Ramadan fasting is one of the pillars of Islam that is required for Muslims who have reached puberty and are of sound mind. During this holy month, Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, and marital relations from dawn to sunset. However, besides the obligation to refrain from these things, Ramadan fasting also teaches many moral and akhlaq lessons that can be applied in everyday life.
Ramadan fasting is not just about enduring hunger and thirst for the whole day. More than that, fasting is a deep spiritual practice that teaches various ethical values and akhlaq to Muslims. In the Quran and Hadith, there are many proofs that show the importance of improving one’s manners while fasting. Let us examine some of the ethical lessons that can be learned from fasting during Ramadan:
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1.Patience and Fortitude
Ramadan fasting teaches patience and fortitude in the face of various trials. Enduring hunger, thirst, and lust during fasting requires great fortitude. Allah Ta’ala says in Al-Quran Surah Al-Baqarah verse 183:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ
“O you who believe, it is obligatory upon you to fast as it was obligatory upon those before you so that you may have piety” (QS. Al-Baqarah: 183).
This shows that the purpose of fasting is to strengthen piety, where one of the greatest signs of piety is patience and steadfastness in carrying it out. This patience is accomplished by refraining from things that break the fast such as eating, drinking, and having sex as well as refraining from things that reduce the reward of fasting such as speaking badly, committing sins, doing things that are not useful, being unjust to others, and so on.
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2.Empathy and Social Care
Ramadan fasting also teaches us to be more empathetic and caring towards others. When we feel hunger and thirst during fasting, we are better able to understand the suffering of people who are less fortunate. Rasulullah Shallallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam said:
مَنْ فَطَّرَ صَائِمًا كَانَ لَهُ مِثْلُ أَجْرِهِ غَيْرَ أَنَّهُ لاَ يَنْقُصُ مِنْ أَجْرِ الصَّائِمِ شَيْئًا
“Whoever feeds a fasting person, he will receive the same reward as the fasting person, without diminishing the fasting person’s reward in any way.” (HR. Tirmidhi no. 807, Ibn Majah no. 1746, and Ahmad 5: 192. Al-Hafizh Abu Thahir said that this hadeeth is saheeh).
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This shows that in Ramadan Islam also touches the humanitarian and social side by giving great rewards to those who break the fast. Meanwhile, Ramadan fasting also teaches us empathy and social care through the experience of enduring hunger and thirst during the daytime of Ramadan. By enduring hunger and thirst during fasting, we feel what the poor, the needy, and marginalized communities feel in their daily lives when they endure hunger and thirst in a situation where they do not have the sustenance to get food and drink.
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3.Self-Control and Guarding the Tongue
During fasting, we are taught to control ourselves and guard our tongues from bad or hurtful words. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
مَنْ لَمْ يَدَعْ قَوْلَ الزُّورِ وَالْعَمَلَ بِهِ فَلَيْسَ لِلَّهِ حَاجَةٌ فِى أَنْ يَدَعَ طَعَامَهُ وَشَرَابَهُ
“Whoever does not abandon false speech and instead practices it, Allah does not need the hunger and thirst that he endures.” (HR. Bukhari no. 1903)
This shows that fasting is not only about refraining from food and drink, but also from all forms of negative behavior, including bad words. This self-control and guarding the tongue is also one of the goals of piety expected from Ramadan fasting as mentioned earlier in Surah Al-Baqarah verse 183.
Ramadan fasting is not only a physical act of worship, but also an act of worship that involves the moral dimension and akhlaq. In the process of refraining from food and drink, Muslims are taught to strengthen piety, increase empathy for others, and control themselves from bad behavior. By understanding and applying these lessons of akhlaq, we can become better people and more devoted to Allah ta’ala. May Allah ta’ala make it easier for us to become people of good manners with the madrasa of Ramadan.
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Wallahu a’lam
References:
- Surat Al-Baqarah Ayat 183. (n.d.). Tafsir AlQuran Online. Retrieved March 10, 2024, from https://tafsirq.com/2-al-baqarah/ayat-183#google_vignette
- MSc, M. A. T. (2017, May 19). 8 Keutamaan Memberi Makan Buka Puasa. Rumaysho.com. https://rumaysho.com/15838-8-keutamaan-memberi-makan-buka-puasa.html
- القرآن الكريم – تفسير ابن كثير – تفسير سورة البقرة – الآية 183. (2024). Ksu.edu.sa. https://quran.ksu.edu.sa/tafseer/katheer/sura2-aya183.html
- MSc, M. A. T. (2014, June 25). Kajian Ramadhan 24: Tinggalkanlah Dusta! Muslim.or.id. https://muslim.or.id/21935-kajian-ramadhan-24-tinggalkanlah-dusta.html
