What should a real fast look like?

According to Sufism scholars, there are three types of fasting: the fasting of the masses, the fasting of the special people, and the fasting of the most special people.

Public fasting is done by restraining the lustful desires of the stomach and vagina.

Fasting of the people comes to the surface by restraining the lustful desires of the stomach and vagina, as well as keeping the eyes, eyes, tongue, hands, feet and other parts from sins.

The most special fasting is formed by blocking the lustful desires of the stomach and vagina, refraining the ears, eyes, tongue, hands, feet, and other organs from sins, while keeping the heart from lowly worries, purifying it from worldly sorrows, and in general, removing everything from the heart except Allah. . ("Ihyou ulumid din", Abu Hamid Ghazali)

So, according to Sufism scholars, a fasting person should refrain not only from eating and drinking, from family relationships, but also from thoughts other than Allah and the Hereafter. Only worldly concerns can serve as preparation for the hereafter.

Even some scholars have said that whoever worries about what he is doing at the time of breaking the fast has made a mistake. Because this situation arises as a result of not believing in the real sense that Allah is the Sustainer.

The fasting of the most typical servants is formed by summing up six works:

1. Keeping the eyes away from everything that is considered haram and makruh. Refraining not only from the forbidden and evil, but also from everything that distracts from God and distracts the heart.

2. Avoid excessive speech. In other words, refraining from words such as lies, backbiting, slander, and gossip forbidden by the Sharia, as well as refraining from unnecessary and unnecessary words, only the remembrance of Allah, the recitation of the Qur'an, and keeping silence as much as possible. Some scholars of Sufism have even suggested that gossip breaks the fast.

3. To prevent the ear from listening to every makruh sound. After all, everything that is forbidden to speak is also forbidden to listen to. That's why Allah Ta'ala mentioned that listening to haram is equal to eating haram.

4. Refrain from sins - haram and makruh - other parts such as hands and feet. Also, abstaining from questionable products during Sahar and Iftar.

5. Do not overfill your stomach even with halal food at the time of sahar and iftar. Because the vessel that causes the greatest wrath of Allah is an overfilled stomach. Because, in fact, the purpose of fasting is to restrain the ego and to anger the devil. One cannot overcome one's desire or break one's lust by going hungry without eating what one wants to eat during the day and stuffing it all into one's stomach when it is time to break the fast. Sufism scholars say that the variety and quantity of food eaten during Ramadan iftar should not exceed that of other times of fasting, and should be the same. Because, as we said above, the purpose of fasting is to curb the desires of the soul.

6. After completing the daily fast and breaking the fast, one's heart is full of fear and hope, that is, not because I have enjoyed the fast, but because this fast has been acceptable in the eyes of God, if I have not made any mistakes and shortcomings. should be in the hope that he will accept it. Because none of us knows whether our actions will be accepted or rejected by Allah.

Also, according to Sufism scholars, fasting is broken by any haraam act. A person who only abstains from eating, drinking and fasting is valid, but this is the lightest fast. This situation is similar to a person who prays after washing only the obligatory parts of the body during ablution. Even if the prayer of this person is considered authentic, the level of merit is much lower. A person who fasts not only abstains from eating, drinking and drinking, but also observes the six conditions mentioned above, is similar to a person who performs ablution according to fard, sunnah and mustahab and prays.

It is the most dangerous situation for a fasting person to abstain during the day and fill the stomach with haraam or suspicious things during iftar, or to abstain from hearing, tongue, and eyes during the day and do what the heart desires after breaking the fast.

From the above, we can know that Sufism scholars focus on the essence of actions, especially fasting. But this does not mean that they are contrary to jurisprudence. Sufism scholars only pay deeper, more serious attention. Abstinence from eating, drinking, and drinking are also actions that break lust and help to curb lust. But they believe that restraining the soul from all sins should be the main goal. According to Sufism scholars, all actions are aimed at educating the soul and reforming it.

In conclusion, the month of Ramadan is an extremely valuable opportunity to purify the heart and soul. The month of Ramadan is a time when we can purify not only our appearance, but also our inner - our soul.

Food and drink should be the most important things in the fasting person's mind. In fact, all attention should be focused on the soul, on the body's distance from sin. Because it is more difficult to keep the heart and body from sin for a moment than to keep from eating and drinking from morning till night. Fasting is not only restraining the stomach, but also restraining the appetite. Fasting is not only keeping oneself from society for a certain period of time, it is also keeping oneself from oppressing humanity and causing suffering.

Prepared by Muhammad Sadiq Muhammad Ismail based on sources