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Objectives Of Fasting And Ramadan - Islam for Muslims - Nairaland

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The Virtues Of Fasting Six Days Of Shawwal / Sha'aban 1441AH: A Week Long Of Fasting / Your Menses And Ramadan (2) (3) (4)

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Objectives Of Fasting And Ramadan by ademobi: 8:52am On Mar 26, 2021
Discussing the objectives of our actions is an important thing because to do so is to discuss the actions in a true and deep way. It is possible that if we do not know why we are doing certain things, we could miss the entire point behind the action itself. The Prophet said about this concept, “Maybe a fasting person gains nothing from his fast except hunger and thirst. And maybe a person who prays in the night gains nothing from their prayer except staying up late.” So this is a person who does an action but gets no result from it.

This is because if someone does an action without knowing why they are doing it or what the objective behind it is, then it is possible that the action will be useless. This is because, as Imam al-Shāṭibī said, “Actions without objectives are like bodies without souls.” So in this article we will discuss some of the general objectives of fasting and Ramadan.

*1. Attaining Taqwa(Righteousness)*

This is the major objective of fasting in Ramadan as clarified by the Qur’an. God said,
*“O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous [muttaqūn].”*
Fasting also teaches a person how to have taqwā because while one is fasting they are careful about all kinds of things. They watch what comes out of their mouth, what they look at, and all that they do. As a result, the person learns how to have a certain level of restraint regarding their actions. This helps them build their taqwā by making them watchful over everything that they do.

As to the definition of taqwā, the clearest way to understand it is through the definition that was provided by Abū Hurayra (ra). Someone came to him and asked,
*“What is taqwā?” He responded by asking the man if he has ever walked through a thorny road. He said, “Yes.” He asked, “What did you do?” He replied, “Whenever I saw thorns I would avoid them or adjust my clothes to keep them safe.” Abū Hurayra told him, “That’s taqwā.”*


*2. Fasting is a Shield*

The Prophet said in an authentic hadith (narration) that “fasting is a shield.” Even the word shield in Arabic has the connotation of protection and this is one of the meanings of the word taqwā.
The Prophet also said, *“O youth! Whosoever amongst you can afford to get married, let them get married. And whoever cannot afford to do so then they should fast because it will help him control his desires.”*
This protection that fasting gives cannot be accomplished by just reducing one’s food intake because it is the material and immaterial elements of fasting that aide one in controlling themselves. For this reason Imam al-Ṣanʿānī said about this, “It is for a secret that God put in fasting, so just reducing how much food you eat will not be enough.”


*3. Fasting and Patience*

Another thing that we should learn in Ramadan is to be patient with what we face in our daily lives.
The Prophet said in a hadith,
*“Fasting the month of patience, and three days of every month is equivalent to fasting the entire year.”*
In this hadith, the Prophet refers to the month of Ramadan as the month of patience, emphasizing the importance of patience in this month.

It is also said that fasting is half of patience. This is because patience basically consists of staying away from bad deeds and persisting in good deeds. In the month of Ramadan, one of the major things that we seek to do is stay away from as many bad deeds as possible so that our fasting is half of patience.

*4. Ramadan is the Month of Qur’an*

In the month of Ramadan, we spend more time with the Qur’an than in any other part of the year. We spend time reading it by ourselves, we spend time studying it, we spend time listening to it during tarāwīḥ prayers, and so on. In this month, the revelation of the Qur’an began and a civilization of learning and knowledge was born.


*5. A Month of Generosity*

It is narrated that the Prophet was the most generous of people and his most generous time was Ramadan. In doing this, the Prophet was combining between a personal act of worship, like reading the Qur’an, and a social act of worship, charity. Thereby, he showed what it means to live a comprehensive existence as someone who worships God. In doing so, he shows that our responsibilities are not only limited to ourselves but also include those around us.


*6. The Importance of Time*

We also learn in Ramadan that time is one of the most important blessings that we have in our lives.
The Prophet said, *“Two blessings, many people are at a loss regarding them: health and free time.”*
The major acts of worship in Islam are all related to specific times. We pay our zakāt at a particular time. We pray at specific times. We start fasting at a particular time, in a particular month, and we break our fast at a particular time. We go on ḥajj at a particular time. All of these specifications are meant to teach us, among other things, the importance of time.
For this reason al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī said,
“O son of Adam! You are nothing but a compilation of breaths, so every time you inhale and exhale, a piece of you is lost.”
The believer is strict with their time and the more a person’s faith increases, the more their observance of their time increases. The responsibilities we have are more than the time we have to carry them out, so we should try to be as strict with our time as possible.

These are just some of the objectives of fasting and Ramadan that we should seek to actualize. We can use these as a measuring stick for our month and see how we add up. If we look throughout and see that we are improving in these aspects then we should thank God for His bounties upon us, and if we find that we are not, then we should seek His forgiveness and grace and work harder.

May Allah accept from us all our good deeds in this month and forgive us for our shortcomings. Ameen.

6 Likes 2 Shares

Re: Objectives Of Fasting And Ramadan by AntiChristian: 8:54am On Mar 26, 2021
Lovely month of repentance and good deeds!

1 Like

Re: Objectives Of Fasting And Ramadan by advocatejare(m): 8:58am On Mar 26, 2021
Ramadan was observed by the pagans even before Muhammad was born. Ramadan is an idolatry practice.

Read history

Muhammad only retained Ramadan to entice the pagan to join his newly formed religion just like he retained pagan practices of hajj, Tawaf round the Kaaba, kissing the Blackstone and the rest.

http://rrimedia.org/Resources/Articles/ramadan-and-its-roots-1

3 Likes

Re: Objectives Of Fasting And Ramadan by AntiChristian: 9:43am On Mar 26, 2021
advocatejare:
Ramadan was observed by the pagans even before Muhammad was born. Ramadan is an idolatry practice.

Read history

Muhammad only retained Ramadan to entice the pagan to join his newly formed religion just like he retained pagan practices of hajj, Tawaf round the Kaaba, kissing the Blackstone and the rest.

http://rrimedia.org/Resources/Articles/ramadan-and-its-roots-1

What is more pagan like Christmas, Xmas tree and even Christ's ritualistic death of which a father kills his son for others to progress?

Alhamdulillah! We don't fast for any moon:

Allah says what means:
“O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous [muttaqūn].” (Qur'an 2:183)

And He (Allah) it is Who has created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon, each in an orbit floating. (Qur'an 21:33)

9 Likes

Re: Objectives Of Fasting And Ramadan by advocatejare(m): 9:50am On Mar 26, 2021
AntiChristian:


What is more pagan like Christmas, Xmas tree and even Christ's ritualistic death of which a father kills his son for others to progress?
But your Allah asked Ibrahim to sacrifice his son to him naw. How do you explain that?


Alhamdulillah! We don't fast for any moon:
But you have moons on the top of your mosques, on the flags of Islamic countries, on your cap and anything that symbolizes Islam.

Keep deceiving yourself

8 Likes 1 Share

Re: Objectives Of Fasting And Ramadan by AntiChristian: 10:06am On Mar 26, 2021
advocatejare:

But your Allah asked Ibrahim to sacrifice his son to him naw. How do you explain that?

That was a test of faith and he didn't kill his child. Your own Lord killed his son for others to progress. More like paganistic dibia babalawo stuff!


But you have moons on the top of your mosques, on the flags of Islamic countries, on your cap and anything that symbolizes Islam.

Keep deceiving yourself

Moons or stars on mosque does not mean we worship them as we use the moon to count our months. Do Churches worship the cross? Abeg reason am na! Don't just type whatever thrash comes in to your forebrain.

And I go against putting moons or stars on mosques as it has no meaning to Islam and an innovation we do not want.

4 Likes

Re: Objectives Of Fasting And Ramadan by yetunsbay(m): 10:12am On Mar 26, 2021
Those that doesn't understand the religion and so lazy to seek knowledge will bombard soon
Re: Objectives Of Fasting And Ramadan by advocatejare(m): 10:13am On Mar 26, 2021
AntiChristian:


That was a test of faith and he didn't kill his child.
A test of faith for Ibrahim to sacrifice his son to him grin



Your own Lord killed his son for others to progress. More like paganistic dibia babalawo stuff!
Can you give us proof of your assertion that Yahweh killed Jesus?





Moons or stars on mosque does not mean we worship them as we use the moon to count our months.
That's the symbol of Al Lah (Allah) your moon god



Do Churches worship the cross? Abeg reason am na! Don't just type whatever thrash comes in to your forebrain.
Jesus' death on the cross brought salvation to mankind that's why churches use cross.

Islam use moon because Allah is Al Lah, the moon idol

2 Likes

Re: Objectives Of Fasting And Ramadan by KINGKONG(m): 10:19am On Mar 26, 2021
AntiChristian:


That was a test of faith and he didn't kill his child. Your own Lord killed his son for others to progress. More like paganistic dibia babalawo stuff!




Moons or stars on mosque does not mean we worship them as we use the moon to count our months. Do Churches worship the cross? Abeg reason am na! Don't just type whatever thrash comes in to your forebrain.

And I go against putting moons or stars on mosques as it has no meaning to Islam and an innovation we do not want.

Wat that what Paedophile Prophet Muhammad told you?
Re: Objectives Of Fasting And Ramadan by Nobody: 10:21am On Mar 26, 2021
The main objective should be turn your mind from violence to peace.
Re: Objectives Of Fasting And Ramadan by AntiChristian: 10:24am On Mar 26, 2021
advocatejare:

A test of faith for Ibrahim to sacrifice his son to him grin

Allah tests with the choicest of possessions!

Can you give us proof of your assertion that Yahweh killed Jesus?


Who sent him? Yahweh!

Why was he sent? To die!

Who killed him? Yahweh!

Who destroys and bring prosperity? Yahweh!

Why? Isaiah 45:7 says: I form the light and create the darkness; I bring prosperity and create calamity. I, the LORD, do all these things

That's the symbol of Al Lah (Allah) your moon god

Where in the Qur'an or hadith does this your lie come from?

Jesus' death on the cross brought salvation to mankind that's why churches use cross.
Define paganism again? What does Babalawo do when killing people to make others progress?

Islam use moon because Allah is Al Lah, the moon idol
Which Arabic lexicon says this lies?

1 Like 1 Share

Re: Objectives Of Fasting And Ramadan by AntiChristian: 10:26am On Mar 26, 2021
KINGKONG:


Wat that what Paedophile Prophet Muhammad told you?

Write simple and correct English!

1 Like

Re: Objectives Of Fasting And Ramadan by womenareapes1: 10:31am On Mar 26, 2021
ademobi:
Discussing the objectives of our actions is an important thing because to do so is to discuss the actions in a true and deep way. It is possible that if we do not know why we are doing certain things, we could miss the entire point behind the action itself. The Prophet said about this concept, “Maybe a fasting person gains nothing from his fast except hunger and thirst. And maybe a person who prays in the night gains nothing from their prayer except staying up late.” So this is a person who does an action but gets no result from it.

This is because if someone does an action without knowing why they are doing it or what the objective behind it is, then it is possible that the action will be useless. This is because, as Imam al-Shāṭibī said, “Actions without objectives are like bodies without souls.” So in this article we will discuss some of the general objectives of fasting and Ramadan.

*1. Attaining Taqwa(Righteousness)*

This is the major objective of fasting in Ramadan as clarified by the Qur’an. God said,
*“O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous [muttaqūn].”*
Fasting also teaches a person how to have taqwā because while one is fasting they are careful about all kinds of things. They watch what comes out of their mouth, what they look at, and all that they do. As a result, the person learns how to have a certain level of restraint regarding their actions. This helps them build their taqwā by making them watchful over everything that they do.

As to the definition of taqwā, the clearest way to understand it is through the definition that was provided by Abū Hurayra (ra). Someone came to him and asked,
*“What is taqwā?” He responded by asking the man if he has ever walked through a thorny road. He said, “Yes.” He asked, “What did you do?” He replied, “Whenever I saw thorns I would avoid them or adjust my clothes to keep them safe.” Abū Hurayra told him, “That’s taqwā.”*


*2. Fasting is a Shield*

The Prophet said in an authentic hadith (narration) that “fasting is a shield.” Even the word shield in Arabic has the connotation of protection and this is one of the meanings of the word taqwā.
The Prophet also said, *“O youth! Whosoever amongst you can afford to get married, let them get married. And whoever cannot afford to do so then they should fast because it will help him control his desires.”*
This protection that fasting gives cannot be accomplished by just reducing one’s food intake because it is the material and immaterial elements of fasting that aide one in controlling themselves. For this reason Imam al-Ṣanʿānī said about this, “It is for a secret that God put in fasting, so just reducing how much food you eat will not be enough.”


*3. Fasting and Patience*

Another thing that we should learn in Ramadan is to be patient with what we face in our daily lives.
The Prophet said in a hadith,
*“Fasting the month of patience, and three days of every month is equivalent to fasting the entire year.”*
In this hadith, the Prophet refers to the month of Ramadan as the month of patience, emphasizing the importance of patience in this month.

It is also said that fasting is half of patience. This is because patience basically consists of staying away from bad deeds and persisting in good deeds. In the month of Ramadan, one of the major things that we seek to do is stay away from as many bad deeds as possible so that our fasting is half of patience.

*4. Ramadan is the Month of Qur’an*

In the month of Ramadan, we spend more time with the Qur’an than in any other part of the year. We spend time reading it by ourselves, we spend time studying it, we spend time listening to it during tarāwīḥ prayers, and so on. In this month, the revelation of the Qur’an began and a civilization of learning and knowledge was born.


*5. A Month of Generosity*

It is narrated that the Prophet was the most generous of people and his most generous time was Ramadan. In doing this, the Prophet was combining between a personal act of worship, like reading the Qur’an, and a social act of worship, charity. Thereby, he showed what it means to live a comprehensive existence as someone who worships God. In doing so, he shows that our responsibilities are not only limited to ourselves but also include those around us.


*6. The Importance of Time*

We also learn in Ramadan that time is one of the most important blessings that we have in our lives.
The Prophet said, *“Two blessings, many people are at a loss regarding them: health and free time.”*
The major acts of worship in Islam are all related to specific times. We pay our zakāt at a particular time. We pray at specific times. We start fasting at a particular time, in a particular month, and we break our fast at a particular time. We go on ḥajj at a particular time. All of these specifications are meant to teach us, among other things, the importance of time.
For this reason al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī said,
“O son of Adam! You are nothing but a compilation of breaths, so every time you inhale and exhale, a piece of you is lost.”
The believer is strict with their time and the more a person’s faith increases, the more their observance of their time increases. The responsibilities we have are more than the time we have to carry them out, so we should try to be as strict with our time as possible.

These are just some of the objectives of fasting and Ramadan that we should seek to actualize. We can use these as a measuring stick for our month and see how we add up. If we look throughout and see that we are improving in these aspects then we should thank God for His bounties upon us, and if we find that we are not, then we should seek His forgiveness and grace and work harder.

May Allah accept from us all our good deeds in this month and forgive us for our shortcomings. Ameen.

the day has come were you people mouth will be smelly like decaying dead bodies undecided

can't ya brush ya teeth during fasting?
Re: Objectives Of Fasting And Ramadan by Aadeniyi092: 10:38am On Mar 26, 2021
Jazakumullahu khairan, may Allah make us attain success inshaAllah

1 Like

Re: Objectives Of Fasting And Ramadan by AntiChristian: 10:41am On Mar 26, 2021
womenareapes1:
the day has come were you people mouth will be smelly like decaying dead bodies undecided

can't ya brush ya teeth during fasting?

See mumu with womenareapes1 and moniker. How many women are apes in your family?

And we can brush our teeth during fasting. We are not to swallow.

Keep your foolishness to yourself.

3 Likes

Re: Objectives Of Fasting And Ramadan by Habibullahee(m): 11:11am On Mar 26, 2021
Masha Allah, May Almighty Allah guide and protect us before, during and after the fasting. Ameen

1 Like

Re: Objectives Of Fasting And Ramadan by alasane: 11:36am On Mar 26, 2021
AntiChristian:


Write simple and correct English!


May Allah continue to enriched you bro ... am following your responses to those "kafir" who like to poke nose to Islamic site
Re: Objectives Of Fasting And Ramadan by alasane: 11:48am On Mar 26, 2021
womenareapes1:
the day has come were you people mouth will be smelly like decaying dead bodies undecided

can't ya brush ya teeth during fasting?

But one deluded man in CANAN LAND,WONDER LAND, seraphim and cherubim, MOUNT OF FIRE ,celestial church of christ , Synagogues,RCCG will ask you to fast & you will gladly obliged without questioning...
Re: Objectives Of Fasting And Ramadan by Hassanmaye(m): 12:53pm On Mar 26, 2021
Masha Allahu
Re: Objectives Of Fasting And Ramadan by marvin906(m): 12:53pm On Mar 26, 2021
Hypocritical fasting

Re: Objectives Of Fasting And Ramadan by advocatejare(m): 3:39pm On Mar 26, 2021
AntiChristian:

Allah tests with the choicest of possessions!
So Allah asked Ibrahim to sacrifice his son to him!


Who killed him? Yahweh!
Give your proof and stop blabbing

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Can I Skip A Day Without Fasting? / What Is Ur Goal This Ramadan? / What Increases And Decreases Piety?

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