Day 14: A Husk and a Kernel

The goal of fasting is the acquisition of one of the qualities of God, namely steadfastness (samadiya), as well as following the examples of the angels by abstaining as far as possible from the desire of the flesh, for they are immune to such passions. The human status is superior to that of the animals, since man is able by the light of reason to tame his lust; yet it is inferior to that of the angels…. The angels are near to the presence of God, so those who follow their example and model themselves on their character will likewise draw near to God. To resemble one who is near is to be near. This nearness, however, is not spatial but qualitative.

If this is the meaning of fasting among men of profound understanding, what benefit is to be derived from postponing a meal only to combine two meals after sunset, while indulging in other passions the whole daylong? If there were any good in such conduct, what could the Prophet (peace be upon him) have meant by saying: “How many of those who fast get nothing from it but hunger and thirst?”

This is why Abu-Darda said: “How fine is the sleep of the wise and their non-fasting! Don’t they put to shame the fasting and wakefulness of fools? A mere atom from those possessed of certainty and true piety is better and weightier than the seeming mountains of worship by the misguided.” For the same reason, one of the scholars said: “How many who fast are not keeping fast and how many who do not keep fast are fasting!” 

The fasting non-faster is he who keeps his limbs and organs pure of sin while still eating and drinking (not in Ramadan); the non-fasting faster is he who goes hungry and thirsty while giving full licence to his limbs and organ. Those who understand the significance of fasting and its secret meaning are aware that he who abstains from food, drink and sexual intercourse while breaking fast by involving himself in sins, is like one who performs his ablution by wiping part of his body three times (in compliance with the external legal requirement), yet neglects what is really important, namely the actual washing. Because of this stupidity, his ritual prayer (salaah) is rejected. By contrast, he who does not abstain from eating yet does fast in the sense of keeping his organs free from all that is unworthy is comparable to one who washes the proper parts if his body only once each. God willing, his ritual prayers is accepted, since he has paid due attention to the essentials, even if he has omitted the details. But he who combines the two may be compared to one who does not only wash each part of his body, but does so three time each, for he attends to essentials and details alike, and this constitutes perfection.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) once said: “The fast is a trust, so let each of you keep his trust!” And when he recited the words of Allah, “Surely Allah bids you restore trusts to their owners.” (Qur'an 4 verse 58), he touched his ears and eyes, saying: “Hearing is a trust and sight is a trust.” If speech were not likewise a trust of the fast, the Prophet (peace be upon him) would not have said: “Say: I am fasting.” In other words, “My tongue has been entrusted to my care, so how can I release it to answer your insults?” It therefore becomes apparent that every act of worship has both an outer and an inner aspect, a husk and a kernel.

-Imam Al-Ghazali, Inner Dimensions of Islamic Worship.