How Ramadan can teach us to be upright people.
The best way to control our desires, keep our ego in check, regulate our feelings, and correct our behaviour is by fasting.
For every sickness there is a cure. We were created with the tools and the human resources to overcome bad habits and solve problems. If one can control his gut and his private part and abstain from what is normally permissible outside of Ramadan then he can control himself and overcome anything. Ramadan is like a training program for self. One thing that separates us from animals is tarbiyyah of our nafs and controlling our ego.
The objective of fasting Ramadan is to reach taqwa outside of Ramadan. Taqwa is not only in your individual worship to God and how your external appearance looks, but it’s also in how you treat others knowing that you will be asked on the Day of judgement about this.
Fasting literally means to abstain. We are taught not to just abstain from eating and drinking, but to abstain from becoming aggressive, letting anger overtake us, to fast from abusive words and behaviours, to fast from cheating, lying and being deceitful, and to fast from all immoral behaviour as a whole. This should continue after Ramadan too.
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever does not give up false statements (i.e. telling lies), and evil deeds, and speaking bad words to others, Allah is not in need of his (fasting) leaving his food and drink.” (Bukhari)
A sign that your Ramadan gets accepted is that after Ramadan you can see a positive change within yourself even if it’s very small. Whether it’s by letting go of one unhelpful or harmful behaviour or by starting to do one good action.
What is one unhelpful behaviour that you are going to focus on this Ramadan?
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