RAMADAN: Thanksgiving to God

Fasting in Arabic is called, “Siyam” or “Saum” which literally means “to be at rest.” Contrary to what many people believe, fasting did not start with Muhammad. It started with prophet Abraham like other practices of Islam. All the messengers and prophets who followed Abraham, including Moses and Jesus, observed these religious practices.

[2:183] O you who believe, fasting is decreed for you, as it was decreed for those before you, that you may attain salvation.

Fasting—Blessing in Disguise

The religious practices instituted by God, such as fasting, are blessings from God. If we can practice our religious duties the way we are supposed to, we get many benefits. Furthermore, these practices allow us to be more conscious of God in our lives.

The practices essentially constitute the nourishment required for the growth and development of our souls to make it to Heaven. They are for our own good. God is in no need of any of our prayers and worship. Besides nourishing our soul, the real self, fasting also has numerous, scientifically proven benefits for our physical health and the mental well-being of our body. The time, length and nature of the fast all contribute to its overall positive effect.

Fasting gives our digestive system a rest and improves our physical health. In his book, Fasting and Eating for Health, Joel Fuhrman, M.D. notes that “The fast does not merely detoxify; it also breaks down superfluous tissue—fat, abnormal cells, atheromatous plaque and tumors—and releases diseased tissues and their cellular products into the circulation for elimination. Toxic or unwanted materials circulate in our bloodstream and lymphatic tissues, and are deposited in and released from our fat stores and other tissues. An important element of fasting detoxification is mobilizing the toxins from their storage areas.”

Ramadan Varies Every Year
A lunar month is approximately 29.5 days, which is the time it takes for the moon to orbit the earth. Because a lunar month is, on the average, one day shorter than a solar month, a lunar year is 10-12 days shorter than a solar year. Therefore, the Month of Ramadan comes 10-12 days earlier each year. This way we get to fast when the days are very warm and long in summer as well as when they are cool and short in winter. This beautiful design by God is also a test for us to see if we will fast regardless of the length or temperature of the days of Ramadan.

Is Moon Sighting Necessary?

God gave us scientific knowledge to determine exactly when a lunar month will begin and end.

Therefore there is no need to sight the crescent of the moon to start fasting, like some traditional Muslims do. Any observatory or astronomy center should have that information for your area. Some almanacs, magazines or newspapers also report the times for the phases of the moon. To determine when one should start fasting, compare the time the new lunar month begins with the time of sunset, the beginning of a day in the Islamic calendar.

Abdullah  

[Reprinted and condensed from Submitters Perspective October 2005]