Why fasting is good for you

Millions of Muslims from all over the world religiously partake in this sanctified exercise which has been recommended for them by God through the Holy Quran and His Messenger Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him and his family).

During this month which has been named “The Spring of the Quran”, Muslims abstain from eating, drinking, sexual intercourse, etc, during the prescribed hours — from dawn to dusk, which becomes the very manifestation of their obedience to the Creator’s will. This self-deprivation represents a state of self-control and of overcoming carnal pleasure, desire, and enjoyment, for the blissful love of God, His proximity, and the eagerness to desires.

Traditions of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) (ahadith) succinctly explain this fact: “A fasting person is in a state of worship, even when (asleep) in bed, except when he backbites another person. Every breath you take has the reward of praise to God and your sleep is worship
(Prophet’s sermon) The Holy Prophet (SAW) described the sleep of a fasting Muslim, even the very breathing, as acts of worship, because they emanate from a body regarded as being in a state of continual worship through abstaining from tasting delicious and lawful things, solely out of obedience to the Creator.

Although fasting is deeply connected to the month of Ramadan, it is an important act of worship by itself that can be performed outside Ramadan as well.
Fasting is a recommended deed throughout the year, especially in certain months such as Rajab and Sha’ban and on certain days such as Mondays and Thursdays.
Fasting is, however, not a phenomena attributed to the Islamic faith only, but is rather common across all religions and human societies.

Historically, fasting is an ancient and universal practice. The Romans, the Babylonians, the Cynic, Stoic, Pythagorean and Neo-Platonist philosophers commended fasting. The followers of Zoroastrianism practice it. The Jews observe an annual fasting on the Day of Atonement in commemoration of the descent of Moses from Sinai after spending 40 days of fasting in order to be able to receive revelation.
Jesus observed fasting for 40 days in the desert and commanded his followers to fast.

In brief, the practice of fasting has been common in one form or the other in all human societies.
Before the advent of Islam, fasting was resorted to by way of repentance or penance, or to celebrate some particular occasion, or to control a prevailing epidemic, to put pressure to achieve a certain desire end.
The form of fasting also differed. For example, Jews ate only once in 24 hours.

In fact, in ancient faiths and creeds, the objects of fasting were very limited, the intention generally being self-mortification, asceticism, or the satisfaction of some superstitious urge.
In Islam, fasting is not just refraining from eating and drinking but carries the added significance of worship, psychological comfort, morality and legislation. It is neither the irrational motionless of pre-Islamic Arabs nor the mere abstaining from eating and drinking, but is, in fact, the building of one’s character, control over desires, and an inspiration towards social and scientific creativity.

Moreover, the month of Ramadan, regardless of fasting, provides a great opportunity to give even to those upon whom fasting is not incumbent an opportunity to benefit from countless merits of this month.

Interestingly, this opportunity is not only confined to mature people, for Islamic narrations state that a fetus in his/her mother’s womb or an immature child can participate in this banquet of God.
God has commanded this sanctified duty and enjoined it on the Muslims, as He had enjoined it on the believing nations before. He assigned the blessed month, the month of Ramadan, for every adult and healthy Muslim as a period of fasting. Hence, fasting is one of the pillars of Islam and a religious duty for all those who believe in monotheism, and consequently, whoever, denies it is an unbeliever. It is said that during the month of Ramadan, God, in addition to many of the blessings associated with fasting, offers exceptional privileges for His creation to redeem them. The month of Ramadan empowers us to exercise self control, abstain from

food, sexual intercourse and backbiting, observe time for prayers. All this improves inter-social productivity and instills in man, the ability to make firm decisions and take full responsibility for his actions. Restoration of one’s spiritual life with God is another unique opportunity presented to us on a silver plate in this month.

It is said that during this month, the devil and his agents are tied and unable to impact on our lives, while at the same time God opens for us all the gates to heaven so long as we dedicate our fasting and prayers to Him. Hence, fasting in this month offers man the opportunity to purge those traits of character which are detrimental to his perfection and dignity so that he may foster constructive and pure habits and attain the maturity necessary to be better man and gain proximity to God. Other virtues associated with this month are forgiveness and brotherhood, patience, tolerance, soberness, and contentment with who we are and what we are.

In a well-known sermon delivered by the Holy Prophet of Islam (S) in the last Friday of the month of Sha’ban, he emphasised: “Oh people! Month of Allah has come toward you bringing divine blessing, mercy and forgiveness.” The subtle point in this phrase is the fact that these three divine offerings are not granted to the people at the end of this month; rather, these are the special gifts of the month of Ramadan from the very day it begins.

Another instruction offered by the Holy Prophet in his Sh‘baniyyah sermon is: “When you feel hungry and thirsty in this month remember the hunger and thirst of the Day of Judgment”

Tolerating thirst and hunger in this world is so difficult. We must then ponder upon the fact that the thirst and hunger in the hereafter last for years and years or for some groups of people forever.
Additionally, in this world, death may be regarded as a solution for intolerable thirst and hunger, but in the next world, eternal life turns this solution into a useless one.

Thus, when compared to the chastisement of the doomsday, worldly pains can be regarded as nothing. It has been recorded in history that during the caliphate of Imam Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), the cousin brother to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), when his blind brother ‘Aqil asked him to grant him an additional portion of public treasury due to his severe poverty, the Holy Imam brought a hot piece of metal near ‘Aqil. Feeling the hotness of it, ‘Aqil protested: “Are you going to burn me?” “No!” Imam replied. “You cried because of a metal made hot by a human being for fun. Then, how do you expect me not to cry for the fire prepared by

God due to His anger?”
Beside reminding us of the hereafter, the thirst and hunger during the month of Ramadan reminds those who fast of poor people experiencing the same feelings during whole days of their life and encourages those who fast to spend some portion of their properties in the way of God and for the sake of needy people.

The broader impact of the month of Ramadan is that it reinvigorates one’s inner life. Breezes of mercy, coming in different wavelengths, unite with one’s hopes and expectations, penetrate the believers’ hearts. Like rain pouring on the earth, the month of Ramadan comes with streams of meanings and emotions that water dried and thirsty hearts, making the inner worlds of people propitious for new meanings and conceptions. By means of the light of the days, hours and minutes of this blessed month, hearts attain such spiritual depth and become so purified that they never desire to leave this climate of peace.

Fasting constitutes a process of self-purification, self-righteousness, and spiritual development of oneself. The spiritual, social, economic, political and psychological benefits of fast are intertwined, each affecting the other. A combination of fast, prayers, and meditation is considered as the best dose for any and all psychological, financial, and spiritual ills from which one may be suffering.

Fasting in Islam is considered a moral education and nourishment of supreme virtues. It teaches the believer to abandon vices, to control emotions and instincts, to curb the tongue against saying what is wrong or inappropriate and the conscience against contemplating upon wrongdoing or subversion.
Fasting enhances the spirit of unity among members of the fasting community, teaches them humility and humbleness and instills in them a feeling of equality before God.

The rich have to observe fast as well as the poor, the women as well as the men, the influential and powerful as well as the weak and downtrodden.
Imam Ja’afar (may Allah be pleased with him), is reported to have said: “Allah made fasting incumbent upon every Muslim to hold equity between the rich and the poor. “A rich man does not feel the pains of hunger to have mercy for the poor, since he is able to obtain whatever he likes. By enjoining fasting, Allah wanted to put His creatures on an equal fooling by making the rich taste the pain of hunger, so that he may pity the weak and have mercy on the hungry . . .’ Thus through fasting, a person acquires the virtues of empathy and sympathy for others.

According to a very famous tradition narrated by great scholars of Islam, the God the Almighty, said: “fasting is for me and I am the one who rewards for it”.
The content of this narration has been widely discussed among the scholars.
While all worships are for God and rewarded by Him, the Almighty, why has fasting been appropriated a special position in this narration?
Three answers might be suggested here: The first reason is that fasting is the abandoning of some acts; thus, it is the only worship that is not seen or known by anyone. Another reason, as suggested by some scholars, is the fact that during the history, all kinds of worship (praying, pilgrimage, giving alms, sacrifice, and so on) have been offered to idols and false gods and the only exception among the acts of worship is fasting since no one has ever fasted for anyone or anything other than God.

The third reason is the special relationship between fasting and God, just as we call some days as the days of God and some places as the house of God , even though every time and place belong to Him.
This meaning implies the special mercy of God for those who fast. May God reward the fasting of the Muslims in Zimbabwe and may He bless the beautiful nation of Zimbabwe.