The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) said fourteen hundred years ago, “Keep fast to stay healthy.” Fasting has been shown in multiple studies to improve physical and mental health. For example, Johns Hopkins’ neuroscientist Mark Mattson, who has studied intermittent fasting for over 25 years, says that our bodies have evolved to go without food for many hours or even days. Normal American eating pattern of three regular meals and snacking in between does not allow the body fat to burn at any time. A suggested way is 16/8, i.e., eating for eight hours and fasting for sixteen. Longer periods of fasting, such as 24, 36, 48, and 72 hours, the Johns Hopkins website says, are not necessarily better and may be dangerous. Going too long without food may make your body to store more fat in response to starvation. The Holy Prophet forbade the 24-hour fasting and even the daily fasting throughout the year. He suggested to fast alternatingly, fasting one day, and not fasting the next, if needed. He called this as Prophet David’s tradition.
The Johns Hopkins website refers to studies published by Mattson in New England Journal of Medicine that reveal a range of health benefits including longer life, a leaner body, and a sharper mind. Fasting improves memory, blood pressure, heart health, muscle mass, endurance in physical activities, and weight loss, and helps prevent obesity.
As for the spiritual fitness, it has been the practice of the prophets and sages to fast for forty days to achieve superior spiritual health and to attain nearness to God Almighty. Prophet Moses and Jesus (peace be on them both) have fasted and meditated and as a result received blessings from God. According to Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (peace be on him), reducing the intake of physical nourishment and at the same time feasting on spiritual sustenance through prayers, meditation, recitation of the Holy Qur’an, and remembrance of Allah opens the gates of Higher Realm and prepares the human soul to receive true dreams and visions from Allah. The Holy Qur’an says: “O ye who believe! fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may become righteous.” (Holy Qur’an, Ch. 2, V. 184) The reference made to the earlier people here is to inculcate in Muslims the respect for the older scriptures and religions. Furthermore, it is to allay any concerns about difficulty in fasting. The purpose of fasting outlined here is to become righteous. The word in Arabic that is translated as righteous is an all-encompassing word that means the one who is ever conscious of the presence of God Almighty in everything he or she does, fulfilling all responsibilities toward God and man alike, and keeping away from everything harmful for their own beings and the society. Fasting puts us on the path of virtue.
The month of fasting starts with the citing of the crescent moon of the Lunar month of Ramadhan. The root meaning of the word Ramadhan is to become vehemently heated by the sun. So, it has the connotation of a boot camp of sorts where vehement action under the brilliant guidance of the Holy Prophet results in long term change in behavior and prepares one for a virtuous lifestyle.
Dr.Hameed Naseem(USA)
