Purpose Of Fasting

photos SLIDESHOW: Ramadan and community Observing the Muslin holy month

During Ramadan, millions of Muslims from around the world fast from sunrise to sunset for 30 days, taking nourishment only after dark.

Ramada begins on the ninth month of the Islamic calendar with the specific dates changing every year. In a rare coincidence of the calendar, the 2011 holy month fell entirely in August.

During the holy month, Muslims wake up before dawn to eat a pre-fast meal, known as the Sehri or Sahoor and abstain from eating and drinking throughout the day until Iftar, when they can eat again. Along with fasting, Muslims spend more time with family and friends and to give to charity.

The purpose of fasting is to teach self-discipline, sacrifice and empathy for the poor.

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) And the Qur’an. At face value, it is an external act, but in reality its purpose is primarily to influence and affect the internal.  Although fasting is always encouraged and recommended, God has chosen a specific month where man has been commanded to fast and advised to perform a number of additional devotional acts. As will become apparent, in the fasting of Ramadan, Islam has transformed fasting from a simple, personally beneficial act into a complete, intensive program designed to transform man’s character and his relationship with God and His creation. This fundamental pillar of Islam should be understood as an institution providing education, training, social programming, and spiritual and character development.

What is Fasting?

The Arabic term sawm being used to describe Mary’s abstinence from speaking to anyone until after Jesus was born (so she wouldn’t have to defend herself from any allegations). The Arabs would also use the term when referring to a horse that refrained from running. It is from this linguistic root that Islam then religiously referred to fasting as a particular type of abstinence during a particular time period by a particular individual. This definition concisely states that fasting requires an intention to refrain from food, drink, and intercourse from the break of dawn until sunset. Furthermore, the individual who fasts must be in a state in which fasting is permissible for him. Although this explanation of fasting is what all Muslims do today, Islam acknowledges that other faiths and even the Prophet ? and his companions initially fasted in a different way. This will be explained later in the history of fasting. However, what is important to understand is the purpose behind fasting, which will be discussed in the following section.