Pars Today

Welcome to the Eleventh Episode of the series “Blessed Month of Ramadhan”.

Divine rules and regulations including those pertaining to acts of worship, such as the fasts of Ramadhan, are for the betterment of mankind, both in this world and the Hereafter. Ramadhan is one of the most important and respected months of the year. According to Imam Zain al-Abedin (AS), the 4^th Infallible Heir of Prophet Mohammad (SAWA), Ramadhan is the month of divine tests and the month of manifestation of true Islam and complete submission to God Almighty, since it was in this month that God revealed the Holy Qur’an to the Prophet. Fasting which is obligatory in Ramadhan for grown and able-bodies Muslims, is a month long exercise for control of the self, to strengthen the resolve and self-restraint throughout the year; because an individual who resists his whims and desires for a month under the divine instructions and avoids his natural needs, such as eating and drinking, develops the ability to stand up against temptations and carnal desires.

Ramadhan is the month in which God revealed several heavenly scriptures in various eras to His various Prophets for the guidance of mankind, such as the Torah, the Psalms, the Evangel, and the holy Qur’an. In this month, the fasting persons are Guests of God. The Prophet of Islam notes: “Whoever fasts the entire month of Ramadhan, will be completely forgiven by God.”

Ayah 105 of Surat-al-Ma’idah of the Holy Qur’an states:

“O you who have faith! Take care of your own souls. He who strays cannot hurt you if you are guided. To Allah will be the return of you all, whereat He will inform you concerning what you used to do.”

This ayah instructs the faithful to take care of their souls and to be careful about the path of guidance, and not to fear the bleakness of those who stray. The two terms of misguidance and guidance have opposite meanings. Guidance leads to the righteous path, while misguidance is a path towards destruction. Those who opt for divine guidance experience God’s forgiveness and kindness, while those who go astray through disobedience and indulgence in sins, they face divine wrath. Thus, faithful are instructed to take care of their souls and be on guard against temptations, without fear of those who have gone stray, and should realize that God will deal with the wrongdoers.

A faithful individual makes use of means of guidance and leaves the rest to God. The faithful person strives to promote Islam within the framework which God and religion have set for this purpose. This is because the faithful are not allowed to go beyond the boundaries which God has determined in Islamic teachings, for guidance of mankind and invitation of mankind to the righteous path.

According to the Iranian Gnostic, Khwajah Abdullah Ansari, who flourished a thousand years ago: The believers ought to overcome their whims before these dominate them and push them toward commitment of sins.

We start speaking about the appropriate diet by mentioning a hadith cited from the Prophet’s 8^th Infallible Successor, Imam Reza (AS) who said: Halal foods and drinks are always beneficial and Haram foods and drinks are all detrimental for mankind. So whatever is good for body has been named as Halal by God and whatever deteriorates physical ability and/or causes death have been named as Haram by God.

What a wonderful piece of advice and guideline from Imam Reza (AS). Halal food has certain conditions. For instance, while procuring and preparing Halal food, the rights of others should not be violated. Also, Halal food should be tidy and beneficial and should not be served with Haram or forbidden beverages such as alcoholic drinks. Upon compliance with these cases, Halal food guides mankind toward good deeds. The great thinker and philosopher of antiquity, Loqman, who has been mentioned in the Holy Qur’an by God Almighty, in an advice to his son, said: “I met 400 apostle during my lifetime and journeys, and I listened to their advices, choosing four of their preaching. One of their advices was that whenever you begin to have your meal, be careful not to eat Haram food.”

Haram food consists of some parts of the body of animals and some plants, as well as carrion, scale-less fish, and birds with claws, in addition to animals not slaughtered according to Islamic rites, and food procured or prepared through unlawful means, such as stealing, gambling, cheating, usurping the property of others and through sale of prohibited items such as alcohol and pork – even if one abstains from them.

Also, eating some parts of the body of halal animals such as their blood, spinal cord, bladder, and spleen are forbidden. Among plants, all fruits and vegetables, seeds, and grains are Halal with the exception of those which are detrimental and poisonous. Also pork, alcoholic drinks, and foods which belong to others are forbidden by the divine religion of Islam. Several ayahs of Holy Qur’an have forbidden eating Haram food and drinking Haram drinks.

Ayah 188 of Surat-al-Baqarah states:

“Do not eat up your wealth among themselves wrongfully, nor proffer it to the judges in order to eat up a part of the people’s wealth sinfully, while you know that it is immoral to do so.”

Also, the 10^th ayah of Surat-an-Nisa notes:

“Indeed those who consume the property of orphans wrongfully, only ingest fire into their bellies, and soon they will enter the Blaze.”
Given the importance of Halal and healthy food, those who fast; Iftar with this prayer of the Prophet of God, who noted: God Almighty make me needless of what you have named as Haram via resorting to what you have named as Halal, and also make me needless of anyone but You, in the light of Your divine virtues and utmost dignity.

AS/MG