It's time to restrain during Ramadhan

Perhaps, fasting is not technically a quiet heavy worship. Men and women can fast easily so the worship as a full awareness of human suffering is increasingly declining. But it is essentially so hard to perform because the fasting is aimed at restraining from desire and denial. The fast is the single most important device to test the faith (iman), of Muslims and the depth of their sincerity and commitment to the concept the Oneness of Allah.

Dealing with the coming of holy month of Ramadhan, businessmen of transportation or entertainment have previously prepared what to do following the holy month as shoimin (muslims performing fasting) have not performed it. Various luxurious products have been prepared. Moreover at the mid of the month of Ramadhan, the businessmen would offer such fresh packages by providing luxurious cars and houses for lebaran. The businessmen in the area of services have already offered any tourism package and extravagant entertainment to Muslims.

The fasting is aimed at overcoming problems of modern men, namely ecosystem destruction, government disfunction and social conflict. Overcoming the problems can be started from each individual to be then a social awareness having power and influence. If this way is taken, big changes will come true through the fasting.

During the fasting month, the necessity is strongly mounting. Breaking a fast remains party event. Fasting is performed at noon, but look at the situation at night. Luxurious iftor is taken place anywhere. At markets, during the fasting month life necessity is strongly increasing till Idul Fitri holiday so the government and traders are to provide the necessities. In the afternoon and evening, department stores are full of men and women going shopping.

Fasting at noon and worship at night was just tradition in the past. At present the tradition becomes such fasting party. For that reason, the awareness of understanding its meaning is now getting declining. The Fasting remains meaningless. The problem is that on how to call on the people to rethink the values of fasting by following the Prophet, his companions, and ulama’ teachings. That’s why, rethinking the merits of fasting is inevitable that is fasting enables us to tanha anil fakhsa wal munkar as performed by the Prophet and his companions. (Abdul Munim DZ)