Ramadan is the month of fellow-feeling. It is the month of Fazilat (benefit), Barket (well-being), Rahamat (mercy), Magferat (forgiveness) and Nazat (salvation) -- above all it is the month of Taqwa (God-fearingness). As a matter of fact Taqwa means avoiding evils and dangers while treading along prickly path full of unknown fear.

There are five features of Ramadan. In this holy month the door of hell is locked. Satan is chained. Paradise is arranged anew for the devoted and the pious. The fish of the sea and the angels of the sky seek blessings and benediction of God for the fasters. The small hours of the night during "Sheri" is the best time for attaining nearness to Al-mighty Allah Sobhanahutala. After Sheri Muttaqi (God-fearing Muslims) perform Tahajjat prayer prior to Fajar (morning prayer). At this august time God comes down to the nearest sky to distribute rewards and blessings among the staunch adherents, as is believed by the faithful perfect Insane kamil or Morde momin (as Allama Iqbal said) Muslims.

Taqwa is achieved through fasting to Ramadan. What is Taqwa? It is another name of God fearingness. As Mowlana Jalal Uddin Rumi writes in his Masnavi:

"Harke tarsidaz hoque o taqwa guzid

Tarsad azwa jin inse o harke did."

Means: Those who fear God and attain taqwa are feared by jin inse and various evil forces.

How to attain, Taqwa?

It is through Towakkal (reliance upon God); Tauhid (reposing trust in oneness of God); Abadat (prayer) and 'huguri qalb' of heart.

The purity of heart (qalb) is attained by honest living (eating halal or legal and not haram (forbidden), worship and by controlling Nafse Ammara (bestial propensity).

The significance of Ramadan lies in the fact that Rojadar (faster) will purify his or her body and soul by fasting. Self-purification can be achieved by controlling animal instincts, lust, greed, anger, rancour, spite, malice, hatred, lying, falsehood, etc.

Quran was revealed in this holy month of Ramadan. In innumerable places of holy Quran and the sayings of the holy Prophet (SM) the importance and objectives of Siam (fasting) is proclaimed by Almighty Allah.

According to the holy Prophet fasting is a shield against all evil forces. It can protect the faster from doing wrong and act as a guard against any danger lurking on the horizon.

According to the tenets of Islam those who have elevated their soul through fasting have come out with flying colours; but who did not succeed in getting remission of their sins by dedication and devotion are utter failure. Deliverance from darkness is a far cry for them.

Fasting like prayer has many other benefits to offer to the devoted Muslims -- physical, mental, moral, psychological and spiritual.

Thus it is said that Iman or faith of a true believer is just like electric generator, source of all power and energy, here and hereafter.

Mowlana Rumi, in one of his couplets has beautifully expressed this theme of spiritual power: 'Human power can break stone and hill but spiritual power can bifurcate the moon'.

Ramadan is the month that is called festival of prayer or season of achieving Taqwa (La Allakum Tattakum) and the spring of Quran. Staunchest adherents of Islam not only read Quran but also get the verses by heart, pause and think over it, and carry out research throughout the month of Ramadan.

Goethe, the German poet and thinker, stated the crying need of faith and belief in religion to the skeptics and atheists of the time by saying that if it is supposed that there is no God, we have to invent it.

The reason is obvious, without belief in religion, and food for the soul, human beings will become dull-dreary like robot, bereft of emotion and feelings. In that case, there will prevail chaos and confusion in the material world.

It is by looking askance at religion that the modern civilisation is falling into deep valley of degradation. Just have a glimpse of what is happening in the West in the name of modernism and culture. Think over the stupendous problems with which the whole world is crawling today.

Ramadan teaches us to inculcate in us divine qualities. 'Takhallako bil Akhlakillah' -- as the holy prophet said. It means that be inspired with divine qualities.

There are two aspects of human qualities -- angelic and bestial. By abstaining from eating and drinking, etc, during Ramadan, human beings attain angelic qualities and virtues. It is thus that self-purification and self-rectification are achieved through fasting of Ramadan.

Man is the 'Ashraful Makhlukat' -- best of the creation. Those who cannot acquire Taqwa during Ramadan are damn failure and the very purpose of Ramadan is defeated upon them.

At the end of holy Ramadan comes the happy Eid-day, day of rejoicing and merry-making. In the whole Muslim world this day is celebrated with colourful ceremonies and rituals. Those who do not keep fast and do not perform prayers during Ramadan, can hardly enjoy the Eid. They suffer from prick of conscience and a sense of guilt in their mind. They are looked down upon by their fellow brethren.

Ramadan is the month of fellow-feeling and brotherhood. By suffering from the torment of hunger and thirst a Muslim at this time can better realise the sufferings of others and his brothers and neighbours than at any other time of the year. Thus the milk of human kindness swells up in the sanctuary of his mind for the less fortunate and the deprived.

But how many of us pause and think over the sufferings of the ailing humanity and have-nots who have none to lament while they are pilgrims to the graves. There are many who have been starving for days together. They sleep in silence in squalor. But there is none to think over their fate.

Ramadan is the month of mercy or rahamat. Every faster should bestow mercy upon the indigent around him by alleviating their sufferings and by dispelling darkness by expanding mental horizon of the ignorant.

But what we see today in our society and the country? Many rich men do not keep fast and do not perform prayer. They are sadly lacking in Iman or faith. They have materialistic outlook of hedonism -- "eat, drink and be merry, because tomorrow we will die." Such sensualist type of men and women, cannot think of doing good to others. They do not prove good Samaritan even to their dear and near ones. Become selfish and self-centred, out and out. But selfishness is next to meanness in social sense.

Rebel poet Kazi Nazrul Islam wrote:-

"One or two will be very fortunate and millionaire

But myriads of people will die in darkness,

This is not dispensation of Islam."

The money and property of Muslims is purified by zakat (Sadaqa). The month of Ramadan and the day of Eid-ul-Fitr are the proper time for distributing money and gifts among the indigent and have-nots. We must not forget about our duties and responsibilities towards the poor and the needy. He who serves mankind, serves God. This is the essence of Islam.

There is an ayat in a particular surah of the holly Quran that the deprived and have-nots have every claim to a portion of the property and possession of the opulent. Such prevalence of extensive poverty in plenty as we see in our society, runs counter to the tenets of Islam.

One of the ghazals of poet Kazi Nazrul Islam enjoin on us to do our duties towards those who are having a very hard time of it:-

Give away zakat to the poor and the needy

Let your hands be opened first and foremost,

See the injunctions of the Quran

Hear the command of the Prophet Mohammad,

Muslims have not come on earth for luxurious life,

God has not given you immense wealth for you alone;

Hundreds of thousands Muslims cry at your door and corridor,

They are also sharer and partner of your wealth,

In stead of the zakat you will be conferred upon rewards of paradise.

Abul Kalam Elias is a former college principal and research fellow, Bangla Academy.