Chance to Heal Those Broken Promises

The life of a human being is given its character, its personality, its tone by the almost continuous changes that the human being undergoes. A series of physical and spiritual changes transform man from a child to an adolescent, from an adolescent to an adult and from an adult to an elderly person. The physical changes that occur in this process are usually fairly easy to trace. The story becomes interesting, however, when we begin to analyze the spiritual changes that are brewing within this aging mind.

Islam places spirituality at the core of its doctrine. It works from the fundamental law that a human being is both a physical and spiritual being, that he has both a body and a soul. Further, Islam argues that the body is simply a vehicle for the soul, until the two are separated when the human being dies physically. The only difference between being alive and being dead is that while we are alive, our soul has command of our body and can direct it toward performing certain deeds, whilst after death, the soul loses control of the body, and is left with only the bliss of reward for its good deeds, or with the piercing pain of regret for its wastefulness and sin.

Chance to Heal Those Broken Promises

The holy month of Ramadhan is on its way once more. Lucky are those who will be there when it arrives. Looking back at the last Ramadhan, I remember the plans, promises and changes I intended to make which did not go exactly as planned. More sadly, I remember that I knew of people that were alive then, but this year they are gone! Who would have thought that they would not be able to get 'one' more Ramadhan?

Some of us take it for granted. We tend to only think of it when an incident as such takes place, and once we get through Ramadhan; the reality of life just happens to slip through our minds. Those who do not forget and keep a record of their promises will surely be the winners.

Fasting: Spiritual food for our souls

Since the holy month is a door step away, we can prepare our own 'to be' and 'to do' lists from today. We can mend those broken promises.

Every job has its rewards, incentives and recognition. Islam is no different-for every good dead is multiplied by seventy times. In the holy month of Ramadhan, we have tremendous incentives given to us: mercy, forgiveness and endless opportunities to gain reward.

The holy month of Ramadhan is one of the best months of the year, in which Allah Almighty grants us the opportunity to cleanse our hearts and feed our thirsty souls with something that is everlasting: piety.

Fasting: Frees your imprisoned soul

Fasting is one recipe that frees our souls from temptations and from every prison we unintentionally invent around our souls. At one point, our Dua's tap the doors of the sky hoping they would be answered. Joy is for those whose calls are answered by Allah Almighty in which he says: I hear you my servant, I hear you. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) told us: "Three supplications will not be rejected (by Allah) the supplication of the parent for his child, the supplication of the one who is fasting, and the supplication of the traveler.

Quick Things to keep in mind

• The month of Ramadhan is an invitation from Allah to boost our faith; do not turn it away
• Protect yourself from yourself
• The fruit of fasting is piety; our way to Paradise
• Do not overload yourself with big plans
• Do one good thing at a time, and add items as you go
• Let it be the month in which you start the new 'you'