Ramadan started this past April, 2 with the appearance of the first crescent moon and will last for an entire month until the next crescent moon. While the festivity of Ramadan is one of the most important religious events in the world what captivates the attention and the curiosity of many is the practice of fasting that goes along with the religious commemoration.
Before jumping into the explanation and meaning of fasting, we have to establish what is Ramadan and what it celebrates. Ramadan marks the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and is been observed by Muslims all over the world. It commemorates the first revelation of the prophet Muhammad, and its celebration is considered one of the Five Pillars of Islam. Alongside praying and reflecting, Ramadan is observed as a month of fasting known as sawm and a time to show community among Muslims.
What does Ramadan commemorate?
As mentioned, Ramadan commemorates Muhammad’s first revelation. The story goes like this. Before becoming the prophet and messenger of God, Muhammad used to meditate at the top of the mountain Hira looking for solitude for about a month. One good year, when he was 40 years old, around 610, he set foot on his accustomed retirement, some weeks into his retreat, an angel appear before him commanding him to read. However, like many of the population, Muhammad didn’t know how to read, so the angel hold him tight and commanded him to read one more time. This happened three times, and suddenly the first five verses of the Qur’an were revealed to him.
“Read in the name of your Lord who created humans from a piece of flesh. Read, for your Lord is Most Generous. Who taught humans with the pen. Who taught humans what they do not know.”
Though he didn’t know how he managed to read, he grasped all the words, and soon the book of the Universe was revealed to him allowing the prophet to understand the purpose of the creator. This episode marks the beginning of Islam as well as Muhammad’s mission in life as a prophet and messenger of God. Two decades later, in 624, Muslims migrated to Medina to escape from religious persecution. The migration led them to declare Ramadan a holy festivity and Fasting was instituted following the scriptures of the Qur’an.
Why do Muslims fast on Ramadan?
So, what exactly is fasting and what does it represent? Fasting isn’t only depriving oneself of eating and drinking, but also represents abstinence from intercourse and smoking. This is practiced every day for one month between dawn (known as fajr) and sunset (maghrib). Once sunset reaches, practitioners can pause fasting until the next dawn. This cycle is carried out for the entire month of Ramadan.
It’s estimated that between 70 to 80% of Muslims practice fasting during Ramadan, so although it’s mandatory there are certain exemptions. To start with, fasting is obligatory for all men and women from the age of puberty, although most parents start to encourage children from the age of ten to fast for shorter periods of time. Now, who is exempted from fasting? Naturally, children, travelers, the elderly, sick people, and pregnant and breastfeeding mothers. However, they still have to compensate for the days they didn’t fast whether fasting later or making donations for charity for every day they skipped fasting.
As we said, fasting is practiced every day from dawn to sunset; however, the exact duration of fasting depends on the location. For example, in countries near the polar regions fasting can last up to 22 hours in the summer and very few in the winter.
What does fasting on Ramadan signify?
For Muslims, fasting during Ramadan is thanking God and reflecting on the teachings of the Qur’an. During the fasting period, practitioners are also expected to refrain from negative behaviors like violence, anger, greed, lust, envy, gossip, etc. At the end of the day, Ramadan is all about following the teachings of Islam and meditating on one’s faith and the implementation of said teachings in one’s life.
The idea behind fasting during Ramadan is to remember that God is the source of all sustenance, that is, that God is the only one that can ease all the people’s needs. The price for thanksgiving God expects for the sustenance provided is fasting. In other words, fasting is the ultimate way to acknowledge the value grace of God besides recognizing Muslim’s dependence on that divine sustenance.
Now, unlike what many believe fasting isn’t perceived as a sacrifice to repent but more of a need to value that basic sustenance for the sake of God and show sincere thanksgiving. Fighting that physical and human need to eat and drink (among the other activities fasting involves) shows strength, and faith means that the spirit is in control over the body.
Something that fasting shows during Ramadan is that everybody is equal; everybody is human, and everybody experiences bodily urges. During Ramadan, all Muslims are equals, and it’s a common practice that those in better positions donate to charity or even organize meals to have after sunset.
