FASTING AND POWER
Printed From: IslamiCity.org
Category: Religion - Islam
Forum Name: Pillars of Islam
Forum Description: Pillars of Islam - Prayers, Fasting, Zakat, Hajj
URL: https://www.islamicity.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2641
Printed Date: 24 November 2024 at 9:11am
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Topic: FASTING AND POWER
Posted By: rami
Subject: FASTING AND POWER
Date Posted: 17 October 2005 at 2:00am
FASTING AND POWER
By Imran N. Hosein
The
compulsory fast of the (lunar) month Ramadan was given to mankind in a
very special context that is linked to power, and we attempt in this
brief essay to explain that link.
After the Israelite people
rejected Jesus, the son of Mary, as a Prophet of Allah Most High, and
as the true Messiah, they conspired to have him put to death by
crucifixion. That was the most evil deed that they had ever committed
in defiance of Allah Most High. His divine response was to expel them
from the Holy Land and to ban their return to that Holy Land until the
advent of the Gog and Magog world-order (which is the one that now
rules the world). That Gog and Magog world-order would not only make
possible their return to reclaim the Holy Land as their own, but would
then take on a ride on the �Beast of the Earth� which would culminate
with their greatest punishment ever. It is that dramatic history that
is now unfolding before the eyes of the world.
But Allah Most
High left one door to mercy open for the Israelites. And that was
acceptance of Muhammad (peace be upon him) as a Prophet. If they
rejected him then the one door to mercy would be shut and the Last Age
of awesome punishment would commence. In that Last Age not only would
Gog and Magog be released into the world but, also, Dajjal the false
Messiah or Anti-Christ.
Seventeen months after the Prophet�s
arrival in the city of Madina the Jews made clear their rejection of
the Arab Prophet and went on to conspire to crush him. It was at that
moment that Allah Most High shut the door on them by changing the Qibla
(direction to which one turns in prayer) from Jerusalem to Makkah. But
He also sent down, at the same time, the new law of fasting in the
month of Ramadan to replace the old law in the Torah.
The
implication of these dramatic changes was that Muslim community which
followed Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was sure to be attacked
by those who greatly resented this divine decision. It was in this
context that Allah Most High sent down a third revelation at this same
time making fighting (in warfare) obligatory on all Muslims. Of course,
fighting must never be for aggression, nor must fighting be used to
spread Islam. Rather Muslims were ordered to fight to defend their
rights and in response to aggression.
The divine wisdom
recognized that power was essential for successful warfare and went on
to recognize that while there were essential external prerequisites of
warfare such as weapons, numerical strength, economic support, etc.,
the internal dimension of power was far more important. Internal power
can impact dramatically in warfare to multiply the strength and morale
of an armed force.
It was in this context of the development of
internal power that the compulsory fast of Ramadan was revealed. Those
who abstained, while fasting, from food, drink and sexual relations, do
so for Allah�s sake. During the fast of Ramadan the remembrance of
Allah Most High in the heart returns again and again. What fasting does
is to bring the straying sheep back to the flock and restore their
submission to the command of the Shepherd.
The message that
comes loud and clear during Ramadan is this: �if you can fast for
Allah, why can�t you live for Allah?� Those who live for Allah are also
a people who would die for Allah. Such a people would know no fear
other than the fear of Allah. That is internal power!
([email protected])
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Rasul Allah (sallah llahu alaihi wa sallam) said: "Whoever knows himself, knows his Lord" and whoever knows his Lord has been given His gnosis and nearness.
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