How to Maintain Spirituality Earned in Ramadan

TEHRAN (IQNA) – Maintaining the spirituality that one has earned during the blessed month of Ramadan needs internal and external preachers; i.e. people need to use the guidelines provided by one’s spirit as well as those offered by religious leaders.

Keeping and safeguarding what one has gained during the fasting month of Ramadan is very important. There are few people who try to take one more step and raise their spirituality until the next Ramadan.

Taking a look into the nature of humans, we can see that we are different compared to other creatures. Angels only have a spiritual aspect and animals only have features of animality; however, humans are in between as they have both of these features.

Simply put, humans have a physical aspect that has its own needs and we have a duty to observe some instructions to keep ourselves healthy and fit. Meanwhile, humans have a spiritual aspect that also needs protection and care. A look into supplications read by religious leaders shows that they ask God for the health of both their body and spirit.

The Holy Quran notes that “a pure heart” is what will help people in the hereafter: “The Day when neither wealth nor sons shall benefit, except him who comes before Allah with a pure heart.” (Surah Ash-Shu'ara, verses 88-89)

The material attractions of this world can allude people to forget the spiritual aspects; accordingly, people are required to constantly be notified.

Meanwhile, one’s perfection relies on dominance over his/her will for worldly things. Ramadan is a great training course for strengthening one’s will.

This article was derived from IQNA’s interview with Mohammad Asadi Garmaroudi, a professor and dean of Islamic Studies at Sharif University of Technology in Tehran.

Translated by Mohammad Ali Haqshenas