Fasting during the month of Ramadan is not only about refraining from eating and drinking from dawn until sunset. Muslims are also encouraged to control their behavior to ensure that the rewards of fasting are not diminished.
This message was delivered by Ustaz Maulana Malik Ibrahim during a religious sermon at the Qur’an Khatam (completion) event organized by the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP) at Al-Ikhsan Mosque, Sekaran, Gunungpati, on Monday (March 9).
In his sermon, he explained that there are five actions that can reduce or even invalidate the spiritual rewards of fasting if committed during Ramadan.
“Fasting is not only about holding back hunger and thirst, but also about controlling one’s speech and behavior,” he said.
The first action to avoid is lying, which means saying something that is not in accordance with the truth. According to him, this habit should be avoided not only during Ramadan but also afterward.
“It is better to avoid it during Ramadan and even after Ramadan so that the rewards of fasting are not ruined,” he explained.
The second is backbiting (ghibah), which refers to talking about the faults or shortcomings of others. He noted that this habit often occurs in daily conversations and can unknowingly reduce the rewards of worship.
The third is slander or tale-bearing (namimah), which involves spreading words that may create conflict between individuals.
The fourth action that can diminish the rewards of fasting and is considered a major sin is false swearing.
Lastly, looking at the opposite sex with lustful intentions should also be avoided so that the fasting performed does not become meaningless.
On the same occasion, the Dean of FISIP, Prof. Arif Purnomo, expressed hope that the Qur’an Khatam activity would bring positive impacts to the faculty.
“Hopefully this activity will bring blessings to all of us,” he said.
Meanwhile, one of the participants, Dwi Alfa Nora, a student from the Geography Study Program, said she was happy to take part in the event.
“With the Qur’an Khatam activity, I can spend this Ramadan in a more meaningful way,” said Dwi, who was assigned to recite Juz 8.
The collective Qur’an completion activity is planned to be held once again before the Eid holiday. The event is scheduled to take place on Wednesday or Friday this week.
