It goes without saying that man, if good, is the most favorite being in this universe in the sight of God. God says: "Verily, we have honored the children of Adam…" (17:70) Man is the angel that can do evil and the Devil that can do good. He is put to the test and then he may prove the best of the whole creation or a devil shaped human being. It is choice that makes him either the best ever or otherwise the worst ever. If he opts to do good, he will be better than angels because he will become an angel by choice unlike the heavenly angels who are good and do good with no choice.
However, there are several enormous challenges that arise in man's way to superiority to all creatures of Allah. There is the Devil who vowed to lead all mankind astray. God says: "He said: 'then, by Thy Power, I will put them all in the wrong…'" (38: 82) There is always innate human vulnerability to sin thanks to the earthly shape of the soul which assumes the form of a physical body. Unfortunately, the above two effects often find their way to man. That is why most human beings are regretfully doomed.
Man is composed of four main components, two of which are favorable and the other two are not. Every body of us has spiritual, rational, physical and emotional components, with the first two conducive to superiority and the second two leading to inferiority, especially if heavily indulged. Hence, man is instructed to strike a balance between such components so that he may prosper in this world and the one to come.
Similarly, he is forbidden to pay more attention to the unfavorable components lest he should be misguided and inevitably lose way. It is driven home to him that such components have secondary roles to play in his life. They are to serve the other two components. So they should be given less attention. However, they should not be neglected for they can be favorable but only if they are rendered fully controllable and refined though they are still more associated with the worldly, transient aspect of man's structure.
Consequently, man is commanded to avoid such effects that may keep the stated components out of control or cause them to overshadow the more important components. A body of measures is prescribed for man to ensure that the two favorable components will be always in command of the other two components, not vice versa. Such measures are daily, weekly and periodical.
In particular, the daily prayers, for example, are offered to alert the favorable components and give them priority over the other less favorable components. Likewise, Friday prayers are observed to refresh the stated favorable components. Periodical practices include but are not limited to almsgiving, fasting and pilgrimage. There are so many exercises that are prescribed for man to make sure his body is subjected to his soul, not vice versa.
Fasting is one of the most effective means of resisting temptations and overcoming sensuality. More instrumental in restraining self and cultivating sentiment, fasting is recommended all along the line. Allah says: "O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before, so that you may learn self-restraint." (2: 183) Nevertheless, it is made obligatory during only one lunar month, namely Ramadan, throughout year. Beyond this month, fasting is still recommended as a supererogatory act.
Throughout the time of fasting, a Muslim is prohibited from yielding to the requirements of his body or responding to the dictates of his strong feelings. Abu Huraira reported that Prophet Muhammad said: "When anyone of you gets up in the morning in the state of fasting, he should neither use obscene language nor do any act of ignorance. And if anyone slanders him or quarrels with him, he should say: 'I am fasting, I am fasting.'" (Agreed upon hadith) A fasting Muslim should not have any drink, food, sexual intercourse, perfume or a nasty strong feeling no matter how much he is excited.
For a full month, a Muslim should do such a spiritual and rational exercise so that he will be enabled to have full control over his bodily desires and strong feelings. At the end of the month, he is supposed to be more able to control his body and affection throughout the year. Out of this month, a Muslim can still volunteer to offer fasting to reinforce and consolidate the self-restraint ability.
As a matter of fact, such a spiritual exercise is hard enough as a Muslim is required to abstain from doing even lawful things. In the daytime, he cannot have such enjoyment which is permissible at night and any time else in the year. He abstains from having such enjoyment by choice, under no duress or coercion.
By so doing, a Muslim grows more likely to be responsive to the divine guidance by doing which he is commanded to do and averting what he is forbidden to do. Thus, prosperous he will be in this world and the Hereafter.
