The benefits of hunger

The holy Prophet of Islam Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him and his family) delivered a sermon before starting the month of Ramadan, in which he said: “You are invited into the banquet and feast of Allah.”

A question that might arise here is that what is the relation between a feast and hunger and thirst? As you know in this holy month we are ordered (of course by its conditions) to fast i.e. to avoid from some prohibitions like eating or drinking, so what does this feast mean?

Pondering upon this relation is a very interesting subject for those who want to be among the people of ponder who are praised extremely by Islam.

It is appropriate to mention some of the sayings of the scholars in the field of morality in this regard.

The late Mirza Javad Maleki Tabrizi in his honorable book by the name of Al-Moraqibat (the observations) when he wants to describe about the great position of the month of Ramadan, he states:

There are many benefits for hunger for those who want to purify their souls. The All-Mighty Allah in a divine Narration which is called the Narration of Miraj, addressed the Prophet of Islam: O Ahmad, do you know what are the effects of fasting? The holy Prophet replied: No. Allah said: “The result of fasting is to eat and speak little, and this brings wisdom and wisdom brings knowledge and knowledge brings certainty.”

There are different benefits for hunger like:

-The purity of heart.

When a person eats so much, it causes the steams to be increased around the brain and in this state the brain finds a position which somehow is like being drunk, so he/she cannot think properly, but in the state of hunger and not eating so much, it causes the brain to be ready to think more proper and in this state having spiritual relation with God can be deeper and easier.

It must be noted as an important point that when we talk about the importance of hunger in Islamic point of view, it does not mean not to eat anything and being starving and weak and unable to do our daily social and religious duties, but rather it means to be moderate in eating and drinking.

-Breaking extremely the lust and the powers which cause human to commit great sins like adultery.

-Medical benefits.

It is medically undeniable that a lot of diseases are caused by eating and drinking so much.

-Being aware of the state of the needy and poor people.

It is appropriate for the economically ordinary Muslims who fast to think that after some hours of hunger and thirst, they have different foods and drinks, but in the same time there are some people that they hope to have the simplest kinds of foods and drinks but they cannot afford them, so through fasting Muslims can feel and understand the poor better and be motivated to help them.

-Remembering the Day of Judgment.

In the above mentioned sermon of the Prophet of Islam he said:

Remember by your hunger and thirst in this month (the month of Ramadan), the hunger and thirst of the Day of Judgment.

So fasting can help us to remove the veils of negligence and forgetting the hereafter.