Last Sunday evening once again that time of the lunar year, when Muslims from all walks of life, political affiliations, skin colors, and ethnicities will be observing one of the central pillars of the faith of Islam, which is the blessed month of Ramadan. My very own wonderful office staff is so well in-tuned that they automatically cancel all pharmaceutical lunches for the month.
Ramadan is the 9th month of the Islamic lunar calendar and its observance serves as one of the five central spiritual obligations known as “pillars” for Muslims. It is marked by a daily physical fast from all foods, drinks and sexual relations from dawn to dusk. This includes smoking and chewing gum. Food and drink are served before dawn called suhoor and after sunset called iftaar. The physical fast is a catalyst for further spiritual inward training of improving ones character through increasing acts of mercy, generosity and forgiveness towards all of humanity. There is a remarkable increase in giving charity to the less fortunate in Ramadan. This in turn, draws the worshipper closer to God Almighty and perpetuates good will throughout the community, reinforcing the bond of brotherhood and sisterhood.
Fasting is nothing new. The Quran mentions that, “fasting was prescribed for you as it was for those before you so that you may become righteous.” Many prophets from Jesus to Abraham have been known to fast. Moses and Jesus and others have been recorded from Judaic sources as fasting for 40 days. In Buddhism, Buddha was known to have fasted regularly. Bahaism has a 19-day fast as opposed to a full lunar month of Ramadan. Though not obligatory, fasting is also practiced in Hinduism.
Medically speaking, fasting holds the secret to the prevention of many ailments. Most toxins and insults to the body course through the stomach, which has been known as the harbinger of disease if mistreated. The genesis of various disease states from cancer, heart disease, diabetes and beyond start in our gut. As a consumer driven society, we have an insatiable desire for processed foods and overabundance of hormonally treated meats.
It behooves us to consider adopting a more balanced approach on how, when and what we eat. How often do we actually give our stomach a rest? For many of us, the stomach is constantly churning. Giving your internal organs a rest period is warranted in as much as your muscles require a break for recovery and growth after a session of CrossFit. Fasting is proven to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in the body as well as improving blood sugar and maintaining a healthy body mass index.
Despite being practiced for centuries, various methods and modes of fasting are now in vogue and advocated by health gurus and personal trainers. Exercising during Ramadan is not unheard of. Hitting the gym and weightlifting is common. It’s all about timing it carefully with the dawn and dusk meals.
Spiritually speaking, cutting off food and drink makes it difficult to engage in any inappropriate thought or activity. A satiated gut can promote lewdness, gluttony, sloth and other such vices. Fasting marks the beginning of a spiritual cleanse. Exemptions from fasting include illness, pregnancy, the frail elderly, menses, certain medical conditions and those who are traveling. Ramadan is a month where the rewards of good actions are multiplied many fold by God Almighty. It is also the month when the Quranic revelation through the archangel, Gabriel was initiated to the Prophet Muhammad.
Increased prayer and reading of the holy Quran occurs during the month and special evening congregational prayers called taraweeh occur daily throughout the month in which the entire Quran is recited. For Muslims, the fast is a central way of starting the journey of reconnecting to the true Islam, the prophetic Islam which is in stark contrast to the misinformation and distortions that are seen in the world today which are a direct, unfortunate reflection of modernity, post-modernity and colonialism.
Fasting is a means and not an end. It is a path by which all people regardless of their religious affiliation can benefit from the physical, mental and spiritual virtues ingrained in this ancient practice. The practice of fasting in turn pulls the soul gently to truth and beauty. Happy Ramadan!
Arshad Shaikh is a consultant, interfaith educator and past president of the Muslim Association of Greater Rockford