When the blessed month of Ramadan arrives, the "Mo'menoon" (Believers) are overwhelmed with joy; because they know that their most Compassionate and Merciful Lord has prepared a heavenly spiritual buffet and has invited every one; they know that their wonderful Creator treats every single guest as if he/she is His one and only special guest; they know that every precious and green moment of the month of Ramadan -jjust like bounteous raindrops which bring dead lands back to life- can bring dead hearts back to everlasting life.

We must never forget that fasting is not just, avoiding eating and drinking; it is much more than that. Let us read together, celestial statements from the Saadeq of Mohammad's progeny (PBUT):

…When you -as a fasting person- start the day, then your eyes and ears and body parts must fast from "Haraam", and all your body members from indecencies;

avoid being harsh on those serving and working for you;

rather [duty] upon you. Is gracefulness and equanimity, in fasting;

make sure to say not much, unless in remembrance of Allah.

Your fasting days must not be like your eating days; fasting is not just, not eating and drinking; when you are fasting, keep your tongues from untruth, and your eyes from Haraam, and quarrel not with one another, and be not jealous of each other, and talk not behind each other's back, and swear not deceitfully, and fight not one another, and be not against each other, and use not bad language, and be not cruel, …;

neglect not, remembrance of Allah and Sallat;

make sure to be silent, patient and honest;

avoid sitting with the adherents to wickedness; stay away from unpleasant and deceitful talks, and from enmity, wrongful guessing, gossiping, tattling and talebearing.

Consider yourselves in the proximity of the Hereafter; Anticipate what Allah has Promised [Appearance of Imam Mahdi (PBUH)]; gather spiritual provisions for standing before Allah.

It [duty] is upon you, to be peaceful, graceful, humble, with humility and equanimity, fearful -like the fear of a slave from his lord-, eager, hopeful, … .

Surely your hearts must be purified from faults and dishonor, and your secrets from indecencies and deceits, and your bodies from uncleanliness.

In your fasting, disassociate yourselves from the enemies of Allah, and [purify] your Walaayat for Allah;

be silent in all ways, in that which Allah has forbidden from, secretly and openly;

fear and consider Allah as He deserves to be feared and considered, in your secret and open.

In your fasting days, grant your souls to Allah, and release your hearts for Him, and employ your selves for Him, in that which He has commanded and called you to;

and when you do all this, then you are a fasting person for Allah -the true manner of fasting-, [then] you have listened to what He has commanded;

and any of these things, that you do less of, from that which has been clarified to you, surely the same amount shall be reduced from [the value of] your fasting.

(Behaar-Ol-Anwaar, vol. 93; …)

As we see, in addition to many ethical and behavior matters which a fasting person must consider, there are other factors which without their consideration, our fasting will be counted just as dieting, without Allah's acceptance! One of those important factors is, believing in the Promises of Allah, such as the Appearance, the Hereafter and standing before Allah and answering; it is these important beliefs which makes our fasting eternally valuable.

Another vital issue is the Walaayat; let us look at a verse of the Qur'an:

THIS IS IT AND NOTHING BUT THIS, your "Wali" is Allah, and His Rasool (Apostle/Messenger), and those who Believe, who stand to Sallat, and pay Zakaat while they are in Rokoo'.

(Qur'an, Surah Maa'edah, verse 55)

One day when Imam Ali (PBUH) was praying in the Masjid, a person entered the Masjid asking for help, no one responded, but the Amir-Ol-Mo'menin (PBUH) who was performing the Rokoo' of his Salaat, showed his ring on his finger to that man and gave him the hint to take the ring; even the Sunni have not been able to deny the obvious fact that the aforementioned verse was revealed about Hazrat Ali -PBUH- (Sunni documents: Tafsir Kabir of Fakhr Raazi, vol. 3; Tafsir Kashf-Ol-Bayaan of Sa’lawi; tafsir of Tabari, vol. 6; …); i.e. Ali is "wali", and the "Walaayat" (Divinely bestowed lordship) of the Ahl-Ol-Bait (PBUT) is from Allah Himself and from His own "Walaayat"; now let us read together few heavenly Hadithes, so that the importance of the matter may become clearer for all of us:

The Prophet Mohammad (PBUH&HP) has said:

My "Walaayat" and the "Walaayat" of my Ahl-Ol-Bait, is Safeguard from the Fire.

(Behaar-Ol-Anwaar, vol. 27; …)

The Prophet Mohammad said to Imam Ali (PBUT):

O' Ali! Surely if a person has worshipped Allah -Glorified and Great be He- as many years as Noah was in his people, and had gold, as much as the Mount Ohod, then granted it in the way of Allah, and his life has been prolonged until he has walked on his feet to Hajj for one thousand years, then he has been killed unjustly between the Safa and Marvah, while he has not had your -Ali's- walaayat, the fragrance of Heaven will not reach him, and he shall not enter it.

(Sunni documents: Al-Manaaqeb of Khaarazmi; …)

[One of the reasons why some times we present Sunni documents, is so that our Sunni friends -those who are fair- when realizing the his torical verification of distortions in many of their documents -as we briefly have mentioned in the article: "…Jesus…Mohammad…(PBUT)"-, and then observing that here and there in their own books, there are still many indications of the Rightfulness of the Ahl-Ol-Bait, at least may think twice and -while imploring Allah for the Light- do more research and study; we also wish that the Shi'ah will deeply realize the vital importance of the Divinely bestowed status of the Ahl-Ol-Bait (PBUT), and the fact that the Sunni scholars know!]

Imam Baaqer (PBUH) has said:

…I swear by Allah, if a person prays all night till morning has come, in that place ["Hatim", a place next to Ka'bah which is the most honored, and it is the place where Mahdi's (PBUH) Appearance will also occur], and fasts all day till night has come to him, while he has not recognized our -the Ahl-Ol-Bait's- Haq (Truth, Rightfulness, …) and our Hormat (Divinely bestowed Honor and Respect and …), , Allah shall never accept any thing from him.

(Behaar-Ol-Anwaar, vol. 27; …)

O' our beloved Mahdi (PBUH)! Believing in you and your walaayat are the conditions for the acceptance of our Fasting and Sallaat and …; how can we forget you when you are the spirit of our beliefs and deeds and …?!