Spirit of Ramzan

St Augustine said, 'Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe.' Muslims who fast during Ramzan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, embody the essence of this statement. It is believed that during this month, the Quran was revealed to the Prophet as he sat deep in meditation in a cave on Mount Hira near Mecca.

Fasting is one of the pillars of Islam. During this sacred month, the devout abstain from food and water from the crack of dawn until dusk. It is a month of piety, introspection and tafakkur, reflection. In controlling your desires, you learn patience; in feeling the pangs of hunger and thirst, you learn empathy for the poor; and when at sunset, during Iftar, you take the first sip of water, you learn gratitude. Self-discipline, self- control and anger management are practised. Special prayers are offered during this month in the night. Believers are also required to give in charity an amount equivalent to 2½% of their savings. Thus, the month encourages self- reflection and contemplation of values that are central to humanity - empathy, love and kindness. The month of Ramzan culminates in Eid-ul-Fitr.

It has been said that there is an element of recklessness in faith - first, you leap; then, you grow wings. At the end of this month, we are, indeed, ready to soar - having shed excess, both of body and soul.