The Second Point

One of the many wisdoms behind fasting during the blessed month of RamadanThe ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, during which Muslims fast from dawn until sunset and in which the Qur’an was first revealed., with respect to expressing gratitude for the blessings of Allah, is the following:

As explained in The First Word, when a servant brings food from the royal kitchen, a price is expected in return. It would be the height of foolishness to tip the servant while failing to recognize the true owner of those priceless blessings, thereby treating them as though they had no value. Likewise, it is a grave folly not to thank Allah, Who has spread countless varieties of blessings across the face of the earth for humanity and Who asks only our gratitude in return. The apparent causes and intermediaries through which these blessings reach us are merely like servants. We pay these servants a certain price and show them appreciation, often exceeding what they truly deserve. Yet Allah alone, the True Bestower, is infinitely more worthy of gratitude for the blessings He grants. Indeed, thanking Him means recognizing that these blessings come directly from Him, appreciating their true worth, and acknowledging our own need for them.

Truly, fasting in the blessed month of RamadanThe ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, during which Muslims fast from dawn until sunset and in which the Qur’an was first revealed. is the key to sincere, genuine, profound, and universal gratitude. At other times of the year, most people—because they are not compelled by necessity and do not experience genuine hunger—often fail to appreciate the value of the many blessings they enjoy. Someone whose stomach is full, especially if he is wealthy, cannot truly comprehend the worth of a piece of dry bread. Yet at the moment of breaking the fast, the faculty of taste bears witness that even a piece of dry bread is, in the eyes of a believer, a precious blessing from Allah. By recognizing and appreciating the value of such blessings, everyone—from the wealthiest to the poorest—enters during the blessed month of RamadanThe ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, during which Muslims fast from dawn until sunset and in which the Qur’an was first revealed. into a state of gratitude toward Allah.

Moreover, because he is forbidden to eat during the day, the fasting person reflects: “These blessings are not my own property. I am not free to consume them whenever I wish. They belong to Another and are His gift to me. I await His permission.” In this way, he recognizes these blessings as true gifts and enters into a state of heartfelt gratitude toward their Giver.

Thus, fasting serves in many respects as the key to gratitude, which is one of man’s most fundamental duties.

The Third Point

One of the many wisdoms behind fasting with respect to the social life of humanity is the following:

People differ greatly in their livelihoods and worldly means. In view of this diversity, Allah calls upon the wealthy to assist those in need. Yet the rich can truly appreciate the pain of hunger and the hardship of poverty only by experiencing hunger themselves through fasting. Were it not for fasting, many self-indulgent wealthy people would never realise how severe hunger and poverty can be or how greatly those who suffer from them stand in need of compassion. Such compassion towards one’s fellow human beings is an essential part of true gratitude.