1. In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate and the Most Merciful
INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA
(IIUM)
Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences
(UNGS 2030)
SECTION 5
TOPIC
THE ROLE OF THE FASTING MONTH IN THE FORMATION
OF OUR GOOD CHARECTER
SAYYID M.YUNUS GILANI (ASSOC.PROF. DR.)
PREPARED BY:
ABDIRAHMAN MOHAMED NOR
0839157

2. TOPIC: THE ROLE OF THE FASTING MONTH IN THE
FORMATION OF OUR GOOD CHARACTER
INTRODUCTION:
First of all, Ramadan is a month of obligatory daily fasting in Islam is the ninth month in the Islamic lunar
calendar. Daily fasts begin at dawn and end with sunset. and it’s has a great implication’s in ones life,
building good character in the light of Ramadan is consistent for a Muslim, Islamic character is divine
character. It is to treat others with the same generosity and charity as the Almighty Allah shows to man.
Islam has set the norms in this pattern by saying "If you are merciful, forgiving and magnanimous, God is
the forgiving, the merciful. That is to say that we are supposed to adopt a posture similar to God's in our
dealings with others. Allah forgives people their mistakes and does not deprive them of His mercies
because of their errors.
Objective of Fasting or role of fasting in the formation of one’s character:
Most of the time multiple questions are asked like:
Is fasting just about having sins forgiven and getting rewards multiplied in the Hereafter? What about
the problems of life here in this world? Is fasting just a ritual or does it have some other significance?
Modern Islamic scholars draw attention to the physical and spiritual benefits of fasting. But since
physical and medical benefits of fasting accrue to anyone who fasts, regardless of one's faith in God,
it is obvious that the physical and medical benefits are not the primary purpose of fasting in Islam.
What about spiritual benefits? Since different religions have different concepts of spirituality, what
does spirituality mean in Islam and how can it be developed through fasting? The proponents of other
religions, including many Muslims, claim that spirituality is an individual and subjective experience.
How then can one know that one's spiritual development is taking place due to fasting? In addition,
would a Hindu's or a Buddhist's spiritual development, due to fasting, be as significant as a
Muslim's? In fact, Buddhist monks and Hindu saints go through much more rigorous rituals than
Muslims. Does this mean that their spiritual development is of a higher level? Obviously, no Islamic
scholar would be prepared to accept this.
According to the Quran, every Muslim (who can) must fast in the month of Ramadan 2:183-185.
And fasting has to be done collectively at the community level. Unlike a Buddhist monk or a Hindu
saint, a Muslim does not have to go to a mountain or a forest retreat to develop their spirituality
through fasting and prayer. Moreover, it is not necessary for this type of retreat-based, solitary
spiritual development to be done in Ramadan. That can be done in any month. This shows that a
Muslim cannot advocate a spirituality that is based on individual and subjective experience.
Therefore, in Islam, individual and subjective spiritual development is not the purpose of fasting in
the month of Ramadan.
Since the Quran prescribed fasting specifically in the month of Ramadan, it is important to know the

3. significance of this special time. A special feature of the Quran is that whenever it gives a command
for action, it also provides the wisdom behind it. It tells what the final result of that action will be in
this world, if it is successfully carried out. In this way the Quran provides a pragmatic test for people
to see whether or not they are moving toward that desired result. Regarding fasting, the Quran says:
O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may
(learn) self-restraint . [al-Baqarah 2:183] Translation: Yusuf Ali
Ramadan is the (month) in which was sent down the Qur'an, as a guide to mankind, also clear
(Signs) for guidance and judgment (Between right and wrong). So every one of you who is present
(at his home) during that month should spend it in fasting, but if any one is ill, or on a journey, the
prescribed period (Should be made up) by days later. God intends every facility for you; He does not
want to put you to difficulties. (He wants you) to complete the prescribed period, and to glorify Him
in that He has guided you; and perchance ye shall be grateful. [al-Baqarah 2:185] Translation: Yusuf
Ali
In the above verses, three results of fasting in Ramadan have been mentioned:
1) Taqwaa : learning self-restraint
2) Takbir : glorifying Allah Almighty because of being guided
3) Shukra : being grateful .
The highest standard of Islamic character entails helpfulness and benevolence towards others. The very
existence of a believer is beneficial to others since Islam teaches the lowest branch of belief is removing
the disturbance from the way. So the believer passing through a way is useful to others. His words are
useful to every one. Because Islam has taught "whoever believe in Allah and the life here after, let him
tell good things to keep quiet." Patience is another ingredient which makes the believers character
commendable and appreciable. It has been taught that patience is one half of faith. Marvellous examples
of patience on various occasions can be drawn from the life of the Prophet (pbuh). Islamic ethics and
moral as stated in the Holy Qur'an and Sunnah embrace the consideration of all those moral excellencies
known to the world, such as sincerity, honesty, humility, justice, patience, straightforwardness, keeping
promise, charity, meekness, politeness, forgiveness, goodness, courage, veracity, sympathy, tolerance,
decency, cooperation and other ethical instruments and rules of conduct recommended and upheld by
Islam. A luminous feature of Islamic system of life is that it teaches comprehensive manners to all
mankind with mercy, sympathy and consideration. The first among the deeds which tops the list of good
manners is to speak the truth and be steadfast in it regardless of its consequences. The Prophet teaches:
"The best of crusades is to speak the truth before a tyrant ruler. 'Speak the truth no matter how bitter it
may be.' Keep away from ill thinking because ill thinking is the greatest falsehood.Muslim today are
mostly influenced by the media,all the media does was to destroy the real image of islam and to corrupt

4. people’s mind,and a good muslim with has good character should have these qualities or infact acquire
them.these are:
1. Truthfulness:
"O you who believe! keep your duty to Allah and speak straight, true words." (Holy Quran 33:70)
"O you who believe, keep your duty to Allah, and be with the truthful people." (9:119)
"Be maintainers of justice and bearers of true witness for Allah, even if it (the truth) goes against your
own selves or parents or relatives or someone who is rich or poor." (4:135)
2. Sincerity:
A good muslim has to be sincere ,like it was stated in the holy quran in the following verses
"Serve Allah, being sincere to Him in obedience." (39:2)
"It is most hateful in the sight of Allah that you say things which you do not do." (61:3)
"Woe to those who pray but are unmindful of their prayers, who do good to be seen." (107:4-6)
3. Unselfishness:
Most muslims today are selfish,they think only about themselves and forget about others but in islam as
it’s stated in the following verses:
"You cannot attain to righteousness unless you spend (in charity) out of those things which you love."
(3:91)
"They (the true believers) give food, out of love for Allah, to the poor, the orphan and the slave, saying:
We feed you only for Allah's pleasure - we desire from you neither reward nor thanks." (76:8-9)
"Do no favour seeking gain." (74:6)
And many more , By prohibiting jealous, backbiting, falsehood, wickedness and all other harmful things
Islam arrange the ground steady for emulating divine principles of Islamic character which provide a
peaceful living in this world and the hereafter. The major criterion in Islamic living is the eternal words of
The Prophet (pbuh) that Actions always rest on motives. Good Manners mean the commission of those
virtuous deeds by which human perfection is achieved which entitles a human being, in its true senses to
be referred to as the best of creation. The effect of adopting these manners, propounded by Islam is that
mankind receives tranquility, peace, harmony, happiness, love, affection, justice, equality and whatever a
human being desire for a healthy and peaceful living. It is remarkable here to state that all these teachings
are formed considering the responsibility entrusted upon human beings. It is clearly mentioned that Man

5. has a dual responsibility to perform. One is in relation to himself and his obligations to the Creator, the
other one is in relation to his external world and commitments to the creatures and fellow beings. The
former has to express in a process of self-development, physical, intellectual and spiritual. In other words,
man's responsibility is to invite to God, so to say, exercise His right to dwell in the individual and urge
him to use properly the balance set in his nature. The idea is in conformity with the Qur'anic exhortation.
"O you who believed if you help (the cause of) God, He will help you and set your feet firm" (Al-
Qur'an 47:7).
The other responsibility lies in developing social consciousness and in caring for the welfare of others.
The two terms may as well be styled as "Obligations to one's self" and "obligations to society." The two
types of responsibilities are not to be regarded as exclusive. They are merely two faces of one and the
same attitude towards life, of the same activity proceeding from it and signify the character of the mind
one has to develop. It is this mind which matters in determining responsibility for every human action.
CONCLUSION: Fasting is a means to becoming Muttaqi. No doubt, fasting has health and spiritual
benefits, but we must never lose sight of the main goal of fasting. Ramadan provides an environment for
our collective training and development of character. Muslims are required to emulate and display, year
long, the qualities laid down by the above verses as a result of fasting in the month of Ramadan. Since
character building is a hard, long, continuous process, Ramadan is repeated every year as a reminder and
re-enforcer. We must judge our accomplishments by the standards laid down by the Quran.
Reference:
 SAHIH AL-BUKHARI, RAMDAN BAB
 SAYID QUTUB HIS BOOK “THIS IS RELIGION”