Fasting

D

danielmahmood

New member
Peace all

2:183 "O you who heed warning: fasting is prescribed for you - as it was prescribed for those before you, that you might be in prudent fear"

Fasting is a very important action for physical, spiritual and mental health. I have linked two videos to brother Sam Gerrans channel on fasting as well as one video to brother Said Mirza's channel




I think a thread on fasting/ diet/ lifestyle will be beneficial as it'll keep people accountable and ensure we don't fall into gluttony
 
Peace brother Daniel,

Recently, I have been researching fasting in the Qur'an. I have some doubts now as to whether the fasting in the Qur'an has to do with abstaining from food/drink. There are a couple of reasons for this: there is no example of fasting from food/drink in the Qur'an of previous believers. And if we consider the Qur'an to be complete, it should furnish us with an example. We have an example, in the case of Mary, in which it explicitly states:

“So eat thou, and drink thou, and let thine eye be comforted; and if thou see any mortal, say thou: ‘I have vowed to the Almighty a fast, so I will not speak this day to any man.’”
(19:26)
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I am leaning towards the understanding that we are to abstain from sexual intercourse from morning to night and to dedicate ourself in calling to God and reading the Qur'an for a number of days. We can eat and drink, if we so wish. That is what a repeated reading of the following passage leads me to believe:

O you who heed warning: fasting (siyaam) is prescribed for you: — as it was prescribed for those before you, that you might be in prudent fear —

For days numbered. And whoso among you is sick or on a journey: then a number of other days. And for those who are able to do it is a redemption: feeding a needy person. And whoso does good voluntarily, it is better for him. And that you fast is better for you, if you would know.

A moon of scorching heat was that in which the Qur’an was sent down, a guidance for mankind, and clear signs of the guidance and the Division[...]. So whoso among you witnesses the moon, let him fast in it. And whoso of you is sick or on a journey: then a number of other days. God desires for you ease, and He desires not for you hardship; but that you complete the number; and that you magnify God for guiding you; and that you might be grateful.

And when My servants ask thee concerning Me: “I am near.” I respond to the call of the caller when he calls to Me. So let them respond to Me, and let them believe in Me, that they might be guided.

It is made lawful for you on the night of the fast to go in unto your women. They are a covering for you, and you are a covering for them. God knows that you deceived yourselves, so He turned towards you and pardoned you; so now lie with them and seek what God has prescribed for you. And eat and drink until clear to you be the white thread from the black thread of the dawn. Then complete the fast until night. And lie with them not when you remain in the places of worship. Those are the limits of God, so approach them not. Thus does God make plain His proofs to men, that they might be in prudent fear.

And consume not your wealth among yourselves in vanity, neither offer it to the authorities that you might consume part of the property of the people through sin, when you know.
(2:183-188)
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In my native language (Bengali), the term for fasting is"Upabas." The term combines "Bas," meaning staying, and "Upa," meaning near or next to, translating to staying near or next to. But what are we staying close to? We are staying close to our inner divine essence. The practice of Upabas is more about a spiritual journey towards divinity (God) than just a physical act of staying near. During Upabas, a believing person, surrounded by purity and committed to pure actions and thoughts, strives to draw as close to the divine as possible. Therefore, minimizing one's bodily activities, but not completely stopping it, naturally supports the pursuit of purity in both action and thought during periods of fasting.

Chapter 2 Verse 183 :

O you who heed warning:fasting is prescribed for you: — as it was prescribed for those before you, that you might be in prudent fear
 
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I can tell you from personal experience that I have fasted many years (like the Muslims) for 30 days when I was younger, and the only thing it did for me was make me hungry and irritable. I did not gain prudent fear of God. However, a repeated reading of the Qur'an in seclusion has made me more aware of my obligations to God and feel firmer in regards to the Day of Judgment.
 
Therefore, the proper approach is to minimize rather than completely stop bodily activities, or in other words practice moderation. Acts of fasting serve as reflective exercises designed to ensure that a believer remains on the straight path and can self-correct, ultimately drawing closer to God.
 
saidmirza said:
I can tell you from personal experience that I have fasted many years (like the Muslims) for 30 days when I was younger, and the only thing it did for me was make me hungry and irritable. I did not gain prudent fear of God. However, a repeated reading of the Qur'an in seclusion has made me more aware of my obligations to God and feel firmer in regards to the Day of Judgment.
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I thought it was to help us get rid of toxic overload?
 
saidmirza said:
Peace brother Daniel,

Recently, I have been researching fasting in the Qur'an. I have some doubts now as to whether the fasting in the Qur'an has to do with abstaining from food/drink. There are a couple of reasons for this: there is no example of fasting from food/drink in the Qur'an of previous believers. And if we consider the Qur'an to be complete, it should furnish us with an example. We have an example, in the case of Mary, in which it explicitly states:



I am leaning towards the understanding that we are to abstain from sexual intercourse from morning to night and to dedicate ourself in calling to God and reading the Qur'an for a number of days. We can eat and drink, if we so wish. That is what a repeated reading of the following passage leads me to believe:
Click to expand...
In 19:26 both Gerrans and Asad indicate that the fast is one of speech, not food or drink.
 

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To the best of my understanding,"Saum" is the traning to remain resilient at the time of scorching hardship and difficulties(Ramdan).
Abstaining from eating doesn't make us resilient or lead us to prudent fear of God.
 
Barge said:
2:184
Sorry I don't know how to attach this but it says at the end that fasting is good for us.
Maybe it means both verbally and physically, as both are good for us?
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Fasting is definitely good for us. Both verbally and physically.
Sometimes I find my best prayer times are when I sit with No words! I just sit and listen.
Physical fasting has been used in Russia for healing for many years. Apparently there is much science that has been documented. I heard a doctor called Natasha Campbell McBride say that when she was a child growing up in Russia if she got sick she was sent to one of the many health sanitariums where healing regimes consisted of nourishing foods, fresh air, lots of sleep and sometimes fasting.
The Western doctors love to hand out pharmaceuticals but there is much to be said for these ancient healing practices ❤️
 
Starving is the ancient ritual of pagan Quresh.
After the death of the Prophet, those reluctantly accepted Islam brought back all their un-Islamic belief and rituals into Islam including Hajj.
 
Peace Barge,

While I am not disputing the usefulness of fasting for health, I am not seeing any examples of abstaining from food and drink for a period of time in any accounts of the former believers in the Qur'an. This is a problem because the Qur'an is complete. I am still researching this issue at the moment.
 
saidmirza said:
Peace Barge,

While I am not disputing the usefulness of fasting for health, I am not seeing any examples of abstaining from food and drink for a period of time in any accounts of the former believers in the Qur'an. This is a problem because the Qur'an is complete. I am still researching this issue at the moment.
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Logically speaking, the aim and objective of Saum is to uphold Taqwa (2:183).
How can one uphold the Taqwa by not eating or drinking?
 
Sam Sai said:
Logically speaking, the aim and objective of Saum is to uphold Taqwa (2:183).
How can one uphold the Taqwa by not eating or drinking?
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Fasting food and drink takes away the very essence of what gives us life, therefore opening us up to God who IS LIFE.
It’s a deeply spiritual practice. I believe there are conditions that make it easier. Going in to the fast in a fat adapted state, getting plenty of physical rest, fasting in a place where day to day distractions are limited.

Ramadan fasting is from dawn till dusk which is basically intermittent fasting. Most people in the carnivore and ketogenic space do that already (not for spiritual reasons ) but for health benefits. My husband only eats one meal a day in the evening, he has done for a year now. I still eat two because I am not fat adapted.
 
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saidmirza said:
Peace brother Daniel,

Recently, I have been researching fasting in the Qur'an. I have some doubts now as to whether the fasting in the Qur'an has to do with abstaining from food/drink. There are a couple of reasons for this: there is no example of fasting from food/drink in the Qur'an of previous believers. And if we consider the Qur'an to be complete, it should furnish us with an example. We have an example, in the case of Mary, in which it explicitly states:



I am leaning towards the understanding that we are to abstain from sexual intercourse from morning to night and to dedicate ourself in calling to God and reading the Qur'an for a number of days. We can eat and drink, if we so wish. That is what a repeated reading of the following passage leads me to believe:
Click to expand...
But in 19:26 would the context not dictate that she didn't eat and drink because she was pregnant. Also her abstaining by not speaking to people could be due to her safety. She left her people who would later accuse of her being unchaste. Also the words صَوْمًا in 19:26 and ٱلصِّيَامِ2:187 are not the same. God does not use synonyms. How would being sick prevent you from 'abstaining' from sexual intercourse.' as there are exemptions to fasting as per 2:184. I am still looking into fasting, but I wanted to know how you reconcile these points.
 
saidmirza said:
Peace Barge,

While I am not disputing the usefulness of fasting for health, I am not seeing any examples of abstaining from food and drink for a period of time in any accounts of the former believers in the Qur'an. This is a problem because the Qur'an is complete. I am still researching this issue at the moment.
Click to expand...

But while the Quran is "complete" it also calls us to specifically look at creation and look within ourselves and look at history, examples of past believers and other scriptures...and use reasoning...?
 
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