what are the spiritual benefits of fasting? (part ii)

fasting is a protection against the sins

commit a sin is an act of internal destruction and a contradiction with regard to what is natural. a person who commits sins is nothing but an unfortunate that was abandoned to the torments of conscience and lost all his skills and spiritual qualities. and if it continues to commit the same sin, then loses control at all and no longer has forces to retain it.

there are a lot of sins that cover the ways by which humans walk. on these roads, sins observed people as a snake although it save one is very difficult to follow its path without losing each other. it should have a strength of will of iron to traverse these roads because if not we wouldn't but lowering our spiritual being.

so fasting is as a guarantee against these dangers. for some it is as a hedge against the deviation, a precaution against rebellions, a good partner as a shield which protects his friend and becomes a mysterious door in the walls of the sky to help you enter paradise.

the messenger of allaah (peace and blessings of god be upon him) said: «o young!» if any of you have the possibility of marriage to marry; since this (the marriage) protects you from the sins of the lascivious eye. and have no possibility of marriage that fast; «since fasting is a shield against the sins».[7]

fasting is a practice and develops the ability to oppose the carnal desires. when a person fasts it is able to prevent all kinds of temptations and desires negative, and apart from that, with the force obtained in those moments can continue preventing this kind of desires and temptations. fasting does not mean just leave empty the stomach, but it is making fast to everything that has a person, feelings, eye, ear, heart and imaginations; away from the useless things and ask each one to the hereafter. a man that fasting this way lives a halal (legal) life and should be interpreted from this point of view the following hadith of the prophet (peace and blessings of god be upon him): "who gives me assurance about protect your mouth and lascivious his crotch, i give you warranty on the sky".

the easiest way to have under control the religion is fasting because when the stomach always is full, the body reaches a huge energy capacity. and this causes the wishes of the nafs. then you can no longer control his tongue. a tongue without control is one of the greatest dangers to the life of a person in the hereafter. and the only remedy to control it is to restrict the wishes of the nafs. as it fulfills this function, fasting is a highly recommended recipe. one of the hadith of the prophet (peace and blessings of god be upon him) also says: ' that none of you, in the days of fasting, not to say anything bad to anyone and don't yell." «if someone bothers you, with the language or the hand, who answers him by saying: i am fasting '.[8] "who is not refraining from lying and bad behaviors, you know that god does not need that he or she stops eating and drinking".[9]

in short, the perfect fast is to let you both fast to the stomach to the eyes, ears, heart, imaginations and thoughts. it is say, protecting them from the prohibited acts and asks each to servitude before god. if you can take the largest of the human body, the stomach, factory under control then the other members can handle with ease.[10]

fasting teaches respect the trusts

fasting teaches how to respect the things entrusted to a person, whether public or hidden. because there is no one else that god make people refrain from provided blessings, such as eating and drinking. the one who fasts respects the limits of god throughout a whole day. even if he has all the blessings under his hands and no one is watching him, he continues fasting; because it is full of feelings of respect towards their debt with god. and this behavior influences the life of the believer. therefore, a person who fasts is always attentive with everything what is entrusted.

fasting teaches the importance of fulfilling promises

fasting is one of the prayers which manifest better sense of loyalty. the servant at certain times will stop doing some things and thus demonstrate that it is true to his word. therefore, the fast develop feelings of loyalty and this will be a part of his being. and a person who reaches this state would be a statue of loyalty both in its individual and family life as social.

fasting teaches people to be worthy

thanks to the fast man placed barriers against the diabolical concerns caused by his nafs, takes it under control and tries to steer the nafs. so it refrains from meals, women and other blessings mundane and in this way, maintaining a dignified and life away from the human feelings and caused by his nafs desires. obtained because the feeling of dignity that the lord of the worlds states that it is an aptitude of the believers: «god is the power and his messenger and the believers, but the hypocrites do not know» (koran 63: 8).

fasting teaches patience

one of the main advantages of fasting is the fact that taught believers to be patient. performing fasting, believers undergo a period of training, because they don't eat when they feel like, don't drink water when they feel the thirst and patiently tell: 'i am fasting' when someone bothers them. while thus is how they are tied hands, toes, tongue, lips and ears, and if they retain the patience becomes a reality the buraq, a winged steed, for them on their journey towards god become worthy of winning your pleasure.

fasting teaches perseverance and endurance

people may lose all they have: their wealth, their friends and their children up. they may become poor and miserable anytime, everywhere. they can suddenly suffer incessant penalties. so, they have to prepare your body and soul for such unexpected misfortunes.

those who are fasting are ready and prepared for such calamities showing patience against the most basic sources of distress such as hunger and thirst and accustom your body and soul for more painful events and situations that should deal with in the future. in the event of such grief, faith does not easily lose or abandon the fight for better conditions. they persevere and fight the problems, the difficulties and the torments.

in addition, fasting molds and reforms the soul more quickly and gives a strong, resolute and uncompromising character that fasting. the person who fasts is not concerned with worldly pains or not to commit injustice. therefore, the fast trains that fasting in a way that it never ceases to its principles by no worldly gain. this is the perfect and ideal character that is defined and praised by islam.

fasting does acquire a sense of order and harmony

fasting provides a sense of order and harmony, eat and drink at certain times such as observation sohur (the last meal at night before fasting) and breakfast "iftar" in defined times granted to those who fast a more orderly and harmonious life. believers are more impatient to watch the daily prayers in the right default for each prayer time. also they perform the prayer of the congregation (tarawih prayer), which is done only in ramadan, the month of fasting. this practice of fasting brings discipline and harmony to the life of the believers.

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[1] bukhari, tawhid, 35; muslim, siyam, 164; tirmizi, siyam, 55; oyasumi, siyam, 41; ibn maya, siyam, 1; ahmad ibn hanbal, 1: 446; darimi, savm, 50.

[2] targib, 2: 99.

[3] bediuzzaman said nursî, isaratual-icaz, p. 94.

[4] tirmizi, daavat, 86; ibn maya, siyam, 44.

[5] muslim, zikr, 73.

[6] tirmizi, daavat, 14.

[7] bukhari, sawm, 10; abu dawood, nikah, 1; oyasumi, siyam, 43; ibn maya, nikah, 1.

[8] bukhari, sawm, 9; oyasumi, siyam, 42; ahmad ibn hanbal, 2/273.

[9] bukhari, sawm, 8.

[10] said nursî, mektubat, 29. mektub, 7. nukte, pg. 423.