Why do Muslims fast? Harm to health or healing from diseases? Muslims strictly observe traditions and covenants Muslim fasting when you can eat.

During the holy month of the Muslim calendar, which is called Ramadan in Arabic, or Ramadan in Turkish, Muslims are required to observe a strict fast - limit yourself to drinking, eating and intimacy.

Following the rules of Ramadan, mature people give up their passions. This is how they get rid of negativity.

The post ends with the great holiday of Uraza-Bayram.

Features and Traditions of Ramadan Fasting - What Are Iftar and Suhoor?

fasting believers test the strength of the human spirit. Compliance with the rules of Ramadan makes a person comprehend his way of life, helps to determine the main values ​​in life.

During Ramadan, a Muslim must restrict yourself not only in food, but also carnal satisfaction of their needs, as well as other addictions - for example, smoking. He must learn control yourself, your emotions.

Observing simple fasting rules, every believing Muslim should feel poor and starving, since the available benefits are often perceived as ordinary.

It is forbidden to swear in Ramadan. There is an opportunity to help the needy, the sick and the poor. Muslims believe that prayers and monthly abstinence will enrich everyone who follows the tenets of Islam.

There are two main prescriptions for fasting:

1. Follow the rules of fasting sincerely from dawn to dusk
2. Completely refrain from your passions and needs

And here are a few conditions for what a fasting person should be:

• Over 18 years old
• Muslim
• not insane
• Healthy physically

There are those for whom fasting is contraindicated, and they have the right not to observe it. These are minor children, the elderly and pregnant women, as well as those women who are menstruating or going through the time of postpartum cleansing.

Fasting Ramadan has several traditions

We list the most important:

Suhoor

Throughout Ramadan Muslims eat early in the morning, even before dawn. They believe that Allah will greatly reward such an action.

During the traditional suhoor don't overeat but you should eat enough food. Suhoor gives strength for the whole day. It helps Muslims to stay sane and not be angry, as hunger often causes anger.

If a believer does not perform suhoor, then his day of fasting remains in force, but he does not receive any reward.

Iftar

Iftar is evening meal, which is also performed during fasting. You need to start breaking the fast immediately after sunset, that is after the last day(or the fourth, penultimate prayer on that day). After Iftar follows Isha - night prayer of Muslims(the last of the five obligatory daily prayers).

What you can not eat in the post of Ramadan - all the rules and prohibitions

What to eat during Suhoor:

• Doctors recommend eating complex carbohydrates in the morning - cereal dishes, sprouted grain bread, vegetable salad. Complex carbohydrates will provide the body with energy, despite the fact that they are digested for a long time.
• Dried fruits - dates, nuts - almonds and fruits - are also suitable.

What not to eat during Suhoor

• Avoid protein foods. It takes a long time to digest, but loads the liver, which works without interruption during fasting.
• Should not be consumed
• You can not eat fried, smoked, fatty foods in the morning. They will cause unnecessary stress on the liver and kidneys.
• Refrain from eating fish during Suhoor. After it you want to drink

What not to eat in the evening after adhan

• Fatty and fried foods. It will harm health - cause heartburn, deposit extra pounds.
• Eliminate from food fast food- various cereals in bags or noodles. You won’t get enough of them and literally in an hour or two you will want to have a meal again. In addition, such products will cause appetite even more, as they contain salt and other spices.
• You can't eat sausage and sausages. It is better to exclude them from your diet during the fast of Ramadan. Sausages affect the kidneys and liver, satisfy hunger for only a few hours, and are also able to develop thirst.

Despite prohibitions and strict rules, there are benefits from fasting.:

• Rejection of carnal passions
  A person must understand that he is not a slave of his body. Fasting is a serious reason to give up intimacy. Only by refraining from sinful things can a person preserve his purity of soul.
• Self improvement
  By observing fasting, the believer is more attentive to himself. He gives birth to new character traits, such as humility, tolerance, obedience. Feeling poverty and deprivation, he becomes more resilient, gets rid of fear, more and more begins to believe and learn what was previously hidden.
• Gratitude
  Having gone through the refusal of food, a Muslim becomes closer to his Creator. He realizes that the innumerable blessings that Allah sends are given to man for a reason. The believer gains a sense of gratitude for the gifts sent.
• An Opportunity to Experience Mercy
  Fasting reminds people of the poor, and also calls to be merciful and help those in need. Having gone through this test, the believer remembers kindness and humanity, as well as the fact that everyone is equal before God.
• frugality
  Fasting teaches people to be economical, limit themselves and curb their desires.
• Strengthens health
  The benefit to the physical state of human health is manifested in the fact that the digestive system is resting. In a month, the intestines are completely cleansed of toxins, toxins and harmful substances.

Holy Ramadan timetable until 2020 - when does Ramadan fast start and end?

AT 2015 Ramadan will begin on June 18 and end on July 17.

Here are the dates of Holy Ramadan:

2016– from June 6 to July 5.
2017– from May 26 to June 25.
2018- from May 17 to June 16.
2019- from May 6 to June 5.
2020 from April 23rd to May 22nd.

Breaking the Ramadan Fast - Actions Breaking the Muslim Ramadan Fast and Punishments

It is worth noting that the rules of fasting Ramadan are valid only during the daytime. Some acts committed during fasting are considered forbidden.

Actions that interrupt the Muslim Ramadan include:

• Special or intentional meal
• Unspoken intention to fast
• Masturbation or intercourse
• Smoking
• Spontaneous vomiting
• Administration of rectal or vaginal medications

However condescension towards similar actions. Despite their similarities, they do not break the fast.

They include:

• Unintentional meal
• Administration of drugs through injections
• kisses
• Petting, if they do not lead to ejaculation
• Teeth cleaning
• blood donation
• Period
• involuntary vomiting
• Failure to perform prayers

Punishments for breaking the Ramadan fast:

Those who unintentionally who broke the fast due to illness, must on any other day spend the missed day of fasting.

For sexual intercourse performed during daylight hours, the believer is obliged to defend another 60 days of fasting, or to feed 60 needy.

If a skipping the fast is allowed by shariah need to do repentance.

One of the five pillars of Islam is fasting during the holy month of Ramadan. Muslims around the world are trying to do more good deeds on these blessed days, show mercy to others, and deepen their prayer.

From the outside, Muslims follow the clear instructions of the Holy Quran: “O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, just as it was prescribed for your predecessors - perhaps you will be afraid. You have to fast for a few days. And if any of you is sick or on a journey, then let him fast the same number of days at another time. And those who are able to fast with difficulty should feed the poor in expiation. And whoever does a good deed voluntarily, so much the better for him. But you'd better fast if you only knew! In the month of Ramadan, the Qur'an was sent down - guidance for the people, clear evidence of guidance and discernment. Those of you whom this month finds must fast. And if someone is sick or is on a journey, then let him fast the same number of days at another time. Allah desires ease for you and He does not desire hardship for you. He wants you to complete a certain number of days and praise Allah for having guided you to a straight path. Perhaps you will be grateful... You are allowed to have intercourse with your wives on the night of the fast. Your wives are your garment, and you are their garment. Allah knows that you are betraying yourselves (disobeying Allah and having sexual intercourse with your wives at night during fasting in Ramadan), and therefore He accepted your repentance and forgave you. From now on, enter into intimacy with them and strive for what Allah has prescribed for you. Eat and drink until you can distinguish the white thread of dawn from the black, and then fast until night ... "(2, 183-187).

Meanwhile, today Muslims often have to hear ridicule towards their religion because of the form of fasting adopted in it. "What kind of post do you have? Why do you not eat during the day, but indulge in passions at night? What, Allah does not see at night? Is this abstinence?"

Of course, no one obliges Muslims to respond to such blasphemous attacks. In the 109th sura of the Qur'an, it says in this connection: "You practice your religion, and I practice mine!" It is clear that such disputes will not lead to anything good. But to explain, at least, why fasting in Islam is observed in this way, I think it would be appropriate.

One of the key words in the above verses is the following: “O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, just as it was prescribed for your predecessors - perhaps you will be afraid. Based on these words, it can be assumed that the fast of Muslims should not differ in any way from the similar worship of Christians and Jews.

And in fact, if we carefully analyze both Jewish and Christian sources, we will see that initially fasting was a complete abstinence from food, drink (and some other things) during the daylight hours until dark. It is complete abstinence, and not the exclusion from your diet of certain types of food of animal origin.

Here is how fasting is described in Judaism: “During an ordinary fast, only eating and drinking were forbidden, and during important fasts, bathing, anointing, wearing shoes and sexual intercourse, as well as various types of work were not allowed; some slept on the ground, which is reminiscent of rituals of mourning... Ordinary fasts lasted from morning until dark, and especially important ones - during the day... Fasting was seen as an act of repentance, a ritual expression of regret, submission and prayer, through which one can gain the forgiveness of God. Sometimes the purpose of this ritual was to prepare for communion with God... So, in order to be rewarded with the sight of the Lord, Moses fasted for 40 days...” (Jewish newspaper, July 2006, No. 7(47) “Lent in Judaism”).

Initially, the Jews did not have fixed days of fasting, each appointed a fast for himself, or he was appointed by the elders for his people. The only exception was fasting on the day when all the people asked God for forgiveness for sins and released the goat into the wilderness (see Leviticus 16). This holiday is called Yom Kippur. And after the Babylonian captivity, days of fasting appeared, established in memory of the tragic events in the history of the Jewish people.

In Christianity, the posts were transferred from the religion of the Old Testament. Most of his life was spent in fasting by the prophet Yahya (among Christians, John the Baptist); Jesus, before entering public service with a prophetic mission, also went into the wilderness and “there he was tempted by the devil for forty days and did not eat anything in these days ...” (Gospel of Luke: 4, 2).

In the early days of the formation of Christianity, only Great Lent was known; later, Christmas, Assumption, and Lent in honor of the Apostles Peter and Paul appeared. There are also one-day fasts associated with certain days of the week and important events in the history of Christianity.

Christians themselves claim that Lent originates from that forty-day fast of Jesus in the wilderness. Naturally, due to human weakness, Christians are not prescribed complete abstinence from food and food during all forty days of fasting, but only in the first two. For the rest of the time, Christians, following their charter on fasting, must abstain from food and drink during the daytime. And only after dark they are allowed to eat food.

Unfortunately, most Christians today do not know their own instructions about fasting. Initially, there were no distinctions between fast and fast food: “In ancient times, Christians, and even monks, ate any food at any time of the year ... The ancient Christians called the word “fasting” the period of time when they did not eat anything at all and prayed especially hard. If the ancient charters say about fasting: “We fast until evening,” this means “we don’t eat anything until sunset and pray fervently” (“Presentation.” Orthodox supplement to the Karelia newspaper N 22 (62) December ´99, How to fast during Christmas Lent.

Indeed, if we open the book "Typicon", i.e. charter, then there, in the section on fasting, it is clearly stated that Christians do not eat or drink any food during fasting until Vespers is served. After that, they already have the right to eat a little food necessary to maintain strength in a person.

But precisely after Vespers, i.e. a service that takes place in the evening and ends after the sun has set. During Great Lent, Vespers is combined with the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, which is also celebrated in the evening.

Later, Christians moved the celebration of Vespers to the morning, and the celebration of Matins to the evening. Based on this, at the end of Vespers in the morning (about 10 a.m.), they can already eat food.

Of course, this is the internal business of Christians - to change the most ancient regulations about fasting. But the fact remains - since ancient times, people who believe in the One God and observe His decrees understood fasting as complete abstinence from food and water during daylight hours.

Why does fasting end in the evening and start in the morning? Most likely, no one will give an answer to this question, except Allah Himself. This is His will.

Of course, in all three monotheistic religions, the main meaning of fasting is not bodily abstinence, but perfection in prayer and good deeds. Even the prophet Isaiah in the Torah uttered such words from the Almighty: “Here is the fast that I have chosen: loosen the shackles of iniquity, untie the bonds of the yoke, and let the oppressed go free, and break every yoke; share your bread with the hungry, and bring the wandering poor into your house; when you see a naked man, clothe him, and do not hide yourself from your kindred.” (Isaiah 58:6-7).

It is the performance of works of mercy, increased attention to spiritual life that distinguishes a truly fasting person from a hypocritically fulfilling food prescriptions, no matter whether he is a Jew, a Muslim or a Christian. And therefore, this Ramadan for each of us who believe in Allah should serve as another opportunity to become more responsive to the problems of our neighbors and show the whole world that Islam is indeed the only religion of truth that brings peace and submission to the will of the Almighty rather than destruction. .

Pathology of Islamophobia
Answer by Vladislav Sokhin
Yuri Maksimov

Over the past month, few people have given their assessment of the fact why I, a former Orthodox priest, voluntarily asked the Orthodox Church to no longer consider me either a clergyman or a Christian and converted to Islam. Of course, such a case is still unusual for Russia, but it is by no means the second, as many media outlets are trying to present today. In addition to Ali Vyacheslav Polosin and me, Islam was accepted by three more ministers of the Russian Orthodox Church, as well as a large number of Christians.

But for Muslims, statistics are not important, we are not former Komsomol functionaries who today, on behalf of Christianity, are trying to arrange a kind of “social competition”: who will lead more neophytes to which church. Islam is not some kind of church or sect, but the world's true religion, and for Islam, not quantity, but quality is important.

Superstitions, like hypocrites, we do not need. We do not show mercy to God by accepting Islam, but God shows mercy by accepting us into Islam.

Therefore, the ummah cherishes those people who themselves seek the truth, acquire knowledge themselves. We are not like those unfortunate Christian missionaries who for centuries forcibly converted and are now converting people to Christianity, promising them some material benefits, or quickly baptizing thousands of people who do not even know the Creed, the prayer "Our Father" and have never read New Testament.

Therefore, the anger towards those who voluntarily and consciously, relying on the baggage of knowledge, chooses Islam, on the part of some functionaries of religious institutions is special. Therefore, professional writers of libels do not skimp on digging through dirty linen, citing unthinkable arguments about why a person voluntarily ceased to associate himself with the "religion of the majority." Entire "studies" on the topic of "underwear" are written.

I could not resist the temptation to delve into dirty linen and the teacher of the Moscow Theological Academy, Yuri Maksimov. On a typical missionary site, where a call for one's religion is a drop in a sea of ​​dirty insults to the religions of his gentile compatriots, he posted the article "The Anatomy of Treason." In it, according to him, he "with God's help" gave "exhaustive answers" and refuted "all claims and questions to Christianity", published by me earlier. Once I remembered the words of the gospel Jesus Christ (peace be upon him): “Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 14:11).

But did he really answer all the questions of the “former priest”, and with him many Muslims? Or is he even more mired in his inherent hatred of Islam, Judaism and other religions, in order to hear the coveted ringing of coins flying into his ark?

Maksimov reproached me for the fact that, due to family circumstances, I received part of the spiritual education in absentia. But for this it was created and blessed by the church. It turns out that Maximov, instead of being an "obedient and humble sheep" in the "flock of Christ", rebels against the hierarchy, rejects its establishment. And Maksimov's pride is by no means limited to this.

One of the first arguments against me, he cites my youth and rapid advancement in the church ladder. Maximov, in his defense of the viciousness of early consecration to the priesthood, without noticing, stepped too far - he even forgot that the current Patriarch Alexy II, contrary to the rules of church councils, became a priest at the age of 21!

And if we keep in mind his accusation against Ali Vyacheslav Polosin that he violated church canons by becoming a People's Deputy of Russia in 1990, then I think he followed the examples of the late Patriarch Pimen and the current Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexy II, who became People's Deputies of the USSR in 1989 (Alexy II was then a metropolitan, a year later he became a patriarch, after which he was a deputy for another year and a half).

What is Ramadan?

Every year for a Muslim comes a special time - Ramadan. Ramadan is the 9th month of the Islamic lunar calendar. Muslims observe a fast from dawn to dusk, which consists in complete abstinence from food, drink, intimacy and evil deeds. Acts of worship such as extra prayers, recitation of the Qur'an and charity are especially encouraged during Ramadan.

People of different cultures have different traditions in Ramadan, whether it's the food they cook or iftars. Islamic spiritual values, such as generosity, compassion, mercy, are the basis of all these traditions, such as inviting guests, distributing food, etc.

What makes Ramadan special?

The Holy Quran was sent down in Ramadan.

Ramadan marks the most sacred and significant night of the year - the Night of Predestination or Laylatul-Qadr. On this night, the first verses of the Qur'an were sent down. The exact date of the Night of Destiny is unknown, but it is known that it falls on an odd number of the last ten days of Ramadan. It is believed that Laylatul-Qadr is the most sacred and significant night of the year.

When is Ramadan?

Every year, Ramadan moves forward 11 days. This is because the Muslim calendar is based on the phases of the moon. Ramadan begins with the phase of the new moon. When determining the time of the month of Ramadan, visual observation is the basis, but when this is not possible, then it is allowed to use astronomical calculations. This year Ramadan starts on May 27th.

Why do Muslims fast in Ramadan?

Fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam. The Qur'an says that every Muslim must fast. The main reason why Muslims fast is the desire for the pleasure of Allah and the desire to fulfill His command. In addition, fasting is not only abstaining from food, but also from everything bad, a manifestation of humility, patience, enslavement of one's nafs.

Do daily fasting times vary by country?

There are about 1.6 billion Muslims in the world, but they fast for varying amounts of hours during Ramadan. Some Muslims fast more than others, depending on where they live and the length of the day. For example, the shortest fast for Muslims in Australia is 9 hours, while Muslims in Sweden and Iceland fast for more than 20 hours.

What kind of worship is performed only in Ramadan?

In addition to the obligatory fasting, which can only be observed in Ramadan, a special prayer is performed this month - tarawih. Tarawih prayer is an obligatory Sunnah of the Messenger (peace be upon him) and is read after Isha prayer before the morning at 8 or 20 rak'ahs.

Why do Muslims fast?

In the fight against excess weight, most of us have experienced some form of abstinence from food. The abundance of diets today allows you to choose the one you like: sugar-free, water, fruit ... But a complete rejection of food from dawn to dusk throughout the month can cause surprise and bewilderment. Especially when entire nations are fasting: young and old, poor and rich, adults and children. What else, besides a shortened working day, is the beauty of Ramadan? Isn't such a post too harsh? Maybe in Ramadan Muslims barely touch work, only fast and sleep during the day? Do they sleep at night and feast? What is the point of this month?

Fasting is prescribed in every religion

In Russian, fasting means voluntary abstinence from a certain type of food, or food in general, observed by believers. Fasting is practiced in almost all religions of the world. For example, in Hinduism. "Upavaasa" - fasting of pious Hindus on special occasions, as a sign of reverence for personal gods and repentance. This tradition is followed by most devout Hindus. On fasting days, they either do not eat anything, or get by with fruits, simple light food ... The Jews fast on Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement, celebrated on the tenth day of the month of Tishrei, completing ten days of repentance). On this day, it is forbidden to eat, drink, bathe, wear leather clothes and shoes, and have sexual intercourse. In addition, the ban on work, as on Shabbat, also applies to Yom Kippur. And Moses (peace be upon him), according to the Torah, also fasted:

“And Moses stayed there with the Lord forty days and forty nights, neither eating bread nor drinking water” (Exodus 34:28)

Catholics fast during Great Lent as a symbol of the forty-day fast of Jesus (peace be upon him). In the fourth century, a weekly fast preceded Easter or Holy Week. And already in the seventh century, this fast was extended to forty days. The New Testament mentions the fasting of Jesus (peace be upon him):

“…and having fasted forty days and forty nights, he became hungry at last” (Matthew 4:2; Luke 4:3)

This is what the Lord means when he says in the Quran:

“O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, just as it was prescribed for your predecessors, so that you may be afraid” (Quran 2:283)

One of the best righteous deeds

While in most religions fasting is observed as a cleansing from sins, in Islam this type of worship has a different goal - drawing closer to God. The recognition of the Lord precedes righteousness, and therefore, fasting is of great importance in Islam. When Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was asked:

"Which business is the best?" He replied: “Fasting, for nothing compares to it.”(Al-Nasai)

Fasting in Islam has many levels. Even doing the same thing, Muslims fast in different ways. In other words, fasting is observed at different levels. Below we will discuss some of the main levels.

Different sides of the post

ritual level

A person at this level observes all the rules of fasting: abstains from food, drink and sexual intercourse for 29-30 days annually. A person at this level does not discern the spiritual side of fasting. This is the lowest level that must be present for fasting to be considered correct from an Islamic point of view. Of course, there is also a spiritual advantage at this level - for following the prescription of God. However, don't be content with just that. After all, fasting is much more than just observing traditions. And the ritual level cannot serve as a cleansing of the soul from sins.

"Physical" level

At this level, a person also seeks to receive physical benefits from fasting, i.e. get rid of excess weight, improve well-being. Naturally, he does not abuse food. The pangs of hunger and thirst make a person think about fasting, as it should be according to the Sunnah. Before dawn, the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) took only light food, and interrupted the fast with a moderate amount of food. He carefully avoided overeating. As it came in the hadith:

“Never has a man filled a vessel worse than his own womb! A few pieces of food are enough for the son of Adam, thanks to which he will be able to maintain his strength, and if it is inevitable for him to eat more, let a third of his stomach be for eating, a third for drinking, and another third for ease of breathing ”(Ibn Maja).

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to break his fast with a few fresh or dried dates and a glass of water right before the start of the prayer. At this level, hunger and thirst during fasting generates a sense of compassion for the starving and dying of thirst and hunger in other parts of the world.

Medicinal properties of fasting

On a physical level, fasting affects neurotransmitter- a chemical transmitter of impulses between nerve cells, and contributes to the release endorphin- the hormone of happiness. This is similar to the effect of physical exercise. Doctors have also confirmed the beneficial effects of fasting on health. For example, during fasting, the human body uses up accumulated cholesterol, which reduces the risk of a heart attack. The difference between ritual level 1 and physical level 2 is that fasting 1 can eat a lot on suhoor(food taken before sunrise to maintain strength throughout the day) and iftar(breaking the fast), and not feel hunger and thirst all month of Ramadan. But fasting at level 2 cannot be considered complete either. Without the spiritual side, fasting can turn into a simple exhaustion of the body. As the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

« A person may get nothing from fasting but hunger and thirst.”(Ibn Maja).

Fasting levels: libidinal, emotional, psychological and spiritual.

libidinal level

At this level, a person learns to cope with the sexual instinct and arousal. Today, when the media uses a person's sexual desires as an opportunity to promote and sell certain products, the ability to control oneself is especially important. Fasting contributes not only to the physical but also to the mental reduction of arousal, since the fasting person is forced to avoid everything that can cause sexual desire. Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

"Youth! May those of you who can marry do it! Because it will save the eye from sin and help to remain pious. Whoever is unable to do this, let him fast. Because it will help him overcome his temptation. » (Sahih Al-Bukhari)

Those who are able to restrain themselves from permitted intimacy during fasting will not find it difficult to refrain from prohibited sexual intercourse outside of fasting.

Emotional level

Here a person learns to keep locked up the negative emotions languishing in the head and heart. As you know, one of the most destructive feelings is anger. Fasting helps to cope with it. As the hadith says:

“When one of you is fasting, let him avoid unseemly deeds and useless talk. And if someone starts offending him or arguing with him, let him say: “I will fast” (Sahih Al-Bukhari)

So, at this level, a fasting person should refrain from all kinds of negative emotions: meaningless conversations and heated arguments. Even if the fasting person is convinced that he is right, by leaving the dispute, he will only win. During fasting, it is easy to tame even jealousy and envy, since everyone follows the same precept and no one can stand out in any way.

Psychological level

The psychological level helps to cope with stinginess and greed. The Messenger of Allah reported:

“Allah needs neither hunger nor thirst for a person who does not restrain himself from lying even while fasting.” (Sahih al-Bukhari)

In our age, when, it would seem, everything in the world is designed to satisfy any needs and wishes of a person and, moreover, immediately, the ability to delay receiving pleasure or reward is truly a great thing. This is where patience is required. Fasting is a great opportunity to learn patience.

According to psychologists, sometimes it is useful to abstract from the material goods of this world. Naturally, there is nothing wrong with enjoying a life of full prosperity, just the mundane should not become the main thing in our existence. And fasting just helps to get rid of such addictions. Food, for example, is a pleasure for many. For such people, abstaining from it, if not a feat, then a very big plus, which means a sense of contentment with their own restraint.

Spiritual Level

The highest and most important level. The level where a person feels a connection with God. To climb it, you need to renew your intention before each day of fasting. Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:

“If a person does not intend to fast before dawn, then his fast will not be counted” (Abu Dawud)

We renew our intention every day, which means that every day we re-set ourselves to observe the fast. Thus, fasting is not limited to external abstinence from food, but turns into something spiritual. It is at this level that fasting purifies the souls of people. Hadith:

“Whoever fasts in Ramadan sincerely and strives to receive a reward from God, his former sins will be forgiven”

« Between one and the other Ramadan - atonement for sins»

Sincere fasting brings you closer to the Lord. A special reward has been prepared for him. The Messenger of Allah reported about the gate in Paradise called Ryan, through which the fasting people will pass:

"In Ramadan, the gates of Paradise are open" (Sahih Al-Bukhari)

Fasting initially occurs only between a person and God, because no one can know for sure that he is fasting. The Prophet Muhammad reported the words of the Lord about this:

“Every act of the sons of Adam is for themselves, except for fasting. Fasting is only for Me, and only I will reward him for this. (Sahih Muslim)

The spiritual level, having united with the rest, changes a person from the inside: it revives his spirituality and transforms his essence. Such is the great reward for having a sincere conviction and having God in your heart.

On the first day of the new month, after the appearance of the new moon, Muslims celebrate Eid al-Fitr. In the early morning they perform a full bath, put on their best clothes and rush to the common prayer. Then they visit relatives and friends. Also on this day, it is customary to give alms to the needy - Zakat al-Fitr (a certain amount of the most common food in the area).

Muslims fast not only on Ramadan. six days of the month shaual, every Monday and Thursday, the ninth and tenth or tenth and eleventh of the month of Muharram are the days on which it is also desirable to fast. Fasting on the tenth day of Muharram is shared by Muslims (Ashura) and Jews (Yom Kippur). To be different from the People of the Book, God commanded Muslims to fast two days in a row (not just that day).

While fasting in itself is considered one of the best forms of worship in Islam, continuous fasting is as forbidden as monasticism, celibacy, or any other form of complete renunciation of the world. Fasting on the days of two holidays - Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha (the feast of sacrifice) - is strictly prohibited.

Dr. Bilal Philips

Question:

Peace to you! I am not a Muslim myself, but I am interested in Islam. And I am interested in this question: why are Muslims not only allowed to eat, but also drink during fasting? A person can live without food for a long time, but it is very difficult to live without water - after all, our body consists of 2/3 of water. Is there any explanation for this prohibition in your religion?

Answer:

And peace to you. Thank you for your question.

The topic of fasting is of interest not only to many non-Muslims, but also to those Muslims who have recently converted to Islam, so they were not previously familiar with the rules of Islamic fasting.

I remember that I myself fasted for the first time in Ramadan, not yet being a Muslim. I had many Muslim students at school, and I wanted to express my solidarity with them in this way.

Then it was hard for me to believe that next year I myself would become a Muslim and would fast as a Muslim.

Your question, therefore, is very close to me - when I first started fasting, I found that during the daytime I was not so much hungry as much thirsty.

In the Qur'an we find the following verse:

“We sent down from the sky water in measure (i.e. rain) and soaked the earth with it, and, verily, it is in Our power to evaporate it.

With the help of water We have grown for you palm groves and vineyards, where many fruits that you eat grow for your needs. (23, 18-19).

Water is just one of the many gifts of the Creator that we take for granted in our lives. Just think how many times we use water in one day (we not only drink water, but we wash ourselves with it, wash our clothes, clean our house, cook food, wash dishes, use it in industry, etc.).

During Ramadan, we are ordered to give up some of the blessings that the Almighty has endowed us with (from food, drink and the love of our spouses) for a while - precisely so that we can better feel the full importance of these things.

If we are deprived of some things that are important to us for a while, we begin to appreciate them more when we finally regain them. All Muslims will confirm how tasty and valuable for them the first sip of water at sunset, when you can finally open the post. This water seems to us tastier than the most exquisite dishes.

In Ramadan, we also thank Allah for the rain - at other times of the year it can irritate us, but at this time, when we are deprived of water, we rejoice at the opportunity to refresh ourselves.

In times of difficulty, it is easier for us to sympathize with those people who are deprived of such an opportunity - to eat and drink when they want. How many people on Earth live in places where ordinary water is a rarity, and every sip of it is hard to come by.

All of the above, however, is only an introduction to the story of why Muslims fast. We don't do this to keep fit or experience some unusual spiritual states. We fast because our Lord - Allah Almighty ordered us to do this. Fasting is one of the so-called. "five pillars" of Islam, belief in which is required of all Muslims:

We read in the Quran:

“Whoever of you finds the month of Ramadan in which the Qur'an was sent down - the true guide for people, the clarification of the straight path and the distinction [between truth and falsehood], let him spend it by fasting. And if someone is sick or on a journey, then let him fast the same number of days in another month. Allah desires ease for you, not difficulty, desires that you complete the number of days [defined for fasting], and that you exalt Allah for guiding you to the true path. Perhaps you will thank Him." (2, 185).

Islam is a very wise and practical religion, it takes into account all possible life situations. If a person lives in his area, he must fast, but he is released from fasting if he is on the road or sick (as can be seen from the above verse).

The very command to fast also follows from the Qur'an:

“Oh, you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, just as it was prescribed for those who lived before you - perhaps you will become God-fearing. (2, 183).

Muslims fast because it is the command of Allah, they observe it in order to achieve the pleasure of their Lord.

In fact, fasting is a complete abstinence from basic human needs - food, drink and relationships between the sexes, during the daylight hours - from dawn to dusk.

Also - which is very important, fasting is not only physical abstinence, it is also a moral abstinence from all bad habits (like smoking) and bad deeds - like quarrels, gossip, slander. At this time, it is important to abandon even bad thoughts - envy, hatred, ill will. From one abstinence will not be useful if a person at this time quarrels with someone or wishes evil to another. Our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said that such a person will not get anything from fasting, except that by the end of the day he will suffer from hunger and thirst.

So, as I tried to explain to you earlier, we refuse to fast even from water. Sometimes this is easy to do (for example, in the cool season), but if there is a summer heat in the yard, this is a very significant sacrifice. Especially towards the end of the day of fasting, when you start to feel tired and sleepy. But if a person knows that he is doing it for the sake of Allah, it is easier for him to endure hardships.

Moreover, what is such a small sacrifice worth compared to the suffering of people in many parts of the Earth - many of whom live in constant hunger and thirst, someone has lost their homes and property - and possibly their loved ones - as a result of hostilities. If we think of all these people, it is much easier for us to sacrifice our comforts by giving up food and water for a little while.

When it is time to break the fast, Muslims gather with their families and friends to open the fast, thanking Allah for His gifts of food and water, which we do not notice during normal times of the year.

So fasting in Ramadan is an extremely useful and important thing when we learn to be grateful to Allah, try to become better and feel oneness with our brothers and sisters in faith.

Hope I was able to answer your question.