Wisdom Behind Fasting
The Purpose of Fasting
Firstly we must note that one of the names of Allah is al-Hakim (the Most
Wise). The word Hakim is derived from the same root as hukm (ruling) and hikmah
(wisdom). Allah alone is the One Who issues rulings, and His rulings are the
most wise and perfect.
Secondly: Allah does not prescribe any ruling but there is great wisdom behind
it, which we may understand, or our minds may not be guided to understand
it. We may know some of it but a great deal is hidden from us.
Thirdly: Allah has mentioned the reason and wisdom behind His enjoining of
fasting upon us, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):
O you who believe! Observing As-Sawm (the fasting) is prescribed for you
as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqun
(the pious)
[Noble Quran 2:183]
Fasting is a means of attaining taqwa (piety, being conscious of Allah), and
taqwa means doing that which Allah has enjoined and avoiding that which He
has forbidden.
Fasting is one of the greatest means of helping a person to fulfill the commands
of Islam.
The scholars have mentioned some of the reasons
why fasting is prescribed, all of which are characteristics of taqwa, but
there is nothing wrong with quoting them here, to draw the attention of fasting
people to them and make them keen to attain them.
Among the reasons behind fasting are:
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Fasting is a means that makes us
appreciate and give thanks for pleasures.
For fasting means giving up eating, drinking and intercourse, which are among
the greatest pleasures. By giving them up for a short time, we begin to appreciate
their value. Because the blessings of Allah are not recognized, but when you
abstain from them, you begin to recognize them, so this motivates you to be
grateful for them.
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Fasting is a means of
giving up haram things, because if a person can
give up halal things in order to please Allah and for fear of His painful
torment, then he will be more likely to refrain from haram things. So fasting
is a means of avoiding the things that Allah has forbidden.
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Fasting enables us
to control our desires, because when a person is
full his desires grow, but if he is hungry then his desire becomes weak. Hence
the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: O young men! Whoever among you can afford
to get married, let him do so, for it is more effective in lowering the gaze
and protecting one's chastity. Whoever cannot do that, let him fast, for it
will be a shield for him.
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Fasting makes us
feel compassion and empathy towards the poor, because
when the fasting person tastes the pain of hunger for a while, he remembers
those who are in this situation all the time, so he will hasten to do acts
of kindness to them and show compassion towards them. So fasting is a means
of feeling empathy with the poor.
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Fasting
humiliates and weakens the Shaytan; it weakens the effects
of his whispers (waswaas) on a person and reduces his sins. That is because
the Shaytan "flows through the son of Adam like blood as the Prophet (Peace
be upon him) said, but fasting narrows the passages through which the Shaytan
flows, so his influence grows less.
[Shaykh al-Islam said in Majmu' al-Fatawa, 25/246
Undoubtedly blood is created from food and drink, so when a person eats and
drinks, the passages through which the devils flow - which is the blood -
become wide. But if a person fasts, the passages through which the devils
flow become narrow, so hearts are motivated to do good deeds, and to give
up evil deeds.
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The fasting person is
training himself to remember that Allah is always
watching, so he gives up the things that he desires even though he is
able to take them, because he knows that Allah can see him.
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Fasting means
developing an attitude of asceticism towards this world and
its desires, and seeking that which is with Allah.
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It makes the Muslim
get used to doing a great deal of acts of worship,
because the fasting person usually does more acts of worship and gets used
to that.
These are some of the reasons why fasting is enjoined. We ask Allah to help
us to achieve them and to worship Him properly.
And Allah knows best.
[See Tafsir al-Sa'di, p. 116; Ibn al-Qayyim's footnotes on al-Rawd al-Murabba',
3/344; al-Mawsu'ah al-Fiqhiyyah, 28/9]