“Without an element of self denial and asceticism no religion and therefore no human culture is possible. One must withdraw occasionally from the full life of senses even in order to be able to enjoy the fruit of sensual perception.” (Bakhtiar v ) Ramadan is a very demanding time for the Muslims, it forces them to leave behind their everyday pleasures and devote themselves fully to their god. Ramadan is a special month of the year for over one billion Muslims throughout the world. It is a time for inner reflection, devotion to God, and self-control. Muslims think of it as a kind of tune-up for their spiritual lives. There are as many meanings of Ramadan as there are Muslims.
The third "pillar" or religious obligation of Islam (submission in English), fasting has many special benefits. Among these, the most important is that it is a means of learning self-control. Due to the lack of preoccupation with the satisfaction of bodily appetites during the daylight hours of fasting, a measure of ascendancy is given to one's spiritual nature, which becomes a means of coming closer to God. Ramadan is also a time of intensive worship, reading of the Quran, giving charity, purifying one's behavior, and doing good deeds. For Muslims (Submitters), Ramadan is an opportunity to gain by giving up, to prosper by going without and to grow stronger by enduring weakness. Fasting in Ramadan is obligatory on those who can do it. . Sick people and some travelers in certain conditions are exempted from the fast but must make it up as they are able.
As a secondary goal, fasting is a way of experiencing hunger and developing sympathy for the less fortunate, and learning to thankfulness and appreciation for all of God's bounties. Fasting is also beneficial to the health and provides a break in the cycle of rigid habits or overindulgence (www.submission.org).
The purpose of Ramadan is to help followers of the Muslim faith become better beings. During Ramadan, restraint comes in more than one form. “The fast does not include only food but also abstentation from every form of lust and carnal passion.” ( vi ) From sunrise until sunset, no Muslim is permitted to eat, smoke, drink or engage in sexual activity. As stated in the Quran:” [2:187] Permitted for you is sexual intercourse with your wives during the nights of fasting. They are the keepers of your secrets, and you are the keepers of their secrets. GOD knew that you used to betray your souls, and He has redeemed you, and has pardoned you. Henceforth, you may have intercourse with them, seeking what GOD has permitted for you. You may eat and drink until the white thread of light becomes distinguishable from the dark thread of night at dawn. Then, you shall fast until sunset. Sexual intercourse is prohibited if you decide to retreat to the Masjid (during the last ten days of Ramadan). These are GOD's laws; you shall not transgress them. GOD thus clarifies His revelations for the people, that they may attain salvation” ( www.submission.org ). The cycle of fasting and prayer is repeated every day of the 9 th month and is ended with the festival of Eid al-fitr, which is a festival for breaking the feast.
Five things can destroy the good that is acquired through the fast: the telling of a lie, slander, denouncing someone behind his/her back, a false oath, and greed. (Chittick 144) The ultimate goal of Ramadan is to promote “positive action” out of its believers through the use of 7 key qualities. Positive action, “in religious terms means doing what the Source wants them to do with their lives by submitting to God's will.” ( ix) Through Ramadan, Muslims hope to become more faithful and stronger through the sacrifices they have endured.
The seven principles of Ramadan
The first principle is goal setting . Fasting for one month every year throughout an entire adult lifetime is not an easy task, and must be accomplished by setting goals. Accomplishing this task is self-fulfilling and brings them closer to Allah, giving life a deeper meaning. The second important principle is belief . “For the religious believer, belief about what they are and what they can be determines who they will be.” ( xi) The
Muslims believe in a higher power because of the miraculous events of the past, which have been created to explain the natural happenings. An individual with strong faith can use that belief as motivation to complete their goals. The third principle is strategy . According to “the believer,” the perfect human being was the Messenger Mohammed, and the strategy deemed most effective is modeling behavior after people with the same beliefs. The believer attempts to modify his/her behavior after that of Mohammed in order to show their immense gratitude. Moral healing is the fourth underlying principle of Ramadan. “Moral healing is another term for the greater struggle between where reason and the passions battle within for the attention of the heart.” ( xv) This means that in order for prescribed fasting to work, the person has to believe that it is right. If the person believes it was wrong, then it will undermine the whole concept. Therefore during Ramadan, recitation and remembrance of the Qur'an is especially reinforced. The fifth principle emphasized during the month is energy . There is an energy that comes from spiritual practices that cannot be measured. This varies across individuals and for some is the driving force in their life. During fasting, there is an increased secretion of magnesium throughout the body, an increased secretion of growth hormone by the pituitary, and encephalins are released to slow metabolism and conserve energy. Fasting also increases deep sleep, which enhances memory processes. (181-210) The sixth principle is human bonding. Muslims attempt to spread their religion and educate others about why they fast for a month during Ramadan. The power to bond with others who were not previously aware of their traditions is very powerful. The final important principle is the attempt to master communications. There are three levels with which they attempt to communicate: with the self, with others, and with the Source. “Through spiritual disciplines like prescribed fasting, believers are given an opportunity, a challenge. If they are able to communicate that challenge to themselves successfully, they will find the ability to change.” ( xvii)