IMPORTANCE OF MOTIVE AND NIYYAT
Everybody knows that a voluntary murder is abhorred by all civilizations and that all religions condemn such a murderer to Hell, whereas the innocent victim in question, the martyr merits Jannat. Everybody also knows that the defense of a rightful cause (against an aggressor) is a duty: and the one who kills an aggressor is considered to be a hero who merits all the rewards in this world and the hereafter. Is not the difference between these two killings of merely the intention? Similarly if one abstains from eating and drinking only on the prescription of a doctor, will he not is doing the same act as the one who gives up eating and drinking in compliance with the command, and for the sake of Allah? Allah is our Creator, Lawgiver who is going to revive us after death and to demand accounts of our actions in the present world. Whoever will have obeyed Him, shall obtain His pleasure, even if we have not understood the underlying secrets of His commandments. The fasting enjoined by a religion, by a revealed law must entail Divine pleasure if we accomplish it. And what spiritual and worldly benefit can be greater than the eternal pleasure of our Lord? Material motives should not be allowed to mar the purity of the intention. Let our fast be wholly and solely for the pleasure, and in compliance with the commands of Allah. Hence the celebrators saying of Rasuluilah SAW. "Indeed acts are judged according to their intentions".
Shah Waliullah Dehlavi, a predominant personality of the 18th century, a great scholar and also a great saint, respected on all hands, In his celebrated work "Hujjatullah ul Baalighah" has made some penetrating remarks on the spiritual aspects of fasting:-
"Since the excess of animality hinders the emergence of angelic aspects, it was necessary that one should try and dominate one's animality. Since the excess of animality and the accumulation and abundance of its stratus have their origin in food, drink and indulgence in carnal pleasures, a fast accomplishes what abundant food cannot. Therefore the method of dominating the animality is the diminishing of causes (of the excess of animality). That is why there is a uninamity among all those who desire the emergence of the angelic aspect in man as to diminish and reduce these (eating, drinking etc.) There is no difference among the peoples of the world in spite of the difference of their religions and the distance between their respective countries. Moreover the ultimate goal is that the animality of man should become submissive to mans angelic side, so that the animality acts according to the inspirations and dictates his angelism, take color from its color, and his algelism prevents his animality from taking mean and lowly colors and getting abject impressions-like a wax getting the impression of a seal. To attain this, there is no method other than this. The angelic side of man should select something according to its own exigencies and should inspire and suggest this to the animal side of man; and that the animality should submit to this inspiration, not, act obstinately or rebel against it. Angelism should continue again and again to inspire its exigencies to the animality, and the animality should continue to submit to these exigencies, so that it becomes accustomed to them and proficient in them".
