because he curbs and conquers the lower passions, by exciting which the devil makes a man fall into evil. The doors of Hell are closed on him because he shuns all evil which is man’s hell. The doors of Heaven are opened for him because he rises above physical desires and devotes himself to the service of humanity. In one ḥadīth, fasting is described as bringing about a forgiveness of sins “for him who fasts having faith (in God) and to seek His pleasure and having an aim or purpose” (Bu. 2:28; 30:6). There is not the least doubt that fasting as qualified here, that is, when it is kept having true faith in God and when the person fasting resorts to it as a discipline for seeking the pleasure of God, is practical repentance of the highest value; and when a man sincerely repents of sins, his previous sins are forgiven, because the course of his life has been changed.

There is, however, yet another sense in which the doors of Heaven are opened to a fasting person in the month of Ramadzān. It is specially suited for spiritual advancement, for attaining nearness to God. Speaking of Ramadzān, the Holy Qur’ān says: “And when My servants ask thee concerning Me, surely I am nigh; I answer the prayer of the suppliant when he calls on Me” (2:186). The ways of attaining nearness to God are here spoken of as being specially opened in Ramadzān, and this nearness is to be sought through prayer. It is for this reason that the Holy Prophet used to have special regard for Tahajjud prayers in the month of Ramadzān. And he also recommended that his followers should, during this month, awake at night for prayers (Bu. 2:27).

Itikāf

I‘tikāf19 means literally to stay in a place; technically it is staying in a mosque for a certain number of days, especially the last ten days of the month of Ramadzān. Bukhārī has devoted a whole book to I‘tikāf (book 33), showing the practice of the Holy Prophet in this connection. During these days, the man who enters the state of I‘tikāf (mu‘takif) dissociates himself from all worldly affairs, and he does not leave the mosque unless there is necessity (ḥājah), such as evacuation, or having a bath, etc. (Bu. 33:3, 4). Usually a tent was pitched for the Holy Prophet in the yard of the mosque (Bu. 33:7). Women are also allowed