The rationale of Fasting

Ayat 183 of Surah Al-Baqarah, which was revealed during the month of Shaban in 2 Hijri, states:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ

“O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you

that you may acquire self-restraint and remain conscious of Allah.” (Surah Al-Baqarah: 183)

Hence, fasting is not a ‘new decree’ from Allah (SWT) but just like prayer (salat), fasting was ordained as an obligation on nations before. Why was fasting made obligatory? The reason stated is that so that you may attain Taqwa (righteousness). The simplest meaning of Taqwa is to avoid sinful activities and prohibited actions. This is meant to train those who have faith to keep their strong ‘Nafs’ (ego) in check and to coach them to control themselves. The Quran has mentioned three types of the ‘Nafs’ (ego): (1) Nasf-e-Ammarah (Surah Yusuf: 53), the kind that pushes humans towards doing sinful actions and entreats him to do evil. (2) Nafs-e-Lawwamah (Surah Al-Qiyamah: 2), the one that reprimands him (like conscience) after he has committed a sin and due to this those who have committed sins repent and ask for forgiveness. (3)  Nafs-e-Mutmainnah (Surah Al-Fajr: 27). The kind of people who remain contented and gratified under all circumstances. Their Nafs, in other words, is in their control. This is the inner voice of the conscience of the believers. They remain content with the predestined, i.e., they are content with whatever Allah (SWT) is pleased with, in joy and in sorrow, in suffering, sickness and in poverty. These pious slaves of Allah (SWT) comprise Prophets (AS) and Messengers (AS) of Allah (SWT) and those on the righteous path (Mutaqeen) and their Nafs is in their control. These pious souls stay away from sins due to the fear of Allah (SWT) and that is called Taqwa. It is stated in verse 46 of Surah Ar-Rahman:

وَلِمَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِ جَنَّتَانِ

“But for he who has feared the position of his Lord or feared standing before Him are two gardens”

(Surah Ar-Rahman:46)

It is mentioned in verse 2 of Surah Al-Baqarah, “هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ”, meaning “a guidance for those who fear Allah” (Surah Al-Baqarah: 2). In other words, guidance is for those who make the effort to please Allah (SWT). They strive to get the ‘attention’ of Allah (SWT) and for that to happen it is imperative that he ought to focus less on worldly gains and focus more on pleasing Allah (SWT). How true is the saying, “If Allah’s decree is to ‘give up’ (something) and it is easy (for the person) to give that up then it is a sign of the love for Allah, but if it is difficult (for the person) to give that up then it is a sign of love for the world.”

The same Lord of the Worlds – Allah (SWT) has prescribed fasting for us. So that a believer might bear and endure hunger and thirst, and avoid the urges of carnal desires and exaggerated animal instincts as well as all those actions prohibited by Allah (SWT). So that by fasting a strong force of self-restraint and willpower may be created in us and we may remain steadfast on ‘Taqwa’ (the fear of Allah (SWT) and be righteous. Therefore, fasting is not a training for one day or a month but encompasses the entire life. So that we could mould our habits into that required by Allah (SWT). Therefore, in the Shariah of Prophet Muhammad (SAAW), the meaning of ‘Sawm’ (fasting) is to ‘stop or halt’ – i.e., not making the ‘Nafs’ a slave of worldly desires and exaggerated animal instincts, but making the latter subservient to the former. Iqbal has said very aptly:

کافر کی یہ پہچان کہ آفاق میں گُم ہے

مومن کی یہ پہچان کہ گُم اُس میں ہیں آفاق

A heathen gets distinct by getting lost in life and cosmos

Whereas a true Muslim keeps above its brawl and strife (i.e. physical cosmos is submerged in the vast expanse of his selfhood)

Ref: An excerpt from the Translation of the Booklet روزے کی عظمت by Shahnaz Ikram. [The Spiritual Excellence of Ramadan]