Dr Sayed Salman Safavi
London Academy of Iranian Studies – LAIS
Abstract
This article explores the spiritual practices and liturgical rituals of the month of Ramadan and their profound psychological impacts through the lens of Islamic Psychology and Mysticism (Irfan). Drawing upon the Theory of the Interpretive Semantic Structure of the Quran (Safavi, 2025), the study elucidates the conditions of “True Fasting,” categorising practitioners into levels ranging from the commonality to the spiritual elite. By referencing Quranic verses, Hadith, and the teachings of prominent mystics such as Rumi and Mirza Javad Agha Maliki Tabrizi, the research demonstrates how rituals such as Dhikr (remembrance), Du’a (supplication), and Salat al-Layl (the Night Prayer) facilitate a transition from the mundane (Nasut) to the celestial (Malakut).The findings suggest that these practices function as a transformative psychological programme, fostering self-regulation, emotional stability, and identity reconstruction, ultimately leading to the emergence of a “new human being” aligned with Divine Attributes.
Keywords
Islamic Psychology, Fasting, Safavi, Semantic Structure, Spiritual Intelligence, Dhikr, Self-Regulation, Identity Transformation, Ramadan.
Introduction
The month of Ramadan is traditionally perceived not merely as a period of physical abstinence, but as a “Divine Banquet” designed for the spiritual and psychological nourishment of the believer. In the framework of Islamic Psychology, the rituals associated with this month—ranging from the fast itself to the intricate liturgies performed at dawn—constitute a holistic system for the refinement of the human soul.
This article examines the multidimensional nature of Ramadan practices from a mystical and psychological perspective. Central to this analysis is the Theory of the Interpretive Semantic Structure of the Quran (Safavi, 2025), which allows for a deep structural understanding of how sacred texts and rituals interact to reshape human consciousness. The discussion begins by defining the ontological conditions of “True Fasting,” moving beyond mere jurisprudence to explore the ethical and internal restraints required to achieve spiritual proximity.
Furthermore, the article investigates the specific psychological benefits of these practices, such as the reduction of anxiety, the enhancement of metacognitive awareness through Tafakkur and the strengthening of moral identity. By integrating classical mystical insights with contemporary psychological constructs, this study aims to provide a comprehensive overview of how the discipline of Ramadan facilitates a profound internal migration from self-centredness to God-centredness, resulting in enhanced mental health and eudaimonic well-being.
The month of Ramadan holds a central position in Islamic practice and theology, yet its depth is often obscured by a purely ritualistic focus. Within the Qur’anic discourse, Ramadan serves as a focal word in a networked conceptual field that transcends its literal meaning of “burning”. This month maintains a longitudinal connection with the Divine and a latitudinal link with the individual’s renunciation of carnal desires.[i] (Safavi, 2026)
Practices and Conditions of True Fasting
The Messenger of Allah Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) stated:
“O people! The Month of Allah has come to you with blessings, mercy, and forgiveness. It is a month that is the most superior of months in the sight of Allah. Its days are the best of days, its nights the best of nights, and its hours the best of hours.” (al-Ṣadūq, n.d., vol. 1, p. 154)
He further emphasised that in this month, breaths are considered glorification (tasbih), sleep is worship, and deeds are accepted. He urged the faithful to ask Allah with sincere intentions and pure hearts to grant them success in fasting and reciting His Book.
Key Ethical Requirements of Fasting:
Charity: Giving alms to the poor and destitute.
Respect: Honouring the elderly and showing mercy to the young.
Social Bonds: Maintaining ties with kin (silat al-rahim).
Restraint of Senses: Guarding the tongue, closing the eyes to the forbidden, and shielding the ears from vanity.
Altruism: Showing kindness to orphans.
Repentance: Seeking forgiveness for sins and lengthening prostrations (sujud) to lighten the burden of past transgressions.
The Prophet (PBUH) noted that even a small act, such as giving half a date or a sip of water for Iftar, can protect one from the Fire. When asked about the most virtuous deed in this month, he replied: “Piety and abstaining from what Allah the Almighty has forbidden.”(Maliki Tabrizi, M. J. (1984).)
Analysis of the Poetic Imagery in the Works of Rumi and Attar
In this section, the profound psychological and mystical concepts of Ramadan are translated into the language of artistic imagery. The semantic-structural framework (Safavi, 2025) emphasises that poetic narratives serve as “aesthetic anchors,” bridging abstract theology with lived human experience.
1. The Paradox of the “Two Mouths” in Rumi’s Poetry
Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Rumi (1207–1273) employs a powerful binary opposition between the physical and the spiritual self. The closing of the material mouth is depicted not as a deprivation, but as a prerequisite for a higher form of nourishment:
This mouth you closed, another mouth did open, To become a partaker of the morsels of Mystery.
Seal your lips from food and from drink, And hasten toward the Heavenly Banquet.
If you empty this satchel of the bread of earth, You shall fill it with pearls of Divine Majesty.
Wean the infant of the soul from the milk of Satan, Then make him a companion to the Angelic Realm.
How long have you consumed the rich and sweet of food? For a few days, put yourself to the test of Fasting.
How many nights have you been a captive to sleep? Awaken for one night and seize the Sovereign Fortune.
Metaphorical Analysis: Rumi uses the imagery of the “infant of the soul” to describe the spiritual self. Fasting is the process of weaning this infant from “Satanic milk” (lower desires) to “Angelic companionship” (intellectual and spiritual growth).
Narrative Movement: The poem moves from restriction (sealing the lips) to expansion (the Heavenly Banquet), mirroring the psychological shift from self-restraint to spiritual liberation. (Safavi 2005)
مولانا جلال الدین رومی فرماید:
ايـن دهــان بستــی دهانــی بـاز شــــد تـا خـورنـــده لقـمـــــههای راز شـــــد
لب فـرو بنــد از طعــام و از شـــراب ســوی خـوان آسمـانـــی کــن شتــــاب
گـر تـو اين انبـان ز نان خالــی کنـــی پـر ز گـوهــــرهـای اجـلالــــی کنـــی
طفـل جان از شيــر شيـــطان بـاز کـن بعــد از آنــش با مَلَـــک انـبــــاز کـــن
چند خوردی چرب و شيرين از طعـام امتحــان کـن چنـــد روزی در صيـــام
چنــد شبها خـواب را گشتــی اسيــــر يک شبــی بيــــدار شــو دولت بگيــــر
2. The Total Fast and Moral Integrity in Attar’s Imagery
Farid al-Din Attar Nishapuri Farid al-Din Attar (c. 1145 – c. 1221)[ii], also known as Attar of Nishapur, was a prominent Persian poet, Sufi mystic, and hagiographer whose works profoundly influenced Persian literature and Sufi thought. Born in Nishapur (modern-day northeastern Iran), he was a practicing pharmacist, a profession reflected in his pen-name “Attar,” meaning “perfumer” or “apothecary.” Despite his significant contributions, reliable biographical details about his life are scarce, and much of what is known has been shaped by legend.
His most celebrated work, The Conference of the Birds (Mantiq al-Tayr), is a masterpiece of Sufi allegory expands the artistic image of fasting from a physical ritual to a holistic sensory and moral discipline. His poetry functions as a “spiritual wake-up call,” employing hortatory language and stark metaphors to redefine the boundaries of the fast.
O you who have spent your life in the ego’s pride, Arise and act, for now is the time for toil.
The month of fasting has arrived, O friend, yet you sleep; Lift your head at last from this ancient slumber of neglect.
Do you imagine fasting is merely avoiding food? Many are the conditions of the faster beyond that alone.
Know that in truth, every limb must keep the fast, If your fasting is to be true fasting before the Creator.
First, guard your gaze, lest a rose-like countenance Cast you into the wretchedness of self-infatuation.
Then, seal your ears against all that should not be heard, For idle chatter leaves the intellect in utter ruin.
Next, firmly tether your tongue—the place of His praise— From the stains of slander and the darkness of lies.
Furthermore, at the time of breaking fast, consume nothing forbidden, For that is a thousand times worse than drinking blood.
And sleep not overmuch, for in the narrowness of the grave, There is sleep enough for you, beyond all counting.
These are the conditions of fasting, if you truly fast, Though by the measure of wisdom, I have said but one in a thousand. (Attar, Dīwān, Qasidih 18)
Narrative and Artistic Analysis:
- The Narrative Call to Action: Attar utilizes an imperative voice (Arise! Act!) to challenge the psychological state of Ghaflah (negligence). He frames fasting not as a passive state of “not eating,” but as an active “work” of the soul.
- Sensory Symbolism: By assigning a specific “fast” to each organ—the eyes, ears, and tongue—Attar creates a Total Artistic Image of the human being as a temple that must be purified.
- Hyperbolic Moral Imagery: The comparison of consuming Haram (forbidden) food to “drinking blood” serves as a powerful deterrent, heightening the moral stakes of the fast. This aligns with the semantic-structural emphasis on discursive moral isotopes found within Quranic themes (Safavi, 2025).
- The Grave Metaphor: Attar concludes with a memento mori, using the imagery of the “narrowness of the grave” to contrast the fleeting sleep of this world with eternal accountability, thereby fostering Existential Reflection.
فریدالدین عطار نيشابوری در “دیوان” خویش در باب شروط روزه فرماید:
«ای در غــرور نفس به ســر بـــرده روزگار برخیــز٬ کار کـــن که کنــون است وقت کار
ای دوست ماه روزه رسیــد و تـو خفتـــه ای آخــر ز خـواب غفـلت دیـرینــه ســـــر بـــرآر
پنداشتـی که چـون نخـوری روزه تـــو آنست بسیــار چیــــز است جـز آن شــرط روزه دار
هر عضو را بدان که به تحقیق روزهای است تـــا روزه تـــو روزه بـــود نـــزد کــردگــــار
اول نــگاه دار نـظــــــر٬ تــا رخ چــــو گــــل در چشــم تو نیفـنــد از عشــق خــویش خــوار
دیگــــر ببنــــد گــوش ز هــر نـاشنیــــدنـــــی کـز گفتــــگوی هـرزه شــود عقــل تـار و مار
دیگـــر زبان خویش که جــای ثنـــــای اوست از غـیـبـت و دروغ فـــــروبــنـــــد استــــــوار
دیگــر به وقت روزه گشــــادن مخور حــرام زیرا که خـون خوری تو از آن به هــــزار بار
دیگــر بســی مخسب که در تنگنــــــای گــور چندانت خواب هست که آن هست در شمــــار
این است شـــرط روزه اگـر کـــــرد روزهای گـرچه ز روی عقـل یکــی گفتــم از هـــــــزار»
(عطار، دیوان اشعار، قصیده شماره ۱۸. سایت گنجور)
Levels of Those Who Fast
The great mystic, Ayatollah Mirza Javad Agha Maliki Tabrizi, in his book Al-Muraqabat, categorises fasting into three levels:
- Fasting of the Masses (Awwam): Abstaining from food and drink as prescribed by jurisprudence.
- Fasting of the Elite (Khawass): In addition to the above, guarding all bodily organs from any disobedience to Allah.
- Fasting of the Elite of the Elite (Khass al-Khawass): Abstaining from everything that distracts the heart from Allah, whether lawful (halal) or prohibited (haram). (Maliki Tabrizi, M. J. (1984)).
Dhikr
The best worship in this month is “Remembrance” (dhikr) and “Contemplation” (fikr). It is recommended that after each period of dhikr, the practitioner meditates for 15 to 30 minutes to receive spiritual inspirations (waridat).
Recommended Dhikr:
- Allah, Allahu Akbar, La ilaha illa Allah, Subhan Allah, Alhamdulillah. (100 times a day)
- La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah. (لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِٱللَّٰهِ)
- Salawat (100 times a day)
- Astaghfirullah «أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ رَبِّي وَ أَتُوبُ إِلَيْهِ» (100 times a day).
- Note: 100 times is not mandatory, but highly recommended and rewarded.
- The Yunusiya Dhikr: “La ilaha illa anta subhanaka inni kuntu min al-zalimin”
(«لَّا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا أَنتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ») (400 times daily). (Safavi, 2018)
Sheikh Safi al-Din Ardabili (QS) explains that when dhikr affects the heart, it creates a “trembling” (wajal) born of awe. This leads to increased faith, which produces certainty (yaqin), and from certainty, true trust in God (tawakkul) is born. This spiritual expansion (inshirah) manifests externally through good character and generosity. (Ibn Bazzaz Ardabili, T. I. (1997).)
Supplications and the Etiquette of Prayer
For prayers to be answered, one should first restore the rights of others (haqq al-nas), give charity, and sit facing the Qibla in a state of ritual purity and fragrance.
Recommended Supplications of Ramadan:
- Daily/Nightly Prayers: Allahumma Rabba Shahri Ramadan.
- The Dawn Prayer (Du’a al-Sahar).
- Du’a Abu Hamza Thumali.
- Du’a al-Mujeer (Containing 184 beautiful names of God). (see Safavi, Tafsir Dua Mujeer, 2025)
- Du’a al-Jawshan al-Kabir (Containing 1,000 names of God).
Quranic Recitation: It is strongly encouraged to complete a full recitation of the Quran within the month of Ramadan.”
The Night Prayer (Salat al-Layl)
The Night Prayer consists of 11 units (rak’ahs):
8 Rak’ahs (offered as four sets of two).
2 Rak’ahs of Shafa’.
1 Rak’ah of Witr, which includes a detailed qunut including 70 repetitions of istighfar and seeking forgiveness for 40 believers.
Psychological and Spiritual Benefits of the Night Prayer:
The night prayer can be understood as a form of inner illumination that refines the soul through sustained reflection, discipline, and intentional solitude. By withdrawing from distractions and engaging in quiet devotion, the individual cultivates heightened self-awareness and moral clarity, which symbolically functions as a “light” that polishes the inner self.
In addition, the regular practice of praying at night contributes to emotional regulation and composure, which in turn manifests in one’s outward demeanour. The calmness developed through contemplative worship often translates into a more serene countenance and a balanced temperament, as the practitioner repeatedly engages in patience, humility, and mindfulness.
From a holistic perspective, night prayer also operates as a therapeutic practice addressing both physical and spiritual dimensions. The rhythmic movements, controlled breathing, and meditative recitation can reduce stress and psychosomatic tension, while the spiritual focus provides a sense of meaning and reassurance that alleviates inner distress.
Furthermore, the act of consistent night devotion is associated with a cognitive shift toward hope, gratitude, and reliance on divine providence. This orientation can lessen feelings of grief and anxiety while strengthening resilience, and within a spiritual framework it is believed to attract increased sustenance (rizq) by fostering discipline, sincerity, and a constructive outlook toward life’s provisions.
Psychological Effects of Fasting
Psychological Effects of Fasting: From the perspective of Islamic Psychology, fasting is far more than a ritual; it is a transformative psychological programme. Its primary effects include anxiety reduction through constant remembrance (dhikr) and reliance (tawakkul) on a Higher Power, the strengthening of self-control and impulse governance, spiritual personality growth through detachment from mundane attachments and orientation toward transcendent meanings, and the cultivation of social empathy through charity, shared experience, and communal consciousness.
Detailed Analysis of the Psychological Impacts
- Self-Regulation and Impulse Control
Fasting functions as a structured exercise in behavioural inhibition, requiring abstention from fundamental biological drives and thereby strengthening higher-order inhibitory control over impulsive behaviours. The discipline of delaying gratification for higher spiritual purposes enhances self-discipline, future-oriented cognition, and the capacity for sustained volitional regulation. - Emotional Regulation and Mood Enhancement
Through the cultivation of patience (sabr) and forbearance (hilm), fasting stabilises emotional responses to stress and frustration, reducing affective volatility. The spiritually enriched environment, combined with increased engagement in prayer and reflection, fosters positive affective states that can alleviate symptoms of anxiety and low mood by promoting inner calm and psychological balance. - Mindfulness and Metacognitive Awareness
The conscious guarding of the tongue, eyes, and ears promotes mindful attention and intentional behavioural monitoring, encouraging present-moment awareness rather than automatic reactivity. Reflection (tafakkur) on inner states enhances metacognitive awareness, allowing individuals to observe their thoughts, emotions, and intentions with greater depth and clarity. - Moral and Character Development
Fasting reinforces the internalisation of virtues such as generosity (sakhawa), compassion (rahma), and forgiveness, contributing to the formation of a morally grounded identity. The avoidance of harmful conduct and the active pursuit of forgiveness engage advanced moral reasoning and foster a balanced conscience characterised by constructive self-evaluation and ethical responsibility. - Psychological Well-Being and Resilience
Fasting promotes eudaimonic well-being by facilitating meaning-making, self-reflection, and alignment with transcendent values. Reliance on God (tawakkul) and consistent prayer function as adaptive coping mechanisms that enhance resilience, emotional endurance, and the ability to manage life stressors within a spiritually meaningful framework. - Social Connection and Empathy
The lived experience of hunger cultivates authentic empathic concern for the less fortunate, strengthening altruistic motivation and prosocial behaviour. Communal iftars, reinforced kinship ties (sila rahim), and collective worship practices enhance social cohesion, belongingness, and emotional connectedness within the community. - Cognitive Clarity and Spiritual Intelligence
The reduction of sensory overstimulation and increased contemplative engagement during fasting may improve cognitive focus, mental clarity, and receptivity to reflective insight. Deep engagement with sacred texts and spiritual reflection nurtures spiritual intelligence, characterised by heightened existential awareness and transcendent understanding. - Identity Transformation and Self-Renewal
Fasting facilitates a profound restructuring of the self through intentional moral reform and alignment with higher spiritual ideals. The processes of repentance (tawba) and self-purification (tazkiyah) support psychological healing, inner renewal, and personal growth, often resembling mechanisms associated with post-traumatic growth and identity reconstruction. - Attention and Concentration
The disciplined regulation of sensory input during fasting strengthens selective attention and reduces cognitive distractions. Extended periods of prayer, recitation, and reflection enhance sustained attention, concentration capacity, and cognitive persistence over time. - Existential and Transcendent Experiences
Intensified spiritual practices, including night prayers (tahajjud) and deep supplication, may facilitate peak or transcendent experiences marked by heightened awareness and profound spiritual connection. Reflection on mortality, accountability, and ultimate purpose promotes existential meaning-making and value clarification, contributing to a more coherent and spiritually integrated life perspective.
Summary and Research Findings
Integration of Spiritual Practice and Islamic Psychology
The analysis of the spiritual practices of Ramadan, interpreted through the semantic-structural framework (Safavi, 2025), reveals a profound intersection between mystical journeying (Suluk) and the refinement of the human psyche. By applying this interpretive model to the rituals of the month, the “True Fast” can be understood as a bridge between the Nasut (the human, material realm) and the Malakut (the spiritual, celestial realm).
Key Innovations and Findings:
The Holistic Ego Transformation: The transition from the “Fasting of the Commonality” to the “Fasting of the Elite of the Elite” is not merely a ritualistic ascent but a psychological restructuring. It involves moving from simple behavioural inhibition to a complete Identity Reconstruction aligned with the Divine Names (Asma Allah al-Husna).
Dhikr as Cognitive Restructuring: Liturgical practices (Dhikr) serve as more than rhythmic repetitions; they are tools for Mindfulness and Metacognitive Awareness. By focusing on specific Divine Attributes (e.g., al-Haqq, al-Rahman), the practitioner replaces anxious or negative cognitive schemas with those of peace and certainty (Yaqin).
The Psychosomatic Bridge: The framework further illustrates how bodily discipline and spiritual awareness operate as an integrated psychosomatic system, where the restriction of physical appetite facilitates cognitive clarity and spiritual intelligence (Safavi, 2025).
Social and Moral Resilience: The mandatory nature of Iftar, Sila Rahim, and charity within the semantic structure of Ramadan ensures that spiritual growth is not isolated but is grounded in Social Cohesion and Empathic Concern, leading to what contemporary psychology terms Post-Traumatic Growth through repentance and renewal.
Conclusion:
True fasting represents a multidimensional therapeutic discipline addressing behavioural restraint, cognitive reflection, and existential meaning. When practised at its highest level, fasting facilitates psychological renewal, moral stability, and spiritual resilience. The practitioner emerges with enhanced self-regulation, deeper awareness, and a reoriented sense of identity aligned with transcendent values.
Bibliography
Ibn Bazzaz Ardabili, T. I. (1997). Safwat al-Safa. Tehran: Zaryab.
Maliki Tabrizi, M. J. (1984). Al-Muraqabat. Nur Fatimah Institute.
Rumi, J. D. R. (1999). Masnavi-ye Ma’navi (T. Sobhani, Ed.). Tehran: Rozaneh.
Ṣadūq, Abū Jaʿfar Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī ibn al-Ḥusayn ibn Mūsā ibn Bābawayh al-Qummī. (n.d.). Al-Amālī (Vol. 1, p. 154; Qism al-Dirāsāt al-Islāmiyya, Ed.). Muʾassasat al-Baʿtha.
Safavi, S. (2006). The Structure of Rumi’s Mathnawi. London: London Academy of Iranian Studies.
Safavi, Seyed (2008). The Structure and Hermeneutics of the Third Book of Rumi’s Mathnawi. Transcendent Philosophy Journal 9:5-34.
Safavi, S. S. (2018). Practice Sufism and Safavi Order. London: London Academy of Iranian Studies.
Safavi, S. S. (2020). Analysis of the Semantic Structure of Surah Al-Baqarah. Tehran: Salman-Azadeh Publications.
Safavi. S. S. (2025), Tafsir irfani Dua Mujeer. Tehran: Turath Islami.
Safavi. S. S. (2025). Sematic-Structural Hermeneutic Methodology. Tehran: Salman-Azadeh Publications.
Saduq, M. B. A. (1993). Man La Yahduruhu al-Faqih. Qom: Islamic Publications Office.
Tusi, M. B. H. (1991). Misbah al-Mutahajjid. Beirut: Mu’assasat Fiqh al-Shi’a.
Safavi, S. S. (2026, February 15). Ramadan and the spiritual rebirth of humanity: A semantic and Islamic psychological analysis of the Quranic discourse. London Academy of Iranian Studies.
[i] https://iranianstudies.org/2026/02/15/Ramadan-and-the-spiritual-rebirth-of-humanity-a-semantic-and-islamic-psychological-analysis-of-the-quranic-discourse/
[ii] Farid al-Din Attar (c. 1145 – c. 1221), also known as Attar of Nishapur, is a prominent Persian poet and Sufi, whose works profoundly influenced Persian literature and Sufi thought. Born in Nishapur (modern-day northeastern Iran). His most celebrated work, The Conference of the Birds (Mantiq al-Tayr), is a masterpiece of Sufi allegory. Attar also authored other major works, including The Book of the Divine (Ilāhī-Nāma), The Memorial of the Saints (Tadhkirat-ul-Awliyā), and The Book of Afflictions (Muṣībat-Nāma). His writings blend mystical insight, philosophical depth, and rich storytelling, drawing from Sufi traditions, Islamic history, and classical Persian literature. Though he was not widely recognized during his lifetime, his influence grew significantly in later centuries, particularly inspiring poets like Rumi.