What is Roza and Why is Roza?
It is said that a Muslim student was studying in a non-Muslim country. When Ramadan came, he had Sehri as usual, attended classes at the university all day, sat with friends but did not eat or drink anything. His companions were surprised.
One day a classmate asked, "You don't eat anything from morning till evening? Not even water? What kind of law is this?" The Muslim young man smiled and said, "This is not a law, it is worship. It is called Roza. We abstain from eating, drinking and desires from dawn to sunset, only for the pleasure of Allah." He said, "If you get very thirsty and drink water secretly? No one even knows you here." The young man replied, "That is what Roza is, it is the name of relationship with one's Lord, not with people. If I don't drink water even in solitude, it means that I believe in the Being who is watching me, even if the world doesn't see me." He was silent for a while, then said, "So Roza is not just about being hungry?"
The Muslim said, "No, Roza is not just for the stomach, it is also for the eyes, the tongue, and the heart. The eye should not see evil, the tongue should not lie, there should be no malice in the heart, the hand should not commit injustice. If it is just about being hungry and habits are not changed, then what kind of Roza is this?" The person was lost in thought and said, "If everyone keeps such Roza, what would the society be like? There would be no deceit, no treachery, no dishonesty, no backbiting, no unlawful earning, no injustice, because the person who can restrain himself in solitude, how can he usurp anyone's right?"
The young man's eyes lowered, he said slowly, "The point is correct, but the problem is that many of us keep Roza, but Roza does not keep us. We remain hungry, but we do not refrain from sins." The classmate said, "Then what is the real Roza?" The answer came, "The real Roza is the one that changes a person, that teaches him patience, teaches him gratitude, teaches him sympathy, and above all, bestows piety. It is mentioned in the Quran that Roza has been made obligatory so that you may attain piety."
After a while, the person said, "Can I also do this worship?" The Muslim said, "Why not? The Lord belongs to everyone, whoever believes in Him as one, accepts His command, he also becomes worthy of His nearness." Hearing this, there was a strange glow in his eyes, perhaps he had understood that Roza is not just the name of reviving the body, but the soul as well.
Roza teaches us that if we can stop ourselves from a sip of water, then we can also stop ourselves from a morsel of Haram, if we can endure a few hours of hunger, then we can also swallow a few moments of anger, if we do not eat alone out of fear of Allah, then we should not commit sin alone either, but alas: we have made Roza a ritual, made Sehri and Iftari a special arrangement, but forgotten piety, I wish our Roza would change us, purify our solitudes, make our tongues truthful, lower our gazes, and create true fear of God in our hearts.
O Allah, grant us such a Roza that is acceptable to You, that keeps us away from sins, and fills our lives with light, Ameen, O Lord of the Worlds, by the grace of the Holy Prophet ﷺ.
*✍️Mutallem Al-Jamiatul Ashrafia✍️*