Fasting of Silkworm

World of insects introduces us patterns of fasting that indicate Allah's Omnipotence and Wonder in His creation. Although it is well known that food is among the factors of growth for living organisms, silkworms prove that fasting and abstaining absolutely from food and drink do not impair the body. Rather, it reforms these creatures in a captivating and wondrous way.

In order to grasp the secrets of this fasting, firstly we must delve into some facts about the life cycle of this creature; this can be shown as follows:

In the beginning of Spring, the eggs incubate small gluttonous larvae. The newly hatched larvae do not take long before they feed on mulberry leaves for five days. Their bodies, thereby, grow up too quickly to the extent that their skin cannot bear this rapid development and thus have to be replaced by another spacious one. Thus, they are obliged to observe fasting for one or two days until their bodies are physiologically adapted to cast away the old skin. This process recurs five times during the earliest stage before the completion of this metamorphosis in a period amounting to thirty days. Eventually, they will have completed the stage of development and reached a remarkable bulk.

 

When the larva reaches this bulk, it inevitably enters into another kind of fasting that extends for about six days. Thus, it takes shelter in a quiet location to spin a covering for their pupal stage. Truly speaking, it's so fascinating to know that the larva spins only one thread of fine, strong, lustrous fiber where the length ranges from 400 to 1200 meters. This covering is called cocoons, which are the source of commercial silk that every soul yearns to wear but Allah Most High, has prohibited it (wearing garments made of silk) to men and made it lawful to women. At this very moment, we can say that the worm has entered into the no-feeding stage (between the larva and adult in the metamorphosis of holometabolous insects), during which the larva typically undergoes complete transformation within a protective cocoon. The pupal stage needs complete quietness for it is not actually a stage of development or hibernation however it appears as such. Rather, it resembles an important stage in the life of this wondrous insect which is subject to various sequence and rapid transformations. This stage prepares these insects to transform and reshape into another following stage.

Eventually, the dormant fasting worm turns into a rebellious giant that destroys fetters to get out into the spacious world. It secretes a caustic liquid that dissolves a part of this cocoon to raise the covering, producing a beautiful organism called the silkworm moth, which lays its eggs after fertilization. It spends the remaining five days of its life in a state of fasting after it lays its fertilized eggs, which will be hatched in the coming spring to restart the cycle once again.

Glory be to Allah, the Originator, the Restorer!

How easy for Allah to transform something repulsive and unsightly into something beautiful that captivates all eyes. The processes it has to go through have been arranged delicately by Allah SWT.

Likewise, the same process can also be interpreted in the daily lives of human beings, where they can emerge as someone far better, ie. when the time of Ramadhan comes. When we enter the “Cocoon of Ramadhan”, there will be some adjustments in our daily lives in accordance with the ‘stipulations’ set by Allah SWT. And if the Ramadhan is appreciated the way it should be, the transformation that will be expected out of it will certainly be a perfect transformation ie. as someone whose degree of iman will be ‘captivating’.

The performance of our fasting should be as close to perfection as possible. Not merely fasting or abstaining from the cravings of the stomach or sexual desires, but all the other organs should also be performing deeds which are pleasing to Allah SWT.

In fact another thing that we must observe in this month full of blessings, is our akhlaq (the practice of virtue, morality and manners). Whoever beautifies his deeds in this honorable month, Allah SWT will rescue him when he crosses the ‘Bridge’ where a lot of feet would slip because of their inadequate good deeds, like what Rasulullah said in a hadith.

In this month of Ramadhan, we are considered as Allah’s guests. And as the host, of course Allah SWT knows how best to entertain His guests.

However, Allah SWT will only serve us accordingly well if we have the courtesy and know how to behave with the proper akhlaq while being His guests. So, as His guests, let us improve the insufficiency and the slackness we have in our akhlaq, because it is not impossible that the Ramadhan we have this year could be the last Ramadhan for us. Therefore, do not waste all the chances that Allah SWT has given us to improve ourselves by going through the “Cocoon of Ramadhan”.

May Allah SWT always grant His mercy so that after entering this “Cocoon of Ramadhan”, we would come out like a newborn baby. Just like the silkworm, which was originally repulsive and unsightly but came out as a beautiful and captivating butterfly.