Pillar 4: What is the Purpose of Fasting? | Convert Resources

Hidden in the linguistic meaning of the word "Ramadan" is a beautiful reminder of why we abstain from food, drink and physical intimacy during the holy month. The Qur'an teaches us that fasting is an act of worship that has been prescribed upon mankind since the dawn of time, but the way we fast during the ninth Islamic month is exclusive to Muslims. Explore the spiritual benefits of the 4th pillar of Islam with Sh. Abdullah Oduro.

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Episode Transcript

(Note: the transcript has been edited for clarity)

0:00 - 0:15 Introduction

Assalamu Alaikum wa rahmatullahi wabarakatuh. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon you all. I'm Abdullah Oduro and welcome back. What is fasting?

0:16 - 0:51 What is fasting?

Fasting is defined as voluntary deprivation for spiritual conditioning. You voluntarily deprive yourself of eating, drinking and intimacy with the opposite gender from sun up to sun down, for means of coming closer to Allah, the Exalted. This has been defined in the Qur'an in Chapter number 2, Verse number 178 where Allah SWT, the Exalted says, "O you who believe, fasting has been prescribed upon you as it was prescribed upon the people before you, perhaps you may become of those who are the righteous".

0:52 - 1:28 The Fasting Tradition

So here the prescription of fasting is something before the advent of the event of Muhammad peace and blessings be upon him. It was here from the beginning of time. It was a practice to deprive oneself to focus on God and his bounties. As we see, this was a practice that we see Christians even practice with Lent. It is a means of depriving themselves to remember a sacrifice of someone else and to remember the greatness of God upon them. So when looking at this month of Ramadan, the prescription of it is particularly in the ninth month of the Islamic calendar which is the month of Ramadan.

1:29 - 1:54 The meaning of Ramadan

Now linguistically scholars even mentioned the word Ramadan comes from Ramdha which means to burn or heat or fire, and that's used as a symbolization of burning off the sins. Burning off these sins, these sins that we have. These actions of fasting and of good deeds burn them and relinquish them. It's also been mentioned that this month is a month it is a hot month, therefore being called Ramadan.

1:55 - 2:41 The purpose of fasting in Ramadan

At any rate this is the ninth month that the muslims should fast from sun up to sun down. With this we understand fasting in this beautiful month of Ramadan is a blessed, blessed month as the Prophet peace and blessings be upon him has talked about, and as Allah has mentioned at the very end of the verse that was mentioned. Perhaps we may become of the righteous. May Allah SWT allow us in embarking upon this means that he has obliged upon us, for the only reason of making us principled individuals to be closer to Him and be more mindful of Him and His greatness. Assalamu Alaikum wa rahmatullahi wabarakatuh. Thank you.