Stating that the term ‘those who travel towards Allah’ is used for fasters in the Holy Quran, Prof. Dr. Reşat Öngören said, “Because ‘refraining from eating, drinking, and sexual relations’ are the attributes of Allah, our Creator, and His angels. Therefore, a fasting person acquires divine, angelic qualities throughout the day. In this respect, the act of fasting brings servants closer to Allah than other acts of worship.”
Emphasizing that being in a state of fasting also means being in a state of worship all day long, Prof. Dr. Reşat Öngören said, “All acts of worship, including fasting, carry the meaning of remembering Allah, mentioning Him. Therefore, a fasting person is in a state of remembrance (dhikr) from morning until evening. Our Prophet (peace be upon him) said, ‘If someone verbally abuses you during Ramadan, do not retaliate, say 'I am fasting'.'”
Prof. Dr. Reşat Öngören, a faculty member at Üsküdar University Institute of Sufi Studies, made important statements regarding the meaning of Ramadan and fasting for our lives.
The act of fasting is found in almost all religions
Stating that the month of Ramadan is the month of fasting and that the act of fasting, which is observed in Islam by refraining from eating, drinking, and sexual relations for a month, is essentially a type of worship present in all religions with some nuances, Prof. Dr. Reşat Öngören said, “The act of fasting, performed in ways such as refraining from eating, drinking, and sexual relations for a certain period, dieting, or not eating certain foods, maintaining silence, and protecting the mouth and ears from lies and evil speech, is found in almost all religions.”
The act of fasting brings servants closer to Allah than other acts of worship
Prof. Dr. Reşat Öngören stated that the act of fasting makes significant contributions to our lives, both for our own selves and our environment, saying, “This act of worship primarily reminds us of our servitude to God. Performing an action because it is Allah's command means fulfilling the duty of servitude. Like every act of worship, fasting also makes very serious contributions to our spiritual world. In fact, at this point, fasting surpasses all other acts of worship. Because ‘refraining from eating, drinking, and sexual relations’ are the attributes of Allah, our Creator, and His angels. Therefore, a fasting person acquires divine, angelic qualities throughout the day. In this respect, the act of fasting brings servants closer to Allah than other acts of worship. Indeed, in the Holy Quran, the term ‘those who travel towards Allah’ is used for fasters.
Fasting means being in a state of worship all day long!
Emphasizing that being in a state of fasting also means being in a state of worship all day long, Prof. Dr. Reşat Öngören continued:
“All acts of worship, including fasting, carry the meaning of remembering Allah, mentioning Him (dhikr). Therefore, a fasting person is in a state of remembrance from morning until evening. Remembrance (dhikr), according to the expression in the Holy Quran, means ‘a person attaining peace.’ The peace a fasting person feels throughout the day peaks especially before iftar. Here, the pleasure of being in a state of remembrance is complemented by the pleasure of successfully completing the act of worship/servitude.”
Fasting also instills a sense of empathy with those in need
On the other hand, Prof. Dr. Reşat Öngören also noted that the act of fasting teaches the “value of time” and the “worth of blessings,” stating, “Every second of time gains importance while struggling with hunger and thirst. In fact, through Ramadan, one realizes how valuable every ‘moment’ of time, which we often spend unconsciously throughout our lives, truly is. And one begins to feel the worth of the countless blessings consumed only when deprived of them; one sees how important a sip of water, a piece of bread, a bowl of soup is for our lives. This situation also instills in a person a sense of empathy with those in need; it revives the feeling of helping them in one's inner world.”
“If someone verbally abuses you during Ramadan, do not retaliate, say 'I am fasting'”
Prof. Dr. Reşat Öngören also stated that fasting instills in people the determination to “struggle with difficulties” and teaches “patience,” adding, “The will to not perform certain actions means a kind of ‘will training’ for a person. Controlling one’s will and patience is relevant both vertically for oneself and horizontally for one's environment. The endurance and patience a person gains in fulfilling worship also develops in relation to their surroundings; they neither bother people nor try to endure their torment and suffering. Indeed, Our Prophet (peace be upon him) said, ‘If someone verbally abuses you during Ramadan, do not retaliate, say 'I am fasting'.'” He concluded his words.