Fasting with the Whole Body
In Islamic ethics, true taqwa (piety and God-consciousness) is not limited to protecting the stomach from forbidden foods. It necessitates safeguarding all organs – especially the eyes, ears, and hands – from actions that displease Allah. This is a fundamental act of servitude. Imam Ghazali states that just as one protects their belly during iftar, they must also restrain their gaze from unlawful sights and their ears from gossip; otherwise, transgressions committed by the eyes or ears poison and darken the heart like a forbidden morsel consumed.
The Spiritual Poison of Unlawful Gaze
The eye is the greatest gateway to the heart. Whatever the eyes see and focus upon, the heart becomes preoccupied with. Shaykh Abd al-Qadir al-Geylani (may Allah be pleased with him) emphatically advises against directing one’s gaze towards that which is unlawful, preventing the body from being led into wrongdoing. He states: “Do not direct your gaze to what is forbidden… if you do, strength will be given to you to remember goodness.” In Sufi teachings, gazing upon the unlawful is likened to a poisoned arrow from Satan. When this poisonous arrow strikes the heart, it shatters divine love and sincerity within, replacing them with base desires.
Managing Organs Through Constant Remembrance
The complete protection of one’s organs from unlawful acts is only possible through the awareness that the heart is constantly under Allah’s observation (murakaba). When a person intellectually and emotionally realizes, “My Lord is observing me right now,” their hand will not reach for theft, and their feet will not lead them to places of wrongdoing. Maintaining the body in a perpetual state of fasting against evil keeps the intellect and heart alive. When the inner world becomes connected to Truth (Allah), the external organs naturally begin to act in accordance with Islamic etiquette and the sunnah.