Mystic Mantra: Fasting — The soul of Ramzan

Ramzan is the holy month when Muslims undergo a rigorous fast (not even a drop of water or spittle passes their throats). Muslims around the world take a journey within — to discover their inner strengths and strive zealously to subjugate their evil instincts. It is abstinence in its literal, metaphorical and allegorical sense.

From dawn to dusk each day this month, Muslims do not eat, drink, smoke, use perfume or apply leeches and abstain from conjugal relations. It is the month of Ramzan, the ninth and holiest month of the Muslim lunar year, a month of sacrifice and humility during which conscientious observance of every divine commandment marks a high water mark in the life of every Muslim.

The origin of the word Ramadan, also called Ramzan, comes from the classical Arabic root, ramida, ar-ramad or ramdaa, meaning scorching heat or dryness — believed to be either in reference to the heat of thirst and hunger or because fasting burns away one’s past sins

Fasting or sawm is one of the vital pillars of Islam. Sawm is derived from the root sama which means “to abstain”.

Although sawm is most commonly understood as the fasting, it is more broadly interpreted as the obligation to refrain between dawn and dusk from food, drink, sexual activity, and all forms of immoral behaviour, including impure or unkind thoughts.

Thus, false words or bad deeds or intentions are as destructive of a fast as is eating or drinking.

As Lent may be prescribed for Christians and Yom Kippur for those of the Jewish faith, Ramzan is an eagerly awaited interval for Muslims to   concentrate on prayer, meditation and worship.  

This in turn encourages greater reflection on life itself and appreciation for the resources we sometimes take for granted

The most significant aspect of the fast is the development of God-consciousness (taqva). Prophet Muhammad emphasised: “He who does not abandon falsehood in word and action in accordance with fasting, God has no need that he should abandon his food and drink.”

In many ways, Ramzan mirrors a form of spiritual renewal — a time for new resolutions and a revival of inner peace. Similar to how one might attend a nature retreat once a year to escape the humdrum of a dog-eat-dog world, Ramzan provides an internal retreat where the mind and it’s natural “thirst” for knowledge, awakening and reason is given greater precedence over the physical needs and desires of the body — needs which are regularly served but rarely satisfied.

The struggle for internal balance and control of the self is as old as mankind. Ramzan is a means of building self control and striking a balance between the spiritual and the mundane. It is a way of adapting one’s life to subjugate the evil instincts and vicious ambitions like lust, greed and hatred

Islam has a beautiful word to describe this war against man’s carnal instincts. It is called jihad. In fact, Islam repeatedly emphasises it and calls it the “greater jihad”.

The “greater struggle” is the personal one: the struggle to resist temptation, combat one’s own evil traits and imperfections, and become a better person in God’s sight.  

The King James Bible speaks of it as seeking “The Kingdom of God” and the Hindu spiritual classic Bhagavad Gita represents it in the battle of Kuruksetra.