When the Devils Are Restrained
In a hadith narrated by Bukhari and Muslim our Prophet says: “Satan circulates in the body like blood. Make his passage narrow by means of hunger.”

In the words of al-Ghazali, lusts are grazing grounds for the devils. As long as there is something to be grazed on, Satan will be present. Fasting, through which one establishes a mastery over one’s most fundamental (and unmanageab...

Fasting as Told by Elmalılı Hamdi Yazır
Today I would like to cite a few quotations about fasting from Elmalılı Hamdi Yazır, a famous Turkish Quran commentator known for including subtle philosophical and psychological analyses in his tafseer. He firstly points out that the struggle against the lower self is possible only through fasting and states that no other means are as effective as fasting in calming the ambition that the human be...

Ramadan Mobilization
During the month of Ramadan we see a dramatic increase in all acts of worship. In these blessed days prayer, charity, and preoccupation with the Quran are at their highest for many of us. This fact is also manifest in the prophetic narrations that deal with the month of Ramadan.

When Ramadan came, a noticeable change would take place in our Prophet’s (s.a.w) spiritual life. His generosity would re...

Ramadan Increases and Decreases
With the onset of Ramadan our eating and drinking, and even our sleep decrease. Our vivaciousness and our gallivanting stop; instead a tranquility and a sobriety take over us. We have a month-long experience of eating little, sleeping little, and speaking little, which are the three conditions for becoming a spiritually mature human being. Maybe this is the reason why we are given the good news th...

Small, Sincere Iftars
Thank God there are still people who invite close friends to their homes for iftaar. In these small and sincere gatherings we not only eat iftaar, but also meet people, catch up with friends, and have heartfelt conversations. We leave these iftaars having learnt something from the other guests and having seen a new practice or a new style from the household. Some friendships take deeper root, some...

Climbing the Steep Hill
I haven't personally attended the iftaars organized in luxurious restaurants with crowded groups, but as I hear more and more about the amount of food that goes to waste in these so-called charity events, I can't help but write about the irony that such iftaars create with some anger-tinged sorrow.

When attendees in these events organized by this charity or that foundation see that kilos of meat a...

Its Beginning is Mercy, Its Middle is Forgiveness
It is related from our Prophet (s.a.w) that he said about Ramadan, “Its beginning is mercy, its middle is forgiveness, and its ending is liberation from the Hellfire.” The stage of mercy has come and gone; now is the time for forgiveness. The mercy of God surrounds us as a manifestation of his name Rahman, whether we want to or not, whether we deserve it or not. (His name Rahim, however, is more a...

Fasting as a Celebration
We know the importance of fasting as an act of worship because it’s a command from Allah (s.w.t), and it’s one of the five pillars of Islam according to the Hadith Jibreel, which is a sound narration from the Prophet (s.a.w). We are also aware of its value in the eyes of God… Nevertheless, many of us experience a kind of worry and uneasiness that we avoid putting into words, both while waiting for...

The Purpose of Fasting: Accustoming Self to God-Consciousness
Verse 183 in Surah Baqara prescribes fasting for all believers, and at the end of this verse Allah explains the wisdom behind this command. In the words of Quran commentator Elmalılı Hamdi Yazır: “Fasting has been prescribed on us as it has been prescribed on those before us, so that we may shield ourselves from all sorts of danger and reach the rank of God-consciousness by attaining the faculty o...