Every year, Muslims have obligations to fast, specifically in the holy month of Ramadan. For 30 days, each Muslims in the whole world adhere to this rules, holding their hunger, sex drive, and every immoral action, from sunrise to sunset every day.
So, what is Fasting for? Is it solely to praise God the Almighty? Or is it not for the betterment of the Ummat? As Muslims, you should understand about ways on how fasting can improve your disciplines. Since it is known that many verses have shown about the important of fasting, especially fasting during month of Ramadan. We should also known things that nullify fasting in Islam. [AdSense-B]
“The month of Ramadhan (is that) in which was revealed the Qur’an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights (the new moon of) the month, let him fast it, and whoever is ill or on a journey – then an equal number of other days. Allah intens for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and (wants) for you to complete the period and to glorify Allah for that (to) which He has guided you, and perhaps you will be grateful.”
(QS. Al-Baqarah : 185)
Judging from the verse above, fasting is considered very important, as it is one of the Pillars of Islam. Inherently for the benefit of the Ummat. In many studies, science has proven that fasting is good for health reasons. But it doesn’t stop on just body health, it is good for mental health as well. Many things, good things, had sprung from fasting diligently. Most importantly, is building the right mindset and attitude in life, from the ground up, from sunrise till sunset each and every day for a month, until it become a good habit. In other words, fasting build discipline more than we could imagine.
Things we should also remember that there are types of fasting in Islam, obligatory one and Sunnah (recommended). Therefore, Let’s see 10 ways how fasting can improve your discipline?
How much time did you spent today doing exactly nothing? In Surat Al Ashr, Islam taught us that no time should ever be wasted. When fasting, it is stressed that every waking hour, sunrise to sunset, should be put to good use. Be it work, spending quality time with family, or simply training ourselves to avoid wrongdoings. That is the virtue of fasting which every Muslims should hold.
2. Fasting bring balance to our life cycle (fixing sleep and waking pattern)
In fasting there is sahur and iftar. That is the time when fasting started and ended. By adhering the rules of fasting, you should be more balanced. It is because you would spend the night to get a good sleep, not excessive in order to getting wake up very early in the morning to do sahur. When it’s done properly it should fix our life cycle. Moreover, if you suffer from insomnia, this rules should help us to discipline ourselves to be more responsible with your sleeping and waking patterns. [AdSense-A]
3. Fasting makes us more conscious of our action
How much did you do good things in your waking hours? How much did you uphold the truth in your every said word? Did you stay honest, or just lie to others (and ultimately to ourselves) for easy way out? The rules of fasting made every bit of action we do counts. Including bad deeds like the law of abandoning fasting intentionally.
4. Fasting taught us to become more patient
When fasting, there should be no anger. You should control your temper, because anger will nullify the Pahala (divine rewards) for fasting. Therefore, you could know how to be patient.
5. Fasting taught us to be more humble
Hunger is the best teacher to not be extravagant with our appetite. By experiencing hunger every day you would learn more about empathy, and how it affects our mindset regarding food in our table. We would be more grateful for what is given to us, and more empathetic toward others.
6. Fasting taught us to lead more healthy life
By eating at routine time, it is said that it will cure bad habit of over-eating. A symptom of obesity and obsessive eating which will eventually lead to heart problem, liver and kidney disease.
7. Fasting taught us commitment
There are no one knows about your own fasting, except you yourself, and God the Almighty, the All-Seeing. Nobody knows if you keep fasting from start to end, or just simply cheating in the middle by eating, or doing immoral things. It needs real commitment, an oath which you do to yourself, which you seriously and truly uphold. Well, what is discipline if it’s not a commitment put to action?
8. Fasting makes us more productive
The reward for people who keep working hard when fasting are immense when compared to people who would simply sleep themselves to iftar time. It taught us to keep pushing, keep working hard, even when our stomach is empty. It enriches our spirit, and eventually will discipline our mortal body to keep doing our responsibility. If it done properly, our body will develop good habit to be productive in every circumstances. Therefore we can also learn on tips fasting while working so it won’t distrube our task or job.
9. Fasting makes us more responsible
By keeping our commitment seriously, of course it will make us more responsible. Be it to ourselves or to other people. Remember. God is always watching. Every good deeds will be rewarded, and every bad deeds will be punished – however small it is.
“When the earth is shaken with its (final) earthquake. And the earth discharges its burdens. And man says, ‘what is (wrong) with it?’ That Day, it will report its news. Because your Lord has commanded it. That Day, the people will depart separated (into categories) to be shown (the result of) their deeds. So whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it. And whoever does an atom’ weight of evil will see it.”
(Az-Zalzalah : 8)
10. Fasting taught us to be more reasonable
One of the most important life lesson in fasting is that it taught us to be a better person. And the road we must walk is not easy. Fasting is essentially rules we must adhere in order to develop the mentality to be better each and every day. It taught us not to lie, not to cheat, because it will harm our own development as a person. There is also reward and virtues feeding fasting person for those who can not perform fasting.
When we put the mindset that every action is a conscious decision that will affect our relationship with God and with others, then we will be developing a more conscious and disciplined approach to it.
Thus are the explanation of ways on how fasting can improve your disciplines.
[AdSense-C]
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