As we find ourselves in the midst of uncertain times, Muslims around the world are observing the holy month of Ramadan. Although we may not be able to congregate in our mosques to offer our five daily Prayers or break fast with each other, our intentions remain the same. During Ramadan, we fast for thirty consecutive days from dawn to dusk to cleanse our souls of worldly desires and attain God’s pleasure. In the Quran it is mentioned, “ O ye who believe! fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may guard against evil” (2:185).
Apart from attaining spiritual salvation, another key objective of fasting is to learn how to be grateful. The hunger that we experience while fasting reminds us of the struggles that millions of impoverished individuals around the world experience each day. Fasting for Muslims is not just a physical practice, but a way to self-reflect and make ourselves better human beings, a concept that every individual can strive towards.
