The Lesson of Tinco’s Fast

The Lesson of Tinco’s Fast

BY: Khan

Tinco was a chubby, cheerful boy — but above all, he was a huge foodie. He loved to eat all the time — morning, noon, or night. His family often teased him lovingly and called him “Motu” — the chubby one.

Every Ramadan, when the rest of the family fasted, Tinco wanted to try too. He admired the idea of fasting, but his greedy little heart could never resist food. Every morning, when he woke up and saw everyone else fasting, he would immediately start yelling from his room,
“Mama! Breakfast! Hurry up! I’m starving!”

His mother would smile patiently and reply,
“Tinco, you should try fasting someday. You need to learn patience. Next year, fasting will be obligatory for you — so you must start practicing.”

But Tinco would shrug and go back to munching his paratha or noodles, pretending not to hear her advice.


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The Day Everything Changed

One ordinary day, something unusual was happening around the house. Tinco had just finished his breakfast and was sitting in front of the TV with a big plate of spicy noodles when he noticed his mother moving around the living room, rearranging furniture and hanging decorations. His father was making a long list in his notebook, and his elder sister, Api, was busy cleaning the ceiling with a long bamboo stick.

Tinco looked up from his plate and asked curiously,
“Mama, what’s going on? Is someone coming today?”

“Yes, dear,” his mother replied with a smile. “We’re expecting a lot of guests today. It’s Rafi’s Roza Kushai — her first fast!”

“What? Rafi’s first fast?” Tinco exclaimed in disbelief. Rafi was his younger sister, just a year younger than him. “She’s fasting already? She must be dying of hunger by now!”

He rushed to Rafi’s room to check. To his surprise, Rafi was sitting peacefully on her bed, reading her Sipara (a section of the Quran), calm and content. Tinco couldn’t believe it — she didn’t even look hungry!


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That evening, the house was full of joy and laughter. All the relatives came — uncles, aunts, grandparents, cousins. Everyone congratulated Rafi, praised her patience, and gave her gifts — toys, clothes, money, and chocolates.

Tinco watched jealously as Rafi’s pile of presents grew bigger and bigger. His eyes widened with longing.

“I’ll do it too!” he thought. “If I fast, I’ll have my own Roza Kushai party — and I’ll get even better gifts!”


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Tinco’s First Fast

The next morning, Tinco marched up to his mother and declared proudly,
“Mama, I want to keep a full fast today! Will you arrange a Roza Kushai party for me too?”

His mother looked surprised but smiled softly. “Of course, my dear. I’m sure you can do it.”

So, Tinco began his very first fast. He was determined. He didn’t eat or drink anything after dawn, and by noon, he was still holding strong. His mother felt relieved — maybe he really could do it!

By afternoon, everyone had finished their prayers and gone to take a nap. Mama said she would wake up around 4 p.m. to start preparing for iftar.

But Tinco couldn’t sleep. He tossed and turned on his bed, staring at the ceiling. His stomach growled. He thought about the delicious food waiting downstairs — especially the chocolate box in Rafi’s cupboard.

Slowly, a mischievous idea crept into his mind.
“Everyone’s asleep,” he whispered to himself. “If I eat just one chocolate… no one will ever know.”

He tiptoed to Rafi’s room. Both Rafi and Api were fast asleep. He carefully opened the cupboard and found the shiny chocolate box Rafi had received as a gift. His mouth watered instantly.

Without hesitation, he grabbed a few chocolates, unwrapped them quickly, and stuffed them into his mouth. The sweetness melted on his tongue. “Just one more,” he mumbled, taking another… and another. He even slipped a few pieces into his pocket for later.

But just then — beep beep! — Api’s phone alarm rang loudly. She sat up immediately, blinking in surprise. Tinco froze, chocolates in hand, caught red-handed!

“Tinco! What are you doing?!” she gasped.

It was too late. He couldn’t hide.


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The Truth Comes Out

Soon, the whole family knew what had happened. Api explained,
“I had set an alarm for my online class. If it hadn’t gone off, we would all have believed Tinco’s fast was real!”

Everyone laughed, except Mama and Papa. They were silent and disappointed. Tinco hung his head in shame. He expected his parents to scold him, but they didn’t say a word. That silence hurt even more.

Two whole days passed. Mama would still prepare his meals but didn’t speak much to him. Tinco felt miserable. His favorite cartoons couldn’t cheer him up.

On the third morning, when Mama placed breakfast before him, he suddenly burst into tears.
“Mama, I’m sorry! Please talk to me! Please forgive me!”

Mama looked at him calmly and said,
“Tinco, forgiveness should be asked from Allah first. Fasting is for Allah alone. Even when no one is watching, He always sees us.”

She paused for a moment and asked gently,
“Tell me, Tinco — why did you really want to fast? To please Allah… or to get gifts like Rafi?”

Tinco’s face turned red. He whispered,
“For the gifts, Mama… I’m sorry.”

Mama smiled sadly. “That’s why you couldn’t complete your fast. When something is done for show, it never lasts. Fasting isn’t about reward or display — it’s about faith, patience, and sincerity.”

Tinco nodded slowly, tears rolling down his cheeks. He finally understood. That night, he prayed sincerely, asking Allah for forgiveness.

When Mama and Papa saw his sincerity, they smiled again and forgave him. Tinco had learned a precious lesson — one he would never forget:

True fasting isn’t about hunger or gifts. It’s about honesty, faith, and doing something purely for Allah.


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Moral:

> A deed done for show never brings peace. True worship is done from the heart, with sincerity and faith.