In the documentary film American Ramadan, a Christian minister related his
experience in Malaysia. It was during Ramadan, and he was at the airport
at dusk to collect his luggage, but everyone at the counter was intently
watching the clock, eagerly awaiting the breaking of fast. He did not
know then the significance of the month and thus could not comprehend the
workers' apparent obsession with time. An older clerk however came over
to help and spent over an hour with the visitor while the others were
busy eating.
To me, that older clerk best demonstrates the true meaning and spirit of
Ramadan. It is more than just fasting during the day; it is about being
generous. He was generous with his time and himself to help a total
stranger, albeit a customer. The older clerk could just as easily join
his co-workers in eating after a day of fasting, or simply have the
counter "Closed for lunch!"
Ramadan As Allah's Special Blessing
Tradition has it that during Ramadan the doors to Hell are closed while
the gates to Heaven are wide open. That reflects the generosity of Allah
during this holy month. As our Imam Ilyas Anwar said in the first Friday
sermon of this Ramadan, we should use fully this opportunity afforded by
Allah. The best way for us to show our respect for Ramadan, and thus for
Allah, is to reciprocate His generosity by being generous to our fellow
humans and to His other creations.
We should not however, take that tradition literally and consider it a
license to be reckless and get killed during Ramadan just to secure a
slot in Heaven. Nor does it mean that an evil person dying in Ramadan
would be spared Hell. Such decisions after all are the prerogative of
Allah, and only of Him.
Ramadan is a season to be generous, to forgive generously and turn for us
to be so forgiven. It distresses me greatly that no Muslim nation,
Malaysia included, have shown fit to grant their prisoners amnesty during
Ramadan. Imagine the positive image of Islam if Muslim leaders were to be
generous to their citizens, especially those prisoners of conscience
incarcerated without trial.
Just as the day's fast heightens our sensitivity to the flavor of even the
simplest food, likewise Allah heightens or enhances the spirituality and
blessings of our regular ibadat (religious duties) when performed during
Ramadan.
Yes, we pray and give charity outside of Ramadan, nonetheless
during the fasting month the blessings are amplified. While tradition
has it that the virtue of praying on the "Night of Power" equals that of
"a thousand months," or that certain ibadat are worth "44 times more" if
done during Ramadan, we should not be obsessed with the magnitude of the
enhancements. Suffice for us to know that they are, and that should
motivate us even more to perform those ibadats with greater fervor and
frequency during Ramadan.
We should do more of what we normally do, like praying and giving zakat
(tithe), and perform them with even greater intensity during Ramadan.
Thus, in addition to our regular prayers there are the nightly Taraweekh
prayers, reciting the Quran, and fulfilling our tithe for the year as
well as the obligatory zakat Fitr (head tax).
We should also be more charitable to and forgiving of others and
ourselves. Thus the prophet, s.a.w., encourages us to partake in
community iftars (breaking of fast) not only for the communal bonding but
also to share with those less fortunate.
Because of the enhanced blessings of Ramadan, the Prophet, s.a.w., used to
prepare his people for its arrival by fasting on certain days during the
two immediate preceding months. We too should prepare spiritually as
well as physically.
Fasting takes a toll on our body, but Allah in His Generosity
does not require us to fast if it would impose an undue burden as when we
are sick, traveling, or pregnant. Nonetheless those blessed with good
health and where fasting would not pose an undue strain should still have
to be prepared. We must maintain our regular physical exercises and
health routines, with particular emphasis on our oral hygiene.
Additionally, we should be clean, neatly attired, and keep ourselves well
trimmed. If we aspire to be spiritually clean, we must also be physically
so.
Ramadan As "Time Out!"
With the acknowledged extra demands of Ramadan, it may appear perverse to
non-Muslims that we Muslims eagerly await and indeed celebrate its
arrival. At its elemental level Ramadan forces us to change our daily
routine. For Muslims in the tropics where there are no distinct seasons
to modulate their activities, this is useful. In temperate zone, the
long cold winter nights are for rest and the long days of summer for
work. Such natural rhythm is absent in the tropics.
Ramadan also serves as a convenient time frame to anchor memories. Thus
it was during the last Ramadan of the Japanese Occupation, or the first
following the birth or death of a family member.
The altered routine forces one to pause and reflect, a ritualistic "time
out," to step back momentarily off the conveyor belt of life. When I was
a consultant to a lumber mill in Oregon, the manager took me on a tour of
his facility so I could better appreciate the injuries of his workers. I
saw the huge logs being subjected to harsh debarking, repeatedly sawn
through, and then bent and bounced about as they were mechanically sorted
and graded. You could hardly hear one another with the noise and
vibrations.
Then I was taken to another huge warehouse where the atmosphere was
completely the opposite. It was eerily quiet, with stacks of the cut
products neatly piled up and left undisturbed. Even the workers
whispered to each other, as if respecting the quiet time of the lumber.
This was the curing room, with its light, temperature and humidity
controlled and kept constant.
The manager explained that after the logs had been through the stresses of
the mill, the products needed time to recover before they would be
subjected again to the stresses at the construction site or factory. If
they were not allowed to recover or be "cured," they could break easily.
His brand name would then suffer.
If inanimate objects like lumber needs "rest time" to recover from the
hectic experience of the mill, imagine the need for such times for
humans. Ramadan is that necessary "time out," a season to pause and
reflect.
Metabolic Consequences of Fasting
Obesity is the number one public health challenge in America today.
Studies in rats indicate that moderate caloric reduction significantly
lengthens their lifespan. With humans, obesity is a definite contributor
to increased morbidity and shortened lifespan. Imagine if fasting were to
be a habit! I routinely lose about five pounds during Ramadan, and feel
great!
If nothing else fasting is a respite for our digestive system
that is incessantly stressed by our daily indulgences.
These benefits of Ramadan would be negated if we were to be a glutton in
the evening. With the increasingly common practice of indulging
ourselves with elaborate iftars at fancy hotels, many actually gain
weight! Such extravagances are certainly not in the spirit of a season
that calls for restraint and moderation.
At the House of Kedah restaurant in Vancouver, Canada, there is sign at
its buffet table, "There will be $5.00 charge, donated to charity, for
unfinished plate." What a wonderful idea! It prevents waste and
discourages gluttony.
The caloric deprivation and mild dehydration of fasting affect brain
function by heightening the neural connections in the areas concerned
with emotions; hence the enhanced spirituality experienced by many when
meditating during Ramadan. We are thus rewarding ourselves through
fasting.
When we are generous with ourselves, we would also be more likely to be
generous to others. It is in this spirit that I wish my fellow Muslims,
"Selamat Berpuasa!" (Best wishes with your fast!) and Ramadan Mubarak!
(Joyous Ramadan!)
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