FASTING IN ISLAM Part 4

The Believers spend this month of Mercy

in acts of worship to seek forgiveness for their

sins and protection from falling into evil ways.

While good deeds and behaviour earn divine

rewards at all times, the rewards for the same

acts are manifold during this blessed month.

Thus Ramadan is also a month of increase in

acts of charity to please Allah The Most Merciful.

The Believers perform these acts with

a deep sense of gratitude (shukur) to Allah

The Giver of all bounty for blessing humanity

with the noble month of \ramadan.

The Believers view the act of fasting as

a holistic exercise by striving to keep their

eyes, ears, tongues, hands and feet - and

all the other organs - free from sin.

This is the true fasting.

The true fasting goes on after the physical

fasting has ended. One who has experienced

it would long for the whole year

to be like the month of Ramadan.

"There are two pleasures for the fasting

person: one at the time of breaking the fast

and the other at the time when he will meet

his Lord; then he will be pleased because

of his fasting." [Bukhari]

There is nothing like the fast of Islam in

any other religion for realizing physical

and spiritual well being.

Dr. Y Mansoor Marican, Ph.D

www.islam.gov.my

FASTING IN ISLAM Part 3

To the Believers Ramadan is a month of reflection,
self-discipline and self-improvement.

While the Believers must strive to improve themselves
at all times, such striving carries special significance
during Ramadan.

It was in this month that the first verses of The Noble
Qur'an were revealed to the Prophet (pbuh)through angel
Jibril (as).

The Noble Qur'an was revealed to guide mankind to
The Right Way and as the criterion to distinguish
truth from falsehood. [2:185]

The Believers make extra efforts in the month
of Ramadan to strengthen their bond with the
Noble Qur'an. It is considered meritorious
to recite the entire Qur'an during this month.

The most important night in this month is
Laylatul Qadr (The Night of Power), the night
when The Noble Qur'an descended to the lowest
heavens in preparation for its revelation to
the Prophet (pbuh)

The Noble Qur'an describes this Night as
"better than a thousand months." [97:1-5]

The exact date of this Night is a divine secret.
The Prophet advised the Believers to "seek it
on the odd numbered nights of the last ten days
of Ramadan." (Bukhari)

Continue....

FASTING IN ISLAM Part 2

The aim of fasting is to acquire thaqwa or self-restraint.

[2:185]

We harm ourselves when we deviate from The Straight

Path by failing to live according to God's laws.

A deviated soul is unable to distinguish truth from

falsehood. The soul becomes a slave to satanic

whispers and takes to evil ways.

The Islamic way to remain steadfast in

The Straight Path begins with strengthening the soul.

Through obligatory and other acts performed to

please Allah The Most Merciful, the layers of

falsehood covering the soul are removed.

A soul that is free of falsehood is able to protect

itself from satanic temptations.

The fast of Ramadan is a personal obligatory duty

in Islam that aims to strengthen our God-consciousness.

When the soul deprives itself of the basic needs from

dawn to sunset for one month each year, to please

Allah, it strengthens itself to resist the pull of the

lower desires that cause it to go astray from The Right Path.

Sawm differs from the other obligatory duties. For example

one may pray (solat) just to be seen to be praying, and

not really pray!

But how can one suffer hunger as a show-off? The hunger

in sawm is real and can be felt but not "seen" by others.

No one abstains from things (such as food and sex) that are

normal, natural and permissible. Being hungry and abstaining

from pleasure is no pleasure in itself except when it is

experienced for the sake of Allah.

To be continued........

FASTING IN ISLAM

Muslims fast every day in the month of Ramadan,

the ninth month of the Islamic calendar.

It is a divinely prescribed annual training exercise

to attain physical and spiritual well being.

The Arabic word for this exercise is sawm or

'abstaining from certain things.'

Muslims are required to abstain from food,

drink and sex from dawn to sunset.

Exemptions are given to those in special situations

such as sickness, menstruation and long distance

travel. They are required to replace the missed

days.

The beginning of the fast is preceded by taking

a small meal (sahur) followed by declaring one's

intention (niat) to fast to please Allah The Most

Merciful.

The niat distinguishes the fast of Islam from

just starving under a diet plan.

Muslims break their fast (iftar) at the time

of the call to prayer for the maghrib prayer.

During the hours of fasting, Muslims carry

on with their normal duties but with

greater awareness of the need to avoid

sinful acts and increase their good deeds.

The Prophet (pbuh) was reported to have said:

"Whoever did not give up lying and practicing

falsehood, Allah is in no need of his giving up

food and water." [Bukhari]

continue..........

CONVOCATION AT NILAI UNIVERSITI

The Convocation at President Hall Nilai University College

Graduans procession

Queing up with jubilation

The Diploma - i did it!!!

The graduated Chipmunk

Standing Tall

A proud father.

Sharing my daughter's joy.

Smile you are on candid camera!