Fasting and the new Muslim

Contributed by Nasirah Cavaney, Victoria

Fasting from a converts point of view.

Evening of Wednesday March 6th 2002. I pondered on the decision before me. The inner turmoil I faced that night was no longer due to indecision on whether Islam was the true path of Almighty God but on whether or not I was able to submit to the will of Almighty God. Was I strong enough?

002.256. Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error: whoever rejects evil and believes in God hath grasped the most trustworthy hand- hold, that never breaks. And God heareth and knoweth all things.

By embracing Islam we make the commitment to strive to follow the way of life which Almighty God has commanded us to take. I could not deny that I truly believed my decision to embrace Islam would be the right one. It was a life changing decision and it was a choice made with much soul searching and a whole lot of inner turmoil. This decision would involve making a number of changes of lifestyle.

Fasting, this was the huge one for me, it was what I potentially saw as the most difficult to achieve. The forty hour famine I had fasted as a child was the extent of my fasting experience. Ramadhan is a month long and the hardest part I could imagine was having nothing to drink. I love my food too, oh dear this was going to be tough. Oh well it was months off I decided, insha’Allah (God willing) I could do this, surely I was able to.

Morning of Thursday March 7th 2002. Alhamdulillah (Praise be to God), I made the commitment to become Muslim. I declared the shahadah (declaration of faith, I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is his messenger) and made the commitment to strive to be the best Muslim I was able to be. I truly believe that Almighty God is worthy of worship and with embracing Islam (submission to his will) I feel I am showing him the respect and honour he deserves.

As the months went by and I slowly grew in knowledge and faith and as Ramadhan drew closer I came to understand that Ramadhan was far more than fasting from food and drink.

002.183. O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, even as it was prescribed for those before you that ye may ward off (evil);

It is apparent from this verse in Qur’an that Jews and Christians also have commanded to fast. If we look into fasting of the People of the Book we soon see how fasting has always been an important part of our obedience to Almighty God and a way of repentance, self control and to aid our God consciousness.

The main fasting day for the Jews is Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) which is a fast in which they abstain from food, drink (even water) and marital relations for the total of 25 hours. Yom Kippur atones for the sins between man and God but not between man and man. Yom Kippur starts at sunset of the night before and ending after nightfall the day of Yom Kippur. The time is spent largely in prayer and reflection.

In relation Ramadhan also requires total abstention from food, drink (even water) and marital relations during the time from dawn to sunset on every day in Ramadhan.

Ramadhan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. The Islamic calendar follows a lunar calendar which means that the time you fast will be rotated throughout all the seasons, making the fast longer during the summer months and much shorter during the winter months.

For Christians their fast is during Lent. Below is a history of the fast according to: www.catholiceducation.org

Once the 40 days of Lent were established, the next development concerned how much fasting was to be done. In Jerusalem , for instance, people fasted for 40 days, Monday through Friday, but not on Saturday or Sunday, thereby making Lent last for eight weeks. In Rome and in the West, people fasted for six weeks, Monday through Saturday, thereby making Lent last for six weeks. Eventually, the practice prevailed of fasting for six days a week over the course of six weeks, and Ash Wednesday was instituted to bring the number of fast days before Easter to 40. The rules of fasting varied. First, some areas of the Church abstained from all forms of meat and animal products, while others made exceptions for food like fish. For example, Pope St. Gregory (d. 604), writing to St. Augustine of Canterbury, issued the following rule: "We abstain from flesh, meat, and from all things that come from flesh, as milk, cheese and eggs." Second, the general rule was for a person to have one meal a day, in the evening or at 3 p.m. – Father William Saunders

However Lent is practiced by only a small number of Christian denominations, especially commonly practiced by the Catholics. I was raised by Baptist parents and Baptists are not commonly known to practice Lent so in truth I wasn’t aware of Lent into I was in my twenties. When the subject was brought up in Bible class one evening I thought how wonderful the concept was and I actually felt robbed that I hadn’t performed it in all my life. Lent is known as a time of reflection and repentance.

By reading the following hadeeth – sayings of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) you can see that fasting in Islam also has the same aims.

Abu Huraira (companion of the Prophet Muhammad) said that the Messenger (pbuh) of Allah (SWT) said: "Whoever does not avoid false speech and acting on it, Allah (SWT) does not have any need for him to leave his food and drink". [Bukhari]

Abu Huraira said that the Messenger (pbuh) said: "Fasting is not (merely) to leave off eating and drinking, but it is to abstain from vain talk and obscene behaviour". Therefore, if anyone insults you or behaves foolishly towards you, then say: "I am fasting, I am fasting." [Bukhari]

The entire Qur'an should be read during Ramadhan. It is best to be read in your own language so to promote understanding of the text but it is recommended to hear and do the recitation in Arabic also. The Qur'an is divided into 30 portions (juz in Arabic) of approximately equal length for easy recitation during the thirty nights of a month,

It is normally after Ramadhan that Muslims tend to think about charity. When you fast you understand just how hard it would be to live with little or no food. This makes us think of the less fortunate. Zakat is another pillar of Islam. It involves giving 2.5% of our savings to the needy.

009.060. Alms are for the poor and the needy, and those employed to administer the (funds); for those whose hearts have been (recently) reconciled (to Truth); for those in bondage and in debt; in the cause of God; and for the wayfarer: (thus is it) ordained by God, and God is full of knowledge and wisdom.

Paying charity is something most people see as a positive thing and it is definitely an essential act for a believer. From my upbringing in Christianity the words of James in the New Testament always come to mind.

2:14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man says he has faith, but has no works? Can faith save him? 2:15 And if a brother or sister is naked and in lack of daily food, 2:16 and one of you tells them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled;" and yet you didn't give them the things the body needs, what good is it? 2:17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead in itself. 2:18 Yes, a man will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith. 2:19 You believe that God is one. You do well. The demons also believe, and shudder. 2:20 But do you want to know, vain man, that faith apart from works is dead?

In Ramadhan we endeavour to improve our relationship with Almighty God and improve our own character. It is definitely a time to feel a great deal of thankfulness too. My first Ramadhan went well alhamdulillah and I felt a great appreciation for the blessings I have and I look forward to the Ramadhan 2006.

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