World Day of Fasting 1430/2009 | September 05, 2009
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Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem!
In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Merciful!
By Dr. Pasha
“Auron ka hai Payaam aur, mera Payaam aur hai,
Ishq key dardmand ka tarz-e-kalaam aur hai!”
(Iqbal)
“How different is my message from the message of all the others!
How different indeed is the cry of a heart stricken by love!”
Contents:
Muslims, why not tell the world a simple and most basic truth about Islam? How about something called cooperation? I don’t know. So, help me if you will. Which other system – from 1400 years ago – tells its people to let cooperation be the guiding principle in their life?
Which other system – from 1400 years ago – issues a general call to the adherents and practitioners of all other systems in the world to come and sit around a table to thrash things out between them and emerge with a commonly agreed agenda or set of beliefs and principles?
I know for a fact that Islam does those things: from 1400 years ago. Those are then among the guiding principles of the Islamic way life. At least they should be. Those then should be among the fundamental beliefs and practices of Islam, right?
They are.
Here is the Qur’an on the subject:
(1) Cooperation: Ta’awanoo ‘alal birri wat-taqwaa. Paraphrase: When it comes to matters that center on goodness and that are based on the true fear and love of God, make sure you extend your fullest cooperation.
(2) Common Culture: Ta’alau ilaa kalimatin sawaa-in bainanaa wa bainakum. Paraphrase: Let us together evolve an agreed agenda of beliefs and behaviors that may be common among us.
These things then are among the most basic teachings of the Qur’an. I don’t know who else does or does not have them, but this is what the Qur’an teaches: Cooperation on a common agenda of good things.
People of the world, let us all come together to observe a World Day of Fasting!
In these troubled times, as the saying goes, let us work to create a new international and inter-cultural alliance of peace, love and hope for humanity among all the diverse and even competing segments of the human population on earth. Let all of us human beings together celebrate a common World Day of Fasting – this month of Ramadan and every Ramadan thereafter.
Let us do so regardless of all the differences of race, religion, denomination, nationality, culture, territory and everything else that divide and consign us to special and unique bins of history and geography. Let us rise above our own special coordinates and configurations of time, space, belief and behavior, and come together as a united human race in the common enterprise of observing the World Day of Fasting together.
And let us do so in this most beautiful month of Ramadan 1430. And during every Ramadan thereafter.
That means all the non-Muslims of the world – all the Jews, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists and all others on this planet, in every part of the world – let us all set aside a day over the next two weeks to fast. Let the world’s 5,000,000,000 non-Muslim men and women of all faiths, races, nationalities and political ideologies join their 1,500,000,000 Muslim brothers and sisters around the world in a World Day of Fasting.
And in doing so, let us turn a new page in human history. And let us – Muslims as well as non-Muslims everywhere, all the 6,500,000,000 of us – together write a new joint chapter of cooperation and shared enterprise in this most glorious, wonderful and divinely scripted book that we refer to as human life on earth.
Let leadership – political, religious and all other kinds and forms of leadership – in all parts of the world issue a call to its following everywhere to join this great march of humanity toward a common cause in the relentless pursuit of common human good: sharing the common experience of fasting together.
Let leadership everywhere issue a common call for a common World Day of Fasting. At this stage, it does not really matter which day. But let the general call to fast go out regardless of any one specific day in which to observe the fast.
And let individuals everywhere who come to hear of this call join this caravan of their fellow human beings to fast together and thereby move their bodies, minds and souls to a better and more advanced and joyful state of being both in the eyes of God as well as right here on earth.
At this stage, it does not really matter which day we choose. Let us just do it whenever we can. If we can catch the month of Ramadan which ends sometime around August 22, 2009, that will be great. But if we miss this month of Ramadan, then let us do it whenever we can. But resolve at the same time not to miss the next month of Ramadan – starting July 12 or so in the year 2010.
If in the meantime, leadership around the world in the form of groups, organizations, governments, United Nations and others, pick up our call and issue a common proclamation identifying a particular day of Ramadan as World Day of Fasting, then let that be our common day. Otherwise, let us do it how best we can.
For, that is the Islamic way. Doing things how best we can. In fact, that is Islam in a nutshell.
What a Deen! What a way of life! What a way of doing things! Telling everyone with regard to everything to do the best they can. And alerting them, at the same time, not to forget that the eyes of the whole world, and of God Almighty himself, are on them as they act and as they go about doing what they must do.
Hear the inimitable Qur’an say it in its most simple and clear manner: Fattaqullaha masta-ta’tum.
Paraphrase: Fear, love and obey God Almighty all you can and, of course, to the extent you can, and bend every fiber of your body, mind and soul and every ounce of your energy and resources in doing that – all of it to the extent and how best you can.
Again, the Qur’an: wa quli’maloo fa-sayarallahu ‘amalakum wa rasuluhoo wal mu’minoon.
Paraphrase: And tell them to act, for, their actions will be watched by God, by his Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) and by the believers everywhere.
So, everyone: let us go! On to the World Day of Fasting.
Muslims generally know these procedures because fasting during Ramadan has been so much a part of their culture and tradition for so long. But here are some ideas to help the non-Muslims of the world on how best they could go about observing the World Day of Fasting:
Wake up before sunrise. Take it from me, it is good for you. If you get used to it, you will feel great that day.
Bathe, shower or wash up. Nothing puts oomph in your life and your day better than that.
Have a hearty breakfast. You would need that fuel to burn throughout the day.
Make the intention that you are doing this purely for God. Intentions – motivations – are often central to human life and actions. So get on the right side of the equation. Resolve that you are doing what you are doing for God. In general, the purer your motives and intentions are, the better effect they will have on your body, mind and soul.
Eat and drink nothing the entire day. That is fasting for you. So do it to the extent you can. But if this is your first time doing it, be on the alert and monitor your condition carefully. Do not in any way jeopardize your health and wellbeing. Surely, that is not what God wants from you.
Stay away from all things you consider to be bad. Well, you make your own list. Whatever your heart says is bad, chances are it is bad stuff. Whatever your grandma may have taught you was bad stuff, stay away from it. Chances are you and – your grandma – would be right at least in the majority of cases. Or at least you would err on the side of caution.
What is wrong in starting out with the 10 commandments? World Day of Fasting combined with the Ten Commandments? Powerful stuff.
Try to do whatever you truly, honestly and genuinely believe to be good. You know the list. Just make a conscious effort to stick to it. If not for the whole year, at least for just that one day. In other words, make a start. Do something good.
Be extra loving, generous, kind and compassionate to your family. For, your family is the focus of God’s way called Islam.
And be nice to your friends and neighbors. After your own family, no one is more important than your neighbors. But don’t send to inquire after their religion, race or nationality. For, a neighbor is a neighbor is a neighbor. At least so says Islam.
And to everyone else whether you know them or not. Self-evident, wouldn’t you say?
Stay away from alcohol the whole day. That is right. If you ever needed an excuse to kick the booze, even for one day, then this is your opportunity. Do it on this World Day of Fasting.
Stay away from smoking and all other drugs the whole day. Use the World Day of Fasting as the occasion or excuse to do it.
Don’t forget Islam is moderation. And Islam is timeliness. So, promptly at sunset break the fast but eat and drink in moderation. This is important. After fasting whole day, your whole body and mind will be agog for any sign of sunset. So go with the flow of your body and mind. And at the first sign of sunset break your fast promptly. And when you set about eating and consuming liquid, make sure you don’t overdo it. Because the temptation to do so will be great. But if you eat or drink too much, you will begin to feel uncomfortable.
Pray to God Almighty to shower his peace and blessings upon you. You know God. Turn to him and pray. Now is your chance. Ask him for what you want. And ask him to bless you. This is your chance to discover your God and say Hello to him. How long will you treat him as a stranger in your life?
And ask for his blessings upon your family and friends
And upon God’s good people everywhere. For, all of humanity is your family too.
And upon your neighborhood, community, society and the whole world.
How can you go wrong with any of this?
And if you cannot observe all of these things, then observe whatever you can. If you cannot fast for the full day, fast at least for a part of it. Do what you can.
So, this is the World Day of Fasting we are calling for this blessed month of Ramadan. And every month of Ramadan thereafter.
So, let everyone everywhere come together in a common celebration of the World Day of Fasting. This year and every following year for the rest of our lives!
Let us join hands to create a common culture of peace, love and hope for humanity! We may not solve all the problems of the world. But it is a good beginning.
END
© 2009 Syed Husain Pasha
Dr. Pasha is an educator and scholar of exceptional
talent, training and experience. He can be reached at DrSyedPasha [at]
AOL [dot] com or www.IslamicSolutions.com.