Benazir Bhutto, January 6, 1997

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Every year for a month, Muslims fast. From sunrise to sunset, unless ill, all Muslims abstain from any kind of food or drink.

The month of fasting, which begins this week, is a time of meditation and reflection. It's a month for special communion prayers, of slowing down the rush of everyday activities and getting together.

Many religions observe a form of fasting. Christians observe Lent, while Yom Kippur is the Jewish time. Even Bhuddists fast, as the famous statue of the fasting Buddha at Lahore Museum shows.

Our month of fasting is called Ramadhan. I remember as a teen-ager I would rush to join my father in the small garden outside his room just as the sun began to set. The whole family would gather to hear the siren that signaled the end of the day. We would break our fast with a date and water, and then dig into special spicy goodies.

I look back on that period with nostalgia — a period of warmth and closeness with family.

All day, we would wait for the sun to set, feeling weak and tired as dusk approached. Once the night had come, we felt a tremendous sense of elation — a sense of the soul being cleansed and of being closer to God. It was a peaceful, harmonious weariness that never left us with strength to argue, debate or quarrel.

I think all human beings should take the time to fast, pausing and recalling the blessings of God. During the year, we eat when we are hungry and drink when we are thirsty. We take for granted what God has blessed us with. We do not pause to think of those who are not as fortunate as we.

So many parts of the world face famine and poverty, and in so many places, drinking water is scarce. In the rush of life, we often forget how lucky we are for having one basic needs fulfilled.

But in the month of fasting, the rich and the poor, men and women are alike. In this, a message of equality is spread.

The importance of self-control and discipline is acknowledged through the act of fasting. It teaches us to resist this basic urge for a cause higher than ourselves: devotion to our Creator.

Islam emphasizes six aspects of fasting. The first of these is to control oneself. We are taught to resist temptation and overcome desire.

All appetites are brought under control. Not only the objects of desire but desire itself must be forgotten. This is the way of the Mystics — a path of self-denial, simplicity and abstinence.

The second important facet of the fast is control of our utterances. Backbiting, anger and lying are tantamount to breaking the fast. Even if someone seeks a quarrel, one should reply, "I am fasting," instead of striking back.

The third important lesson is to speak and hear no evil. Listening to slander is as much a sin as to speak ill of others. Today, we have libel laws to prevent slander and safeguard against character assassination. But there would be no need for such laws if we evolved a human value system to respect and accept each other with our strengths and failings.

The fourth aspect is contemplation — to still the buzz of one's mind and concentrate it on prayer. This act has a profound physical effect: It reduces stress and hypertension, making people healthier. Thus, rituals of religion promote a healthy person, family and society.

The fifth facet is to remember God through acts of charity. Too often, we forget that the very verses of the Holy Book that summon us to prayer also tell us to be charitable. For a more advanced society, for a more caring society, it is important for us not to forget this. Muslims are called upon to give 2.5 percent of their income as assistance to the poor and needy. Widows, orphans and less affluent relatives should receive our help.

Finally, the sixth lesson of the fast is a prohibition of corruption. It is a sin to break the fast at sunset with something that is not lawfully earned.

There is a famous episode in the life of the Second Caliph Hazrat Omar. It was the practice of Hazrat Omar to walk around the capital at night to know the state of his people and share their joys and sufferings. One night, he overheard a mother telling her daughter to mix water in the milk they sold, as it would bring more income, which would help amass her dowry. The daughter resisted her mother's instructions, despite the elder woman's insistence that no one was watching. "God is watching," the daughter replied, and her conscience was answerable to God.

The meaning of the fast is to make us aware that we are never alone, that we are forever in the presence of God with our conscience as our guardian. The month of fasting is a mirror in which we lay bare our soul to God.

After the fast ends, we have a celebration called the Eid. It's a time of joy and gaiety, dressing up, buying baubles, distributing sweets and putting up lights. My son and daughter plan to keep a fast this year, although I didn't instruct them to. This means Eid will be extra special for us.

Unfortunately, the fast also reminds me of how imperfect we people are. As soon as the month is over, we forget all the important messages of conscience, charity and control. We join the rat race with everyone, pushing and shoving others to climb up the slippery slope of success. we neglect our friends, our family and ourselves to meet the demands of work.

Perhaps that is why we need the fast. It pulls us back and makes us pause, forcing us to become better human beings — even if it is just for one month.

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