“O, you who believe, fasting is compulsory for you, similar to the\npeoples prior to you, may you become pious.” (The Holy Quran 2:183)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are verses in the Torah and the\nBible about fasting(1). There are contemporary Jews and Christians that fast\nsome days in different variations during a year. They either abstain from meat,\nor abstain from eating altogether(2). The Holy Quran narrates the story of\nZakaria\u2019s (3) (PBUH) fasting and the fasting of Lady Maryam(4) Deuteronomy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Looking at the pages of history we see\nfasting among the pagans too. For example, fasting had existed among the\nancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans, or even the pagan Hindus, each according\nto their own tradition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The pagans fasted in order to attain\nto their gods\u2019 satisfaction; when they committed a crime they fasted so that\nthe anger of their gods get eased, or for their needs be granted. This kind of\nfasting can be regarded as a form of compensation or transactional exchange;\nthe fasting person provides for the need and satisfaction of the deity so that\nin return his needs and satisfaction be granted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In Islam, however, the logic of\nfasting is different. In Islam, fasting is not like a form of a transaction or\ncompensation. For the status of the Creator is beyond being needy or\nimpressionable; the Almighty is free from any imperfection or defection.\nTherefore, the result of creature\u2019s obedience is aimed for himself, similar to\nthe sins which their vice affects the sinners themselves, and this is what the\nHoly Quran emphasizes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWere you to do virtuous\nactions, your goodness will return to yourselves, and were you to do vice, you\nhave done vice to yourselves.\u201d(5)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Holy Quran in regards to fasting\npoints to the fact that the result of fasting is piety, and affirms the return\nof the effects of obedience to the performer. (6)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Few can doubt the result of piety.\nEvery human being knows by his conscience that if he wants to move forward in\nthe path of perfection the first thing he should do is to control his self\nagainst permissiveness, abstain from desires, and understand that worldly life\nis not the aim, and abstain from anything that hinders his approach to God. This\npiety can be reached only by means of fasting and abstaining from desires.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of the most well-known methods of\nspiritual diets available to the people of all ages is the withdrawal from a\ndesire that afflicts everyone, i.e. the desire of eating and drinking, as well\nas the sexual desire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If the humans abstain from these for\nsome time, gradually their resistance toward the sins will get fortified, and\nthey will be able to master and control their will. They will not fall prey to\nevery sin and will not lose perseverance in approaching God\u2019s satisfaction.\nFor, obviously, the person who obeys the call for abstaining from eating,\ndrinking and sex will be more suitable for obeying God in avoiding sins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
(The above is a\nselection from “Al-Mizaan(7)” by Late Scholar Sayyed Muhammad Hussain\nTabatabae’i, with minor changes)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Roshd website congratulates the\narrival of the holy month of Ramadan, the spring for human spiritual growth,\nand the month for reading and contemplating Quran to all Muslims. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Roshd Islamic Shia website<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Footnotes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. In the\nDictionary of the holy Book it is found that: \u201cfasting is found among every\ntribe and nation, during the times of hardship and sorrow in the course of of\nhistory. (Dictionary of the Holy Book p. 40)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The available Torah and Bible confirm\nthe fact that fasting has been practiced among the Jews and Christians, as well\nas other peoples when facing sorrow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Furthermore it is read in the Torah\nthat Moses (PBUH) fasted for 40 days. (Deuteronomy, Chapter 9, No. 9)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Jews fasted when they aimed for\nremorse and repentance. The Dictionary of the Holy Book says \u201cthe Jews, when\nthey had the time for showing humbleness to God, fasted to confess to their\nsins and thereby attain his satisfaction.\u201d It mentions \u201cthe Great fast of\natonement\u201d and other temporary fasts. (Dictionary of the Holy Book, p 428)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bible also mentions that Jesus (PBUH)\nhas fasted for 40 days. (Matthew, Chapter 4, verse 1) Also the Bible Luke\nmentions that the Apostles fasted too. (Bible Luke, Chapter 4, verse 33-35) The\nlives of the Apostles and the previous believers were full of abstinence and\nfasting. (Dictionary of the Holy Book, p 428)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2- Fasting among\nthe Jews: the Jews have two forms of fasting, compulsory and recommended. The\ncompulsory fasts include the Day of Atonement fast, the Gdrya fast, the ninth\nday Ab, etc, each according to events happened during the history of the Jews.\nThe volunteer fasts include: the bride and groom fast in the first day of their\nmutual life. Fasting on Mondays and Thursdays; fasting in the death anniversary\nof their parents or religious figures or during natural disasters that usually\nis practiced communally. (Acquaintance to the Jewish, p. 72)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fasting among the Christians: the most\nimportant Christian days for fasting, which all of them are volunteer fasting\ninclude: the Wednesday fast (the day in which conspiracy was planned for Jesus\n(PBUH)); the Friday fast (the day in which Jesus (PBUH) was crucified); the\nbirthday fast that is 43 days until the birthday of Jesus Christ (PBUH); etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the New Testament there is no\nindication for the time of fasting, and it is not made compulsory. But\napparently fasting has been common among the students of Christ. (For example\nMatthew 18\/21)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
3. The Holy\nQuran, (3:41)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
4. The Holy\nQuran, (19:26)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
5. The Holy\nQuran, (17:7)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
6. The Holy\nQuran, (2:183)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
7. The\ninterpretation of the Holy Quran, 2:183.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
“O, you who believe, fasting is compulsory for you, similar to the peoples prior to you, may you become pious.” (The Holy Quran 2:183) There are verses in the Torah and the Bible about fasting(1). There are contemporary Jews and Christians that fast some days in different variations during a year. They either abstain from […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28248,28437],"tags":[25719,18060,21693,25720,18131,21297,18418,25718,17943,22718,25566],"class_list":["post-4994","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-occasional-letters","category-the-holy-month-of-ramadan","tag-2014-06-29","tag-believe","tag-christians","tag-egyp","tag-holy","tag-jews","tag-occasion-letters","tag-practicing-obedience","tag-quran","tag-similar","tag-the-holy-month-of-ramadan"],"yoast_head":"\n