of the year during which these qualities are to be cultivated. Of course, the exercise of patience and piety is required of every believer every day of the year and every year of his life. These are principles to which he must at all times adhere. But in this one particular month, special stress has been laid on this so that these two attributes become an integral part of one’s character. This is done by laying down a certain discipline, so that much as people may want to do something, they will then refrain from doing it if it is an action displeasing to God. If they wish to eat or drink something, no matter how strong their desires, they will not do so if Divine law prohibits it. They will follow the will of God irrespective of the circumstances and regardless of any difficulties they may encounter in the process. Even if it means leaving behind, or abstaining from, that which they hold most dear, they will not abandon the way of God.
Ramadan is a kind of “crash course” aimed at inculcating in people a truly religious spirit and making them conscious of their responsibilities to God.
Ramadan is a kind of “crash course” aimed at inculcating in people a truly religious spirit and making them conscious of their responsibilities to God. For one month in the year, people spend all of their time in worship. All of their days and nights are spent in prayer and fasting. In this way, people are trained to perform every action in the divinely appointed way. Their waking and sleeping, their eating and their abstinence, their actions and their inactions; all must be in accordance with the commands of God. This is how a true servant of God should behave, not just on special occasions, but every day of the year.
For one month, certain habits are enforced as part of a certain discipline, so that for the rest of the year, the person will have no difficulty in exercising the same control over all of their actions.
Thoroughly imbued with the qualities of patience and piety during the month of Ramadan, one is able to maintain the same high standard of conduct through the rest of the year.
Fasting awakens in
man the feeling of
gratefulness. It also
serves as a method to
increase the efficacy of
worship.