Unit III
FATING awnm
The fast of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Muslim year is observed by adult Muslims, men and women except the aged and the sick Those on a journey may postpone the fast For the whole of the month of Ramadan, believers must abstain from sunrise till dusk from food, drink and sexual relations During the night special prayers are peformed Taraweeh When the new moon appears and the month of fasting is ended, Muslims celebrate The festival which lasts three days is called I dal Fitr or the Lesser Festival
Fasting is an act of pure submission to Gods command, given in the Quran, to observe the fast Fasting has many benefits but its true significance is to develop a sense of complete obedience to the One Who created us and gave us our physical and spiritual needs and the means to fulfill these needs We acknowledge that God is our ustainer, and through His bounty through the use, of natural resources and our faculties - we obtain our sustenance Hence, If God commands us to abstain from food, drink and the fulfillment of other naturar appetites for a period of time, we gladly obey His command God says in Quran
O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you As it was prescribed To those before you, That you may learn elf- restraint" 2 183
While many benefits come to us through fasting the primary benefit is that we learn self restraint, discipline of our appetites, and flexibility of our habits Over indulgence in eating, drinking, smoking or marital relations makes one the slave of ones desires and habits Through fasting one becomes free of this slavery Through fasting afflictions those who are well-off learn to appreciate the afflictions of the poor - hunger and thirst - and become more sympathetic toward them When a person fasts, he feels that he is joining the whole Muslim world in a spiritual act,
للفرقة الأولى
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كتاب اللغة الإنجليزية
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