FASTING ( صوم)

صوم

The essence of ” saum” i.e. fasting is SILENCE.

( صم)  in arabic is meant for deafness. If you are deaf you speak less. A child with congenital deafness is unable to develop his speech.

Thus you read in Quran when Zakaria was ordered to fast, he was told not to speak except in sign language. Similarly in case of Maryam she was told to eat and drink but not to speak. So keeping quiet in fasting is something which is required so you have better control of your tongue and speech. To refrain from eating and drinking is external closure of mouth so nothing could go in while restrain from speech is internal closure so nothing should come out of your mouth. If you complete both aspect you attain the status of ” muttaqin” (متقى ).

While this is the physical aspect, same goes for internal speech. You should calm your soul and cool down your intellect.

As your body and soul achieve this silence like the stillness of calm water, the time of doing so is the hottest time of the year or on the hottest day. This is why Islam selected the month of Ramadhan which in arabic is used for sand heated by the Sun ( رمض).

With right practise you will be able to control your tongue in heated arguments, you will cool down your anger , you will control your desires and most important you will have obedient intellect with perfect control of body and soul.

This is especially important for people who have forgotten this training and this verse is addressed to الناس initially

شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ هُدًى لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِّنَ الْهُدَىٰ وَالْفُرْقَانِ ۚ فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُمُ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ

and if they believe the call is given to believers so they get to higher level of Muttaqin.

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ

When they have earned this status, have the true knowledge and they find there inner strength then they can relax and can give fidya so that other people, believers are helped to get to desired level.

Because most of the people never achieve the status they are required to keep on fasting in non ending cycle and thus to keep the fast is better for most of the people as Allah has ordained.