The Pros And Cons Of Fasting In Islam

To be a Muslim, one has to follow five religious duties: 1. Repeat a creed about Allah and Muhammad; 2. Recite certain prayers in Arabic five times a day; 3. Give to the needy; 4. One month each year, fast from food, drink, sex and smoking from sunrise to sunset; 5. Pilgrimage once in one's lifetime to worship at a shrine in Mecca (Adamson). These beliefs affect daily life from praying five times a day to financial giving. The interface between the divine and humanity is not only contact but a way of life.

The forth pillar of faith is referred to as Sawm. From sunrise to sunset during the month of Ramadan adult Muslim’s are expected to partake in fasting. This means they mustn’t eat, drink, smoke or have sexual intercourse within the hours of daylight. Instead one should take the time to prayer reflect or meditate. Participating in fasting Muslim’s learns the traits of self-control, sympathy and discipline. These are important qualities for all Muslims to have, as the principal belief of Al-Akhira is that we humans, despite God’s will, have the freedom of choice. This way Muslim’s are able to exercise this belief during fasting. Ramadan is the celebration of the first revelation of the Qur’an given directly through the prophet Muhammad, therefore it is a sacred time of special significance to all Muslim’s. Kutubu’llah is the name given to the principal belief in God’s revelation to humans in holy books. The breaking of the fast is a significant part of Sawm, it is the time after sunset when Muslims can enjoy their achievement in fasting. Gathering together among friends and family they may share and light meal and celebrate their self-control and strength throughout the day. This small act highlights

The first of the Five Pillars of Islam that had correlates to Judaism was faith. In the Islamic religion, faith was a matter of only worshipping one god, who is the God, alongside his envoy, Muhammad (“Five” 1989). The common command from God to only worship him was seen within Judaism as well. The second of The 10 Commandments, presented to Moses atop Mt. Sinai, was to have no false idols. The commandment presents the same idea, that there is only one god, and that is the only god who the Muslims and Jews should worship (“Commandments” 2015). Although faith was an important practice of the two religions, the fasting was a tradition that showed devotion to god even more.

Islam was thus born and Mohammad wrote about the revelations into a book that is known today as the Qur’an. Within the Qur’an, there are many stories about how Muslims are supposed to live their lives and the way it guides them to the divine revelation. There are five pillars of practice in Islam and must be taken seriously in order to be considered a true Muslim. The first pillar is the testimony of faith which means that there is only one God and no one else besides him. The second pillar is prayer and Muslims pray five times a day and face towards Mecca each time they pray. The third pillar is giving or zakat, which is when Muslims give to the poor and those less fortunate. The fourth pillar is fasting during the month of Ramadan. The last and final pillar is the pilgrimage to Mecca that Muslims must make at least once in their life. Islam is a respected religion and just like Judaism is still practiced

Christians believe in prayer, worship in church, bible study, acts of charity and communion will is following the teachings of the Holy Bible. Muslims follow the belief of the five pillars of Islam; Allah is God and Muhammad is the prophet, prayer, charity, pilgrimage and fasting during Ramadan (Hadith on Belief, Volume 1, Book 2, Number 7). The two religions also affirm that God sends angels and prophets to convey messages to his people and through inspired scriptures reveals his divine will. They also believe in the judgement day when God will intervene in the history of mankind and determine their eternal lives depending on personal beliefs and actions. Both religions believe in the power of prayer and fasting as taught by their earlier prophets.

The writer also gives other explainations of the religion and of true Muslims to support the fact that not all Muslims reflect those Muslims shown through the media. In the essay, it is explained that a Muslim must complete and practice the five pillars of Islam to become a true Muslim. A true submitter to the faith must (1) practice the Shahadah: a testimony to the unity of God, (2) participate in Salah: daily prayers, five times a day, (3) partake in Zakat or almsgiving: giving back to Allah by giving to the needy, (4) sawm or fast from sunrise to sunset during the Ramadan: the month of

Muslims refrain from eating, drinking for thirty days from dawn until sunset. At sunset, every Muslim should break their fast at a special meal called iftar. Many Muslims like to start with the date at iftar time because it was the prophet’s custom.

The key features of the religion of Islam were hard to define in such a short paper. I find myself fascinated with the Muslim belief system and their celebratory festivals. The more I have read Muslims, the more I have come to understand that our religions have a lot in common. As a Christian, I believe there is only one God as stated in Deuteronomy 6:4-5(NIV Bible). Muslims also believe there is only one God (Qur’an 3:18). We have our celebrations of faith via communion, prayer, Good Friday, Easter, and Christmas (the birth of Christ). Muslims have Ramadan, Eid-al-Fir, Dhu Al-Hijja, Eid-al-adha, The first day of Muharram, The twelfth day of Rabi I, and Mirajun Nabi. Our Christian rituals and beliefs are only different to Muslims, by the mere name or style in which we carry out our worship services.

This paper explores the religion, history, and food culture of Egypt. It discusses the geographic setting and environment that affects the food availability and water supply for the Muslims. The distinct eating and dietary habits are explained and how they have evolved into modern society. Also, Egypt’s national food is listed along with the history behind it. Lastly, the paper explores the different holiday and religious celebrations that Muslims celebrate and what foods are consumed during each feast.

The fourth pillar of the Five Pillars of Islam is fasting during Ramadan. Ramadan is a sacred holiday in the Muslim faith. It falls in the ninth month of the Muslim calendar and is a celebration of Muhammad’s first revelations from God. During the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn until dusk. This continues until the end of the month, when a celebratory feast

Islam is defined as, “the monotheistic religion based on the doctrine of submission to God and of Muhammad as the last chief and prophet of God”(Dictionary 720). There are multiple practices included in the religion of Islam, similar to any other religion. Compared to Christianity or Judaism, when one follows Islam, one must follow The Five Pillars of Islam and the rules and circumstances of the worshipping practices. In addition, depending on the branch one is apart of, they may have to follow laws enforced by different prophets as well. One’s lifestyle will change because when following Islamic faith, their religious life is their main priority. Meaning, a Muslim makes the commitment to the practices one-hundred

The final pillar is fasting. Fasting is best when it is done three days a month and during the whole month of Ramadan (HB 2: 274). When someone is ill or on a journey, they can fast the same number of days later when they return or when they are healthy again

For my paper I decided to choose the religion of Islam. I decided to pick this religion because of its fast growing rate. It is also different from what I am used to growing up with, so I was interested in learning more. I had learned some basic facts after the 9/11 event, but the Muslim religion and culture was still a mystery to me. Picking this topic has helped me learn more about Muslims and will help me better relate to them in my future work.

This passage from “Fasting, Feasting” by Anita Desai contrasts American and Indian cultures. Desai does this by showing the effects of culture shock on Arun, an Indian foreign exchange student living in America. Indian culture raises young boys to learn and think; whereas America, Arun’s new home, emphasizes action over thought. Arun has a hard time adjusting to his new environment, and his rigidity affects his quality of life. Desai makes use of literary devices to reveal a lonesome boy in unfamiliar surroundings. This boy, because of his foreign values and culture, is uninclined to leave the comforts of certainty.

“Honey, fasting is a day-long commitment. Also, it is more than not eating or drinking anything.” It took a long time for me to satisfy my mom; however, I was allowed to start my first fast. Furthermore, my first Ramadan experience taught me more than not eating or drinking for a religious value; in fact, it disclosed me to a book of principles to live by, making family unity, patience and consistency, and respect and contribution a part of my individuality.