Islamic fasting

In mid-April, millions of Muslims around the world begin the fasting month of Ramadan for a period of thirty days, although this may vary depending on the year and geographical location. Long before dawn, they rise, eat a light breakfast, and perform the morning prayers, then abstain from food, drink and marital relations until sunset, thus fulfilling one of the most important pillars of Islam. During this month, they will make an effort to disconnect as much as possible from their daily worldly concerns in order to devote more time to their spiritual lives. Ramadan provides an opportunity to focus on the aspect of our existence. The obligation to fast is clearly stated in the Holy Qur'an:

"O believers, fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, that ye may be righteous." (2:184).

Achieving spiritual progress and attaining greater closeness to God Almighty are the fundamental reasons for fasting in the month of Ramadan. But it includes other aspects.

For Muslims, fasting is an act of obedience and submission to God, and stems from that deep desire to progress, to make a daily struggle to overcome the evil within us, and to become a better person. To obtain Divine pleasure in this way would in itself be a sufficient reason for fasting.

It can be said that fasting is a form of training, for if a believer can abstain from lawful things such as having intimate relations with his spouse, eating and drinking, then he will be much better prepared to resist the temptation of those things that are not permitted.

The Holy Prophet Muhammad said: "Verily, fasting is like a protection. Therefore, when one of you is fasting, let him not speak inappropriately or act foolishly. If anyone disputes with you or insults you, say, 'I am fasting, indeed I am fasting. "If one does not give up falsehood in his words and deeds, Allah does not need this individual to give up food and drink".

The spirit of Ramadan, with voluntary night prayers, frequent recitation of the Holy Qur'an, and special supplications, provides the believer with the opportunity to experience a spiritual rebirth, which, accompanied by self-discipline, also helps to control his needs and desires.

During Ramadan, the believer has to change his or her routine in order to be able to adapt to changing circumstances and events. Millions of Muslims all over the world follow the same regulations, and this promotes a feeling of brotherhood and unity, as well as an atmosphere of piety. Everyone's "Shaitan" is chained.

Legitimate and voluntary abstention from food and drink makes the believer appreciate the goodness of God that we normally take for granted in the course of our lives. It also promotes charity towards the poor and needy, for a rich person is closer to the sufferings of the poor when he experiences for himself the pains of hunger and thirst.

Muslim and non-Muslim scientists have written about the physical and medical benefits of fasting. Careful control of calorie intake leads to increased longevity. Scientists at Baylor College of Medicine in Texas, USA, consider Islamic fasting as a possible low-cost and effective way to fight obesity.  There are doctors who advise methods of healing through the almost exclusive use of fasting. It has been medically proven that those who fast for a long period of time regain their hair and regain some of their youth and physical growth. It cures addiction to alcoholism, drugs and tobacco, which are a danger. It is an excellent religious discipline that trains the mind and body to cope with crises, anger, hunger, thirst, etc. According to the mystics, the secret of life is to talk little, eat little and sleep little. All these disciplines are exercised during the month of fasting.

All Muslims are obliged to fast, but those who are sick or in poor health, pregnant or lactating women, or those who are travelling are exempted from fasting; they are not allowed to keep the fast.

It should be noted that Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, and therefore the date of the first day of Ramadan will occur every year, more or less, ten days earlier (from the previous year), according to the lunar calendar. In this sense, if a Muslim keeps the fast over a period of 36 years, he will have experienced fasting in every season of the year, from the long, hot days of summer to the shorter days of winter.

In a global society where, unfortunately, a number of unspoken and subtle ideas have an ever-increasing influence on modern society. Bernardo Kastrup has called it "metaphysical materialism", which means elevating pure and hard materialism to philosophical conclusions, expressing that consciousness only exists when the brain reaches a certain level of complexity, and that therefore when the brain ceases to exist, consciousness also ceases to exist, so that there can be no life after death.

The unparalleled attachment that the world, in general, possesses to material things and the urge to achieve material success, leads people to work long hours and tolerate difficult working conditions in order to simply improve their status and financial situation far above acceptable levels, while spending their hard-earned wages on unnecessary things and on the early renewal of things they already own. Basically no one is immune to the immense and subliminal effects of materialism, including those who claim to follow any of the major religions.

The practice of fasting during Ramadan is important as it reaffirms the believer against materialistic influences that encourage selfishness and lack of solidarity. The Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, H.H. Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian, writes: "Every day, God Almighty records the actions of every individual. Therefore, every person should keep a record of his daily activities, reflect on them and ask himself whether or not he has made any progress in practising his virtuous deeds. Today and tomorrow should not be the same. If our today and our tomorrow are the same when it comes to performing virtuous acts, then we have failed. Anyone who believes in Almighty God and has firm faith in Him, will never go astray. In fact, hundreds of thousands of people can be saved by this individual.