Thursday, August 12, 2010

What is my soul hungry for?

Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim
"Oh you who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that you many learn piety and righteousness" (Qur'an, 2:183)
One of the disciplines I have come across in Tasawuf is to check your intention before, while and after an action. As our bodies get used to the fasting and our hunger pangs are no longer reminders, we tend to carry on with fasting for the month of Ramadhaan forgetting the purpose of the fast. When you are no longer hungry for food, it is time to turn to your soul and ask it “what are you hungry for?” At the beginning of the month of Ramadhaan, each one of us should have a clear goal in mind of what do we want to achieve by the end of the month. Yes, we all want to be in the Heavenly Garden and perhaps more, but there are a great number of steps we have to take to achieve any ultimate goal. As focused as you are on that final destination, you have to put together a list of items that will help you reach your destination safely. According to the verse I opened with, fasting is supposed to teach you piety and righteousness. I will not get into details of the deeper disciplines that come with fasting, but your list of items should be in line with these lessons (Piety & Righteousness). This list can include performing the Dawn Prayer in its best time, being more forgiving, stretching out your hand further to help the poor, increasing your Dhikrullah (remembrance of Allah), you know best what you need to start doing (or not doing). I believe that daily you should ask yourself the following questions:
1. Why and what am I fasting today?
2. What are my goals for Ramadhaan?
3. What am I going to do to increase my good deeds?
4. What evil trait am I going to get rid of today?
5. How am I going to help God’s servants/mankind today?
6. What is my soul hungry for?

May Allah make it easy for us, and help us reap all the rewards that come with this blessed month.
Peace

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