Topics
A
moment of contemplation and brainwork is an act, longed over whole universe. It
is an act, which is void of any distance between us and universe. It is due to
the agility of life in the phenomenal world as well as in innumerous worlds,
which began with 'kun' (to be).
Life
is supplemented with resources. Resources are required to fulfill need of
senses. The knowledge of phenomenal existence arises due to fulfilment of
senses in various states, such as hunger, thirst, awake, sleep, mutual
interaction, conversation, will to be outstanding and several other interests.
Despite
the singularity of senses, they are two folds. An awareness to the apparent and
hidden aspects of senses is termed as life. These two aspects are constructive
at one fold, and destructive at another fold.
Allah
said,
"The
month of Ramadan is the one in which Quran was revealed as guidance for
mankind, and as clear signs that show the right way and distinguish between
right and wrong. So those of you who witness the month must fast in it. But the
one who is sick, or is on a journey (should fast) as much from other days (as
he missed). Allah intends ease for you and does not intend hardship for you.
All this is so that you may complete the number (of fasts as prescribed) and
proclaim the Takbir of Allah for having guided you, and that you may be grateful."
(Quran, 2:185)
The
illuminated verses in Quran are guiding pathways for an individual's
contemplation. It unveils the potential benefits to human faculties by the
practices to be commenced in Ramadan.
Unlike
month of Ramadan , rest of the year our activities are overwhelmed with the
physical world such as work or labour for earning. When an individual pays
attention to something, then all other things become non-existent. For
instance, if one observes a rose then there may be two scenarios. Either an
individual observation may be limited merely on rose only, or he may find a
whole universe inside the rose. Former tendency of observation limits the
perception.
On the
other hand, later tendency of observing rose extends the moment of perception
across whole universe. It means that limiting one's perception on a particular
self also restricts the freedom of perception in the spatio-temporal
constraints.
A
practice of fast during the Ramadan inculcates an attitude void of phenomenal
existence. Such practices continuously instill a thought that there is a
faculty of senses which can reveal upon us the ghaib (hidden world). For
twenty-four hours, an individual tends to focus his attention on Allah. These
practices include, refrain from drinking or eating, careful in conversation,
avoid backbiting and lie, adopting righteous ways in earning and selling
commodities , being gracious in donations , reduce down the duration of sleep,
to name a few.
Allah
says,
"Fasting
is for Me (Allah) and I (Allah) am ultimate reward of fasting."
(Hadees
e Qudsi)
The
faculty of senses during fasting enables an individual to observe the Noor (a
finest light form) of Allah. One aspect of faculty of senses is constrained by
spatio-temporal limitations ; while on the other fold, time and space are
grasped by the faculty of senses. At one aspect, it creates nearness to Allah ,
while other aspect creates distance from Allah. These two aspects can be
understood with the help of process of thought.
Unlike
a physical motion of a body, thoughts in any individual are independent of
spatio-temporal constraints, they travel to distant destination at a speed of
light; whereas physical motion is limited by its traversing along the space in
certain time. Thought is an attribute of a hidden world. Quran termed such
senses in an individual as lay! (night).
Allah
said,
"You
make the night enter into the day, and make the day enter into the night; and
You bring the living out from the dead, and bring the dead out from the living,
and You give to whom You will beyond measure." (Quran, 3: 27)
In the
same vein, Allah said,
"And
a sign for them is the night, We strip the day from it." (Quran, 36: 37)
Faculty
of senses operates in two tiers. During the nigh- fo ld, temporal attributes of
senses dominate over the spatial attributes. It is the night-fold of senses
which enables to travel into the hidden worlds of ghaib. Ghaib is a place,
where an individual observes barzakh (a zone of hidden worlds), a 'araf (a zone
of hidden worlds) and ange ls .
Allah
said about the mayraj (apex of night-fold voyage) of His prophet (PBUH) as,
"Glorious
is He Who made his servant travel by night from AlMasjid-al-Haraam to
Al-Masjid-al-Aqsa whose environs We have blessed, so that We let him see some
of Our signs. Surely, He is the All-Hearing, the All- Seeing." (Quran,
17:1)
Readers
can find similar state of mental freedom asleep (in senses of lay/ or night),
which is free of all spatio-temporal constraints. Fasting is a program which
enforces similar state of spatio-temporal freedom during the day time (while
awakening).
Fasting
abstains an individual from all eligible or ineligible acts. Any activity which
is practiced during the rest of year for example eating, drinking,
communication, sleeping etc. are restrained during month of Ramadan. An
individual does not eat or drink for a certain time, to show his obedience for
Allah. He reduces duration of his sleep while fasting, which ultimately invokes
the unconscious activity of layl (night), like state of sleep. Though sleep and
talk is not forbidden, but he neither sleeps nor talks un-necessarily. The
focus of his mental faculties remains on the percept that Allah is watching
him. During this month, he fasts and bears an orderly pure life.
Allah
said about the Ramadan,
"When
My servants ask you about Me, then (tell them that) I am near. I respond to the
call of one when he prays to Me; so they should respond to Me, and have faith
in Me, so that they may be on the right path." (Quran, 2: 186)
Ramadan
is a program to purify heart and soul and eventually entering in a state of
unconscious (senses of layl or night). The practice of abstaining oneself from
eating during day time, reducing duration of sleep and refraining from over
eating at iftar (breakfast at the early evening), unveil worlds of ghaib before
us.
The
spiritual aspect of fasting is applicable to all individual beings without any
discrimination. Unlike most of us, the recognizers of Allah are well aware of
blessing they achieve after the practices of abstaining oneself (that is
fasting in Ramadan). All the followers of Prophet (PBUH) can practice fasting.
An
individual who starves since dawn till the sunset become acquiescent of
blessings of fasting. When he misses a fasting day, it appears to
him as
if lost a precious state. Despite hot weather and extreme starvation, holding
oneself back from drinking water and forbid everything which is eligible
otherwise (during other months) is undoubtedly an act of refrain exclusively
for Allah. Everyone who fasts is well aware of blessings of fasting.
Refraining
one' s own self develops a pattern that nullifies individualism. One who lives
a life following his individual mental tendencies, limits himself into fewer
inclinations. An individual can adopt other thought pattern, when he is void of
present thought patterns. An individual who annihilate his ego, he overwhelms
himself with attributes of Allah. This practice gradually turns his thought
pattern and his mind to mirror the attributes of Allah.
One
who fasts during the early twenty days of Ramadan become closer to ghaib due to
willfully refraining from phenomenal world.
Abdal-e-Haq
Qalandar Baba Auliya (RA) mentioned that until the Layla tu! Qadr (a special
night in the month of Ramadan), the mental faculties of a person holding fast,
accelerate above seventy thousands times (as compared to other months). At this
stage, he reaches to a state where he sees Hazrat Gabriel (RA) (an angel of
higher echelon in ghaib) and other angels by the might of Allah. He shakes hand
with Hazrat Gabriel (RA).
Allah
said,
"We have sent it (the Quran) down in the Night of Qadr. And what may let you know what the Night of Qadr is? The Night of Qadr is much better than one thousand months. The angels and the Spirit descend in it, with the leave of your Lord, along with every command. Peace it is till the debut of dawn." (Quran, 97:1-5)
Allah Hafiz
