Understanding Fasting in Islam

Fasting in Islam

• Literally, "sawm/siyam" means to abstain or refrain from something.
• Technically, it means to refrain from food, drink, sexual intercourse, and all that which breaks the fast from dawn to sunset, intending to do so in obedience to Allah.

Lessons and Moralities of Fasting

• Allah created death and life to test us and to give us an opportunity to express our thanks and gratitude to our Creator and Sustainer.
• The night and day have a purpose, which is to test us and to give us an opportunity to express our thanks and gratitude to our Creator and Sustainer.

Discipline

• Fasting helps us to discipline ourselves for the sake of Allah.
• We follow a strict schedule of eating and drinking, and are constantly aware that we must remain under divine injunctions.
• We change our habits in our daily routine because we learn that we are not the servants and slaves to our habits, but always the servants of Allah.

Renewal of Devotional Life

• Ramadan renews our enthusiasm to worship and be devoted to Allah.
• We are more careful of our daily prayers and perform special prayers at night.
• There is no religion without prayer, and Muslims learn how to strengthen and deepen their religious life.

Renewal of Our Contact with the Qur’an

• Ramadan and the Qur’an are linked together from the beginning.
• Fasting prepares the believers' hearts to learn the Word of Allah.
• The Muslim Ummah pays more attention to the Qur’an in this month, and this renewed contact helps us to follow its message.

Renewal of Our Identity with the Ummah

• Ramadan is not only an individual experience, but it is a community experience as well.
• The whole Muslim Ummah fasts together in one and the same month.
• We identify with one another in our obedience to Allah, and this gives us a new sense of togetherness and association.

A Fresh Sense of Care and Sympathy

• Fasting in Ramadan helps us to understand the suffering and the pains of the poor and needy.
• We realize what it means to be deprived of the basic necessities of life.
• Ramadan is called the month of charity and sympathy, and we learn how to be more kind and generous in this month.

Jihad or Struggle

• Fasting in Ramadan and Jihad were prescribed in the same year, the second year of Hijrah in Madinah.
• Fasting prepares one for hardships and sacrifice.