The month of Ramadan is considered to be the most sacred month in which the value of worship is enhanced and people tend to worship comparatively more in this month than in other months. Masjids are often seen packed with worshipers at the time of salah and it is increased especially in the last ten days as people observe Itikaf these days and on the 27th of Ramdan, worshipers stay awake the whole night in Masjids and at home as it is reckoned Shab-e-Qadar. Overall great religious enthusiasm is observed and a religious environment is formed everywhere in the county and people are seen keenly worshipping across the country.
The other side of the picture of Ramdan is quite bleak that at large people comprehend that Ramdan is the only month in which worship should be made although it is not the case in fact, the value of worship is only increased in this month while all good deeds should be performed a whole year. Masjids are thronged with worshipers as the first moon is sighted to mark Ramadan and people vanish from Masjids as the second moon is sighted to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitre which is pathetic.
A person who becomes spiritually strong through worship would be able to understand the pragmatic objective of Ramadan.
Similarly, it is a misconception and a trend about fasting as well that at large, people reckon fasting means staying hungry and thirsty the whole day which is, in fact, not the only purpose of fasting. Pragmatically, fasting means to refrain from all the bad deeds such as telling lies, having grudges, backbiting, teasing, hurting and abusing people and performing good deeds as much as one can like giving charity to needy people in this month to get more rewards, helping poor financially and other ways, keep moral good and behave well with everyone etc as it should be done in other months also. It should be understood that abstaining from bad deeds and performing good deeds are not only meant to do in this month instead this practice should be kept continued in other months also.
For instance, one of the objectives of fasting is to remain patient but it is often seen that people become impatient during fasting and it is practically seen just before iftar as people rush to their destination before sunset to break their fasting and in order to reach early, drive very fast and sometimes recklessly. As a result, often meet little accidents and fight over and exchange hot words which sabotage the fasting’s objective as fasting teaches us to be patient whatever happens.
It is the need of the hour to understand the pragmatic objective of Ramadan and fasting and to find out the reason why people could not act on it. It is apparently seen that people only comprehend and take the objective of Ramadan and fasting to stay hungry and thirsty and deprive of spiritual intake through worship owing to which they are seen as unable to perform good deeds and abstain from bad ones. So, a person who becomes spiritually strong through worship would be able to understand the pragmatic objective of Ramadan and fasting and would act accordingly or it would become easy for him to act accordingly.
The writer can be reached at faisal.ansar@hotmail.com