Let us learn from each other about Fasting I read it in one newspaper of July 12, but I guess that it is published in all the newspapers that eating and drinking will be banned in all the public places in order to secure the sanctity of Ramzan. Is Fasting only eating and drinking? Apart from eating and drinking I see so many Muslims going for Travis and many people pray more than they would pray in other months and it is also a practice that they try to read the whole Holy Quran during this Holy Month. Certainly from the practices of the people one can already see that fasting is more than eating and drinking. But I don’t see why must the Government of Pakistan only considers this and put sanctions on the eating and drinking which is only a part of fasting. I got inspired of writing this while I was praying for my Muslim brothers and sisters who were to begin this month of ramzan. I prayed that may this holy month be a source of blessing to all of them and also for us non-Muslims. In deed the Muslims take this month very seriously and most of them fast and from this I learn this lesson that all of us regardless of creed and culture must also take our fasting seriously. Although Fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam, it was a practice by all people long before Islam. Although we do not find a specific period of fasting, the People of Israel fasted regularly with the intention that God may forgive them their sins. The Prophets of old fasted in order to seek Inspiration from the Almighty. How did they fast? We read that they took off their fine clothes and dressed in sack cloth and sat on ashes. In this state they would not eat and spend most of the time praying for forgiveness, for inspiration or for receiving special strength to fulfill a special task. Therefore the people of the Old Testament have this to teach the world about Fasting. Fast in order to repent, seek God’s inspiration and guidance. Just before beginning his public ministry, the Lord Jesus fasted by going into the desert for forty days and nights not eating and drinking. During this period of time He was tempted in every way but did not sin. He did not ask his disciples to fast. In fact he was asked by his opponents that why his disciples were not fasting while the disciples of John the Baptist and the Pharisees were fasting. He answered: can the people fast as long as the bridegroom is among them? A time will come that the bridegroom will be taken away from them and then they will fast. After the ascension of Christ into Heaven, Christians fasted often. But as time went on they introduced forty days of preparation for the great feast of Easter when they recalled the death and resurrection of Christ. The Christians call this period Lent. It is during this time Christians are expected to pray, fast, doing penance in order to mortify themselves. It was during the Easter Vigil when various people received Baptism, Confirmation and Communion. For whatever they were to receive, the candidates had to mentally and spiritually prepare themselves through prayer and fasting during this season. Then there were other people who were excommunicated because of a sin or because they abandoned the faith and wanted to be received again. Such people were asked to mentally and spiritually prepare themselves so that when they are received again, they will be persevering till the end. Some Christians dedicate this time and fast for a special cause. After the earthquake of 2005, a Catholic Seminary in Lahore dedicated their lent to the Earthquake victims. Through their fasting, abstinence and small sacrifices they jointly collected a sum of money and passed it on to the earthquake victims in order to rehabilitate themselves. So the Christians too have a lot to teach about their fasting. Finally here are other ways to fast which everyone can adopt. Give more time to pray to God and seek God’s plan for your life. Try to recall all the good things God has done for you. Give your family and extra dose of love every day. Overlook other’s faults and forgive. Reduce your spending and give the savings to the poor. Abid Habib Joti Educational/Cultural Centre GPO Box 52. Mirpurkhas Mob 0300 4260877.
Posted on: Sat, 13 Jul 2013 07:51:13 +0000
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