AS Muslim reach a mark some days past halfway their fasting of the Holy month of Ramadhan, they should be reminded of some issues related to fasting, another unique moral and spiritual characteristic of Islam.

Literally defined, fasting means to abstain "completely" from foods, drinks, intimate intercourse and smoking, before the break of the dawn to sunset during the entire month of Ramadhan the ninth month of the Islamic year.

We restrict the meaning of the Islamic Fasting to this literal sense. The spiritual meaning of the Islamic Fasting teaches man the principle of sincere love.

When man observes fasting he does it out of deep love for God, and a man who truly loves God knows really what love is. Love equips man with a creative sense of hope and an optimistic outlook on life; because when he fasts he hopes to please God and seeks His Grace.

It also imbues man with genuine virtue of effective devotion, honest dedication and closeness to God; because when man fasts he does so for God and for His sake alone. Fasting cultivates in man a vigilant and sound conscience because a fasting person keeps their fast in secret as well as in public. In fasting, especially, there is no mundane authority to check man's behavior or compel him to observe fasting.

He keeps fasting to please God and satisfy his own conscience by being faithful in secret and in public. There is no better way to cultivate a sound conscience in man. Fasting instructs man in patience and selflessness, as through fasting, he feels the pains of deprivation but he endures them patiently, it is an effective lesson in applied moderation and willpower.

Fasting also provides man with a transparent soul, a clear mind and a light body, shows man a new way of wise savings and sound budgeting, it enables man to master the art of Mature Adaptability. We can easily understand the point once we realize that fasting makes man change the entire course of his daily life.

It grounds man in discipline and healthy survival and it originates in man the real spirit of social belonging, unity and brotherhood, of equality before God as well as before the law and is a Godly prescription for self-reassurance and selfcontrol.

It has already been indicated that the period of obligatory fasting is the month of Ramadhan. The daily period of observance starts before the break of the dawn and ends immediately after sunset. Normally there are accurate calendars to toll the exact time, but in the absence of such facilities one should consult one's watch and the sun's positions, together with the local radios, television and weather bureau, etc.

Fasting Ramadhan is obligatory on every responsible and fit Muslim, but there are other times when it is recommended to make voluntary fasting, after the Traditions of Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

Among these times are Mondays and Thursdays of every week, a few days of each month in the two months heralding the coming of Ramadhan, i.e., Rajab and Sha'ban, six days after Ramadhan following the 'Eid-ul-Fitr Day.

Besides, it is always compensating to fast any day of any month of the year, except the 'Eid Days and Fridays when no Muslim should fast. However, we may repeat that the only obligatory fasting is that of Ramadhan - which may be 29 or 30 days, depending on the moon's positions. This is a pillar of Islam, and any failure to observe it without reasonable excuses is a grave sin in the sight of God.

If you try fasting and find out how easy it is and what comfort it brings and how close it brings you to Allah, you will never give it up, says one of the Muslim scholars. Ramadhan is compulsory upon every Muslim, male or female, who has qualifications for fasting: to be mentally and physically fit, which means to be sane and able to be of full age, the age of puberty and discretion, which is normally about fourteen.

Children under this age should be encouraged to start this good practice on easy levels. So when they reach the age of puberty they will be mentally and physically prepared to observe fasting.

Other qualifications are to be present at one's permanent settlement, your home town, one's farm, and one's business premises, etc, this means not to be on a journey of about fifty miles or more, to be fairly certain that fasting is unlikely to cause you any harm, physical or mental, other than the normal reactions to hunger, thirst, etc. On the other side, there are some people who are in a qualified category to be excluded from fasting.

They are children under the age of puberty and discretion; insane people who are unaccountable for their deeds. People of these two categories are exempted from the duty of fast, and no compensation or any other substitute is enjoined on them.

Others are men and women who are too old and feeble to undertake the obligation of fast and bear its hardships. Such people are exempted from this duty, but they must offer at least one needy poor Muslim an average full meal or its value per person per day. Sick people whose health is likely to be severely affected by the observance of fast are also exempt. They may postpone the fast as long as they are sick to a later date and make up for it, a day for a day.

Travellers may break the fast temporarily during their travel only and make up for it in later days. Expectant women and women breast-feeding their children may also break the fast if its observance is likely to endanger their own health or that of their infants, but they must make up for the fast at a delayed time. Women in the period of menstruation (of a maximum of ten days or of confinement (of a maximum of forty days).

They must postpone the fast till recovery and then make up for it. It should be understood that here, like in all other Islamic undertakings, the intention must be made clear that this action is undertaken in obedience to God, in response to His command and out of love of Him.

The fast of any day of Ramadhan becomes void by intentional eating or drinking or smoking or indulgence in any intimate intercourse, and by allowing anything to enter through the mouth into the interior parts of the body. If this is done deliberately without any lawful reason, it is a major sin which only renewed repentance can expiate.

If anyone, through forgetfulness, does something that would ordinarily break the fast, if observance is not nullified, and his fast stands valid, provided he stops doing that thing the moment he realizes what he is doing.

On completion of the fast of Ramadhan, the special charity known as Sada kat-ul-Fitr (charity of ' Fastbreaking) must be distributed before 'Eid-ul-Fitr. There are some general recommendations during this holiest month that: It is strongly recommended by Prophet Muhammad (SAW) to observe these practices especially during Ramadhan: .to have a light meal before the break of the dawn, known as Suhoor .to eat a few dates or start breaking the fast by plain water right after sunset, saying this prayer Allah humma laka sumna, wa 'ala rizqika aftarna.

(O God! for your sake have we fasted and now we break the fast with the food you have given us) .To make your meals as light as possible because, as the Prophet put it, the worst thing man can fill is his stomach, to observe the Taraweeh. ( Muslims conducting special prayers each night, in which long portions of the Qur'an are recited).

Muslims should exchange social visits and intensify humanitarian services, increase the study and recitation of the Qur'an, exert the utmost in patience and humbleness and to be extraordinarily cautious in using one's senses, one's mind and, especially, the tongue; to abstain from careless gossip and avoid all suspicious motions.