Some Social Benefits of the Month of Ramadan

By:

Nurudeen Dauda

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Alhamdulillah for sparing our lives to witness this year's Ramadan. We thank the Almighty Allah for making us muslims! We thank the Almighty Allah for giving us the month of Ramadan, the greatest month. We thank the Almighty Allah for giving us the greatest "night" once in a year in this month of Ramadan. Allahu Akbar! Alhamdulillah!

Sawm (Fasting) literally means total abstinence from all food, drinks and sexual desires from Dawn to sunset with the intention of Ibada (worship). This includes all kinds of food, drinks, and things like cigarettes etc., before the break of the Dawn till sunset, during the entire month of Ramadan which is the ninth month of the Islamic year. However, the following are some of the social benefits of fasting:

(1) The month of Ramadan has some social benefits to muslims; such as: giving us feeling of "sympathy" with the "poor" and "hungry". Anyone who has experienced the pangs of hunger while fasting must "sympathize" with the "poor" and the homeless refugees to whom hunger is a common experience. The poor and the hungry habitually experience the pangs of hunger throughout the year. The rich and the powerful among the muslims only experience hunger while fasting.

Accordingly, If not for the month of Ramadan the rich men will hardly know what is called hunger or poverty, but for Ramadan, the rich and the powerful abstain from eating and drinking from Dawn to Dusk not because of poverty, but in obedience to Allah. The feeling of "thirst" and "hunger" is a routine exercise by the poor while the rich only experiences it in the month of Ramadan. Alhamdulillah for the blessings of Islam!

(2) The month of Ramadan promotes "patience" and "selflessness" because the muslims deprive themselves of essential commodities and pleasures in "obedience" to the Almighty Allah. This will consequently, make us feel for and sympathize with other people who experience "needs" and "deprivations" perpetually.

(3) It promotes self-control: as muslims fast, they are expected to control their own tempers, they are expected to remain calm and refrain from harming others, verbally and/or physically. The month of Ramadan promotes self restraint among muslims. Even if one is highly provoked in this greatest month he or she is expected to state in clear terms that "I am fasting". Abu Hurayrah narrated that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said:“Fasting is a shield, so when one of you is fasting, he should neither indulge in obscene language nor should he raise his voice in anger. If someone attacks him or insults him, let him say: I am fasting”.(Muslim). Alhamdulillah for making us muslims!

(4) The month of Ramadan injects us with discipline. It brings discipline in our lives which otherwise we cannot have and see in our lives. To spend a life with discipline is the most difficult thing. But a muslim can make his life an example for others with respect to discipline. When a person observes the regular course of fasting in consecutive days of the Holy month of Ramadan and in the months of the consecutive years, he is certainly applying himself to a high form of discipline and a superb sense of order.

(5) The month of Ramadan promotes unity, Brotherhood and charity among muslims. The fast of Ramadan helps the muslims to be aware of their unity. From the moment the new moon is seen, the whole muslim world enters into the spiritual discipline of fasting. Mutual awareness and mutual sympathy between muslims is increased. We try doing more acts of charity towards each other. Alhamdulillah for making us muslims!

(6) The month of Ramadan promotes moral up rights, muslims bear in their minds that back-biting, Gossip, Quarrelling and so on can take away the spiritual benefits and reward of their fasting, as shown in a Hadith from Abu Hurayrah in which the Prophet is reported to have said: “if a person does not keep away from falsehood and false conduct Allah has no need of his fast.” (Bukhari).

(7) The month of Ramadan shows muslims new way of wise savings and sound budgeting; because normally when he or she eats less quantities or less meals he or she spends less money and effort. And this is a spiritual semester of home economics and budgeting. More so, wise savings and sound budgeting is very important in ones life.

May the Almighty Allah accept our Fasting!