Prescription Of The Fast

LESSON # 193 FROM HOLY QUR’AN

BAQARAH – 2 (The Cow)

Prescription Of The Fast

Verse –185c  of 286, Section – 23 (Part  - 2)

And whosoever of you is present, let him fast the month.

Faman-  shahida  min-kumush-Shahra  fal-yasumh.

Lesson

It has been mentioned in this piece of verse that the person who remains alive till the month of Ramadan, he/she must keep the fasting. Concession is only for the sick (patient) and the passenger. Its detail has been discussed earlier and will also be stated again in the last part of this verse. It is ordered owing to the excellence of the month of Ramadan which are being discussed once again as an abstract.

It is the custom in every nation of the world to keep the fast for example on the day of Ashurah (10^th of the first lunar month) the Prophet Moses (peace be upon Him) and His nation got freedom from the cruelty of the Pharaoh. So the fast of that day was begun in the children of Israel. The Law of keeping the fast is also present in the Christians.  Concept and custom of fasting is available in the Indians and other nations too. Details are different but the reality is present.

Fasting have countless virtues, it puts good effects on the health and spirit, the rich people are well-informed about the poor practically, equation produces between the people who eat bellyful and the people who suffer starving, Spiritual powers develop with it, sensual wishes are controlled, God fearing becomes strong in the mankind, for example if there is season of summer, every living thing feels severe thirst, the cold water has been placed in the house, no body is there to see the Faster, but he/she doesn't drink the water.

This all is because the respect of the Command of Allah Almighty has settled down in his/her heart. Now no other power can defeat the person and while according to the Order of God Almighty he has made habit to leave the legal, lawful and pure desires during the month of Ramadan through fasting, then he won’t feel difficulty in leaving the illegal, unlawful and bad habits. This is the moral cleanliness of which purpose of fasting is to grow.

It has come in Sayings of the Prophet (grace, glory, blessings and peace be upon Him) that if a faster does not leave to tell a lie, absurd talks and useless deeds, then God Almighty does not care for his leaving to eat and drink. Though, the real purpose of fasting is to correct the morality. If the manners are not corrected, then there is no advantage of the fasting. It is the obligation on (us) the Muslims that due to so much virtue and importance of the fasting, we should keep the fasts every year of this month, respect the month of Ramadan and create physical, spiritual and moral characteristics into us, so that the purpose of the revelation of Holy Qur’an is completed, and the month of Ramadan be proved as the real festival and token of the revelation of Holy Qur’an.

Transliteration in Roman Script & English Translation of Holy Qur’an written by Marmaduke Pickthall, Published by Paak Company, 17-Urdu Bazar, Lahore and Paraphrase collected from Dars e Qur’aan published By Idara Islah wa Tableegh, Lahore (translated by Muhammad Sharif)