Emphasizing that Ramadan is the month of the Qur'an, Prof. Reşat Öngören, faculty member of the Institute for Sufi Studies, stated that fasting is not merely abstaining from food, but a form of Sufi training that elevates a person to the consciousness of zikr-i dâim and Ibn al-waqt through patience, gratitude, awareness of time, and discipline of the self.
Prof. Reşat Öngören noted that the material and spiritual elements embodied in the month of Ramadan parallel Sufi training methods in many respects. “As is known, every human being in this world is on a journey toward Allah. Fasting becomes an expression of the servant’s spiritual journey toward Allah,” he said.
Prof. Reşat Öngören from Üsküdar University’s Institute for Sufi Studies evaluated the topic of Ramadan, Sufism, and Fasting.
Ramadan is the month of the Qur'an
Stating that Ramadan is the only month mentioned by name in the Qur'an and that it is emphasized that the Qur'an was revealed in this month (Al-Baqarah 185), Prof. Reşat Öngören said: “Indeed, the Night of Power, when the revelation of the Qur'anic verses began, falls within the month of Ramadan. Moreover, it is known that every Ramadan, the Prophet would recite the verses that had been revealed up to that time mutually with Gabriel, an act known as muqabala. For this reason, Ramadan is called the ‘Month of the Qur'an.’”
He added that believers’ engagement with the Qur'an during this month should be greater than in other months, both in terms of recitation and implementation in daily life: “When it comes to sincerely living the Qur'anic verses, it is necessary to mention the Sufi dimension of Islam. For Sufism aims, through its program of cultivating virtuous individuals, to internalize religious rulings and transform them into lived states.”
Ramadan and Sufi elements
Prof. Reşat Öngören stated that the material and spiritual components of Ramadan closely resemble Sufi educational methods: “As expressed in the Qur'an, ‘We belong to Allah and to Him we return’ (Al-Baqarah 156). The Sufi tradition, in raising virtuous individuals, has named its training program seyr u suluk, meaning ‘journeying toward Allah.’ Interestingly, in the Qur'an, those who fast are described as ‘travelers’ (sâihûn) (At-Tawbah 112). Thus, fasting becomes an expression of the servant’s spiritual journey toward Allah.”
Hunger as a means of moral refinement
Prof. Reşat Öngören explained that fasting is intensely practiced in Sufi training as a means of deepening awareness in one’s journey toward Allah: “Hunger plays a primary role in helping the servant distance himself from certain ugliness and acquire beautiful character traits. The self, defined as the center of evil within the human being, more easily relinquishes its limitless desires through hunger. In this way, the human soul takes on divine and angelic qualities. Completing the day without eating, drinking, or engaging in sexual relations signifies embodying divine and angelic characteristics. For abstaining from eating, drinking, and marriage are states attributed to Allah and the angels.”
The Sufi dimension of fasting
“Fasting is an education in patience and gratitude for the human being. Refraining from consuming a blessing that is right before one’s eyes for the sake of fulfilling servitude teaches patience,” said Prof. Reşat Öngören, continuing: “In the Qur'an, fasting is directly associated with patience in one verse (Al-Baqarah 153). Spending the entire day without even a sip of water or a bite of food, and experiencing the discomfort of hunger, leads one to appreciate these blessings and deepens feelings of gratitude toward Allah, who bestows various favors upon His servants. The state of fasting also fosters awareness of the value of time. People often fail to realize how precious their time is until they begin counting the minutes to complete their fast. Thus, they learn to value every moment even outside Ramadan. In Sufism, acquiring this quality is called being Ibn al-waqt, the ‘child of the moment.’”
He further noted: “A person who fasts remains in a continuous state of worship throughout the day. Through this act, one continues to remember Allah in practice. In Sufi terminology, this corresponds to zikr-i dâim, meaning continuous remembrance. Moreover, a fasting person who continues daily activities experiences what is described in Sufism as ‘being with the Truth among the people.’”
The spiritual dimension of fasting
Prof. Reşat Öngören emphasized that although fasting outwardly consists of abstaining from food from dawn to sunset, reducing it merely to hunger would contradict the spirit of religion: “On the contrary, this state of hunger should be regarded as a spiritual nourishment that feeds the human soul. Therefore, a fasting person should strive to complete the fast not only by refraining from material nourishment but also by avoiding actions of the tongue such as backbiting, described as ‘eating the flesh of one’s brother,’ avoiding sinful glances that harm the soul, and refraining from behaviors that hurt others through one’s hands, speech, or actions.”