By Audrey Muhammad
During the month of Ramadan, I exercised my mind, body and spirit. It was a reminder of the importance of going through the process of self-examination, Self-Analysis and Self-correction. Although my workouts were not “heavy,” my study was enlightening. I truly desire to have my "thoughts harmonize with my actions." We can't let our mistakes get us down. Helen Andelin mentions in the book Fascinating Womanhood, "In the process of becoming an angel, you are a human being, prone to errors in judgment...If you forgive others, do the same with yourself." I will also add, if you know Allah(God) forgives, and you want to be like HIM, forgive yourself and EXAMINE what went wrong.
Fasting, prayer and exercise gives us a chance to develop “the God within” as we feed on the word of Allah(God). During and after Ramadan is a wonderful time for Self-Examination and to set goals for yourself and “continue” to develop and reach those goals throughout the year. It is also a time to get rid of a bad habit and develop a new one. In his “Fasting strengthens Discipline” article, Minister Farrakhan encourages us try to rid ourselves of “one habit we know Allah(God) disapproves of.” He states that, “the fast of Ramadan and the discipline of prayer at prescribed times during the day is the greatest aid in developing personal discipline and regulating our affairs and habits…The Honorable Elijah Muhammad wanted to see his followers supremely disciplined.”
Not only is there a desire for us to be supremely disciplined, but also to be of good character. Try to engage in Self-Analysis. Let us analyze if our “thoughts harmonize with our actions.” Minister Farrakhan recounted in the same article above about a time he was in the Middle East where the temperature sometimes gets up to 115 degrees, 120 degrees in the desert. He said “I found myself losing a lot of water. In one incident in particular, there I was in the cool of my room, with a refrigerator full of all kind of cold drinks. No one would ever have known if I had taken a drink of water except Allah and myself. But so desirous was I not to break the fast and give in to my great thirst, I took water and rinsed out my mouth making sure that not one single drop passed into my throat, so that I might be obedient to Allah.” Minister Farrakhan not only exhibited discipline, but also good character. He wanted to keep his word to himself and not break the fast. I have many people, myself included, say ONE thing, but our ACTIONS bear witness to something else. I have learned to sometimes turn the volume and just look at a person’s actions. First, be a friend to yourself and be TRUE to yourself. Never deny yourself the best.
Doesn’t it feel good to be honest and be true to yourself, it will trickle into other aspects of your life. Good morals lead to good character. When we are misleading, or not honest, we will see that spirit of “dishonesty” growing and we become misleading in our relationships and business dealings because we our consumed with greed or our desires. Minister Farrakhan states in the above article, “When we can stop eating and drinking, drives which are natural to life itself, how much more easy is it for us to stop lying, stealing and the practice of those sins that destroy the peace and brotherhood of the society? This fast of Ramadan is one of the greatest means of inculcating self discipline…Look how beautiful a society can become when each individual imposes upon himself or herself the discipline of fasting, the discipline of curtailing our own behaviors, our own hungers, our own desires. This makes a very clean, peaceful, righteous, progressive and orderly society. This, by the help of Allah, is what we intend to produce,” states Minister Farrakhan.”
To get spiritually “fit to live”, spend time reading/studying your Quran or Bible before going to bed. The Quran, Chapter 2:183 states, “O you who believe, fasting is prescribed for you, so that you may guard against evil..” The footnote #225 states that fasting “in Islam becomes an institution for the improvement of the moral and spiritual condition of man. This is plainly stated in the concluding words so that you may guard against evil. The object is that man may learn how he can shun evil, and hence fasting in Islam does not mean simply abstaining from food, but from every kind of evil. In fact, abstention from food is only a step to make a man realize that if he can, in obedience to Divine injunctions, abstain from that which is otherwise lawful, how much more necessary is it that he should abstain from the evil ways which are forbidden by God.” Fasting, thus, gives us practical steps for purification. Every concept we are given is followed by an action. Giving of our time and money follows the concept of charity, abstaining from food and bad thoughts follows the concept of fasting, and exercising should follow the concept of health.
Lastly, let us strive on a daily basis for Self-Correction. Whenever you Fast, it is a cleansing time to also give our bodies a mental and spiritual workout. Although the fast of Ramadan is not a complete 24 hour fast, it prepares us for that and much more. It is a time to discipline ourselves by abstaining from food and drink during the daylight hours. Also utilize times that you would normally drink something during the day as a time of study and reflection instead of sport and play. Ramadan is also a time to help us, as followers of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, to get back on track (if we have strayed) to our one meal a day and practicing “how to eat to live.”
Let us wisely use this time to exercise and strengthen our Will. Our ability to be consistent and reliable helps us to build “trust” in ourselves and one another. Minister Farrakhan states that “Self-imposed discipline leads to a healthy society, one where the people truly can rule…The fast of Ramadan and the discipline of Prayer at prescribed times during the day is the greatest aid in developing personal discipline and regulating our affairs and habits.” (Final Call Vol. 28, No. 47 p. 21.)
May Allah bless us all with peace, love, health, wealth and happiness.
(Audrey Muhammad is the author of the new book, Get Fit to Live: Be your best you!, available at www.getfit2live.org and the Respect for Life Bookstore. Her audio book, Get Fit to Live is also available. To order the Book and get a FREE copy of the audiobook CD, send a $12 money order(plus $3 shipping) to Get Fit To Live, P.O. Box 61402, Raleigh, NC , 27661. Please consult a physician before beginning any new exercise or dietary program.)
