By Ishola Haroon Balogun

The most distinctive feature of this sacred month is the concept of fasting, which is the third pillar of Islam. Fasting normally begins at the break of dawn and ends at sunset.

As a Muslim, one is supposed to abstain from eating, drinking and sex. The entire idea of fasting is definitely not to starve oneself but to be on a different spiritual plane altogether. In doing this, it must be a period of total rededication to Allah with increase in activities that are in consonance with the dictates of Allah while also shunning the ways of shaytan (devil).  The fasting Muslim must ensure that the exercise goes far beyond abstinence from eating and drinking.  It includes  change of habits that will put you on the track of righteousness. Some of them are:

See not what displeases Allah

A chaste regard, restrained from viewing anything that is blameworthy or reprehensible, or which distracts the heart and diverts it from the remembrance of God. The Prophet said: the furtive glance is one of the poisoned arrows of Satan, on him be God’s curse. Whoever forsakes it for fear of God, will receive from Him, great and gracious is He, a faith the sweetness of which he will find within his heart.’

As related by Jabir from Anas that Prophet Muhammad, (s.a.w) said: ‘Five things break a man’s fast, these are lying, backbiting, scandal, perjury and a lustful gaze.’

Speak no evil
Guarding one’s tongue from twaddle, lying, backbiting, scandal, obscenity, rudeness, wrangling and controversy; making it observe silence and occupying it with remembrance of Allah and with recitation of the Quran. This is otherwise termed the fasting of the tongue.  The Prophet said: ‘

 Fasting is a shield; so when one of you is fasting he should not use foul or foolish talk. If someone attacks him or insults him, let him say:”I am fasting, I am fasting!”

Hear no evil

Closing one’s ears to everything reprehensible.  It has been said that listening to evil talks is as bad as uttering it. That is why Allah equated the eavesdropper with the profiteer.“ (They like to) listen to falsehood, to devour anything forbidden” (Quran 5: 42).

Do no evil
Keeping all organs and parts of the body away from sin: the hands and feet from reprehensible deeds, and the stomach from questionable food at the time for breaking fast.

It is meaningless to fast, to abstain from lawful food, only to break fast with what is unlawful.  How many of those who fast, get nothing from it but hunger and thirst as a result of not being able to keep away from all unlawful things that have been spelt out as capable of vitiating fast.

To be continued tomorrow.  Watch out for Friday special Dua.