The Message of Ramadan

The Message of Ramadan
Posted in Islamic Festivals on 15. Sep, 2009
How many times have you had someone ask you (in a candid gathering) if you were to choose, what would you give up: food or sex? This is probably one of the most frequently asked questions around the globe and not an easy one to answer! The cliché in our part of the world is “the route to your man’s heart is through his stomach”, which proves how important food is for men. And when you’re not quite sure what’s on your man’s mind, they say, your best bet is sex! Women, of course, are no exception.
How on earth then, can both men and women give up both these things HAPPILY for one entire month every year? This, my friends, is the magic of Ramadan which casts its spell on Muslims throughout the world every year. God has prescribed fasting during Ramadan. One is to give up both lawful and unlawful things while fasting to win God’s pleasure and blessings.
The question I would like to address here is, “While it’s great to give up those unlawful filthy habits like stealing, fraud, lying, lust etc, why does God want us to give up lawful things like food and sex during this fast?” The philosophy at the core is very profound and proves that only the Creator knows His creation including their various needs. Human beings have a natural propensity towards goodness and a natural aversion to evil. The only reason crime is born is that either one has no control over their wild desires or they cannot fulfill their desires through the legal means. These instances are when they resort to wrongful ways. If you look around yourself, the fact that all sorts of crime are prevalent in societies is based upon unfulfilled needs and desires. At the top of the list of such needs are hunger and lust. That’s why the crime rate is generally higher in poor countries with low per capita and illiteracy.
Thus, Ramadan comes every year to prepare us to control our desires whether we are rich or poor. If one has sufficient self-control and is always mindful of his Creator, he will not go astray even in the most difficult times. This is the beautiful message of Ramadan enclosed in dignity and faith!