what are your thoughts on fasting ? has anyone read the book fasting for idiots? has anyone actually tried it?

Answer 1

Fasting in the month of Ramadan is one of the Pillars of Islam, and thus one of the most important acts of worship. By fasting — whether during Ramadan or other times — a Muslim draws closer to his Lord by abandoning the things he enjoys, such as food, drink and sexual intercourse. This makes the sincerity of his faith and his devotion to Allah (God) all the more evident. The believer knows that Allah will love him when he is ready to abandon worldly comforts for Allah’s sake.

Allah tells us in the Qur’an that fasting was prescribed for those before us (i.e., the Jews and Christians) and that by fasting we gain taqwa, which can be called the care taken by a person to do everything Allah has commanded and to keep away from everything He has forbidden. Fasting helps prevent many sins and is a shield with which the Muslim protects himself from Hell-fire.

Fasting is more than abstaining from food and drink. It also means to abstain from any falsehood in speech and action, from any ignorant and indecent speech, and from arguing and fighting. Therefore, fasting helps to develop good behavior.

Fasting also inculcates a sense of brotherhood and solidarity, as a Muslim feels and experiences what his needy and hungry brothers feel. Moreover, Ramadan is a month of giving charity and sharing meals to break the fast together.

A Muslim is encouraged to read the entire Qur’an during Ramadan and to perform extra salah (ritual Prayers) at night. Thus Ramadan becomes a blessed month of physical and spiritual renewal through fasting and worship.

According to Imam Al-Ghazali fasting produces a semblance of divine quality of samadiyyah (freedom from want) in a human being. Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim viewed fasting as a means of releasing the human spirit from the clutches of desire, thus allowing moderation to prevail in the carnal self. Imam Shah Waliullah Dahlawi viewed fasting as a means of weakening the bestial and reinforcing the angelic elements in human beings. Maulana Mawdudi emphasized that fasting for a full month every year trains a person individually, and the Muslim community as a whole, in piety and self restraint.

Answer 2

Hi ,
Fasting is one of the greatest things in human life . I will show you how : Muslim people have a fasting month called Ramadan in this month they stop eating and drinking water from the sunrise until the sun set , many scientific researches which you can find it any where shows that fasting in this month improve your health especially the digestive system . Besides , it help the society to feel with each other especially with poor people because there is a rule in Muslim religion " the society is like the body if a part of it complain all the body will feel with that part " and the best evidence for that , oh you should see the Muslim countries in that month , all people wants to help and feed each other especially the people who are foreigners and poor people , so you can discern how fasting clean their soles . In addition , fasting is not only mean that you should stop eating , people can do it easily without feelings , but they should feel with each other and do not hurt each other whether by words or any thing else .So fasting is one month in Islam which can improve any society if they understand what it means.

Answer 3

Fasting is no big deal.... if you do it the way I've heard many say it's done. It usually means to most people not eating until supper, basicly. Sometimes I skip breakfast and lunch just cause I'm too busy. No big deal at all.

Since fasting ends with eating (where we get the term "break fast", to break the overnight fasting), a serious fast would be unbroken for several days. I've done that a couple times. Not like some people who I've heard "fasted for a week" but had dinner every night. Cheap.

Haven't read the book. Looking forward to the movie, though.

Answer 4

I fast. Especially when I am going through difficult times that I never see coming. I don't eat anything at all and have gone 10 days; I only drank water. Don't be shocked...I have learned that 10 days without eating is only difficult when I don't pray. My prayers during fasts have been answered and added blessings; I lost a couple of pounds and was able to get into jeans that I couldn't wear for 2 years. I have never read the book, but fasting is an opportunity for me to get closer to Christ in prayer. I have nothing physical to really soothe me when there is not food and depends solely upon strength through prayer....Think about it....a lot of people eat when they arent really hungry, but when you fast, you give up all the extra stuff and depend on your inner person....your self will....We all know it takes a lot to say no...If it was so easy there wouldn't be drug addicts, healthy but obese people, or alcoholics....But there are some who fast for a couple of hours a day....I don't really understand that though...That is not what Jesus did for 40 days and nights.
I have heard of many situations where sickly people are well after fasting...fasting gives your body a break...the bodies of people who eat are always working extra to digest food and to rid wastes, but fastin gives the body a bit of a break....and it shrinks that stomach so you eat less...I have never heard of situations where not eating was too bad....unless you are in some part of africa where people haven't seen a meal a day in their life....but they are still alive....

Answer 5

Fasting is brilliant so long as you consult your doctor first to find out if there is any particular reason why you, in particular, shouldn't. I read a long article about a woman who suffered from a terrible tumour in her stomach. It was the size of a melon. She didn't want to live anymore, and didn't want to kill herself, either, so she decided to calmly stop living by simply not eating any more. She still drank water, but she didn't eat for several months (she was a larger woman, so she had a lot of body fat to live off). After several months of not eating, she was obviously very skinny, but aside from that, the tumour had disappeared because it wasn't being nourished at all. So she lived after all. True story. Fasting is good for you. Don't try this at home without checking with your doctor first.

Answer 6

My dad fasts all the time. Especially after he's prayed and he's waiting for an answer from God. I think he considers it like a respect or a act of faith towards god until he receives his anwer. Or when he feels he might be being tempted by the devil he fasts too. But not just food. He'll stop watching TV, playing on the net, smoking, or going out. He'll just clean the house read his bible and talk to god while he fasts. He always tells me it makes him feel closer to god because he sees that he doesn't really need any of our material things.

Answer 7

Fasting is an AWESOME way to get closer to God

each year i do the 40 hour famine where we fast for 40 hours and raise money for world vision

during the time we pray do activites and do some sort of service project

it awesome to see how little you can depend on in this world

i can live for almost 2 days with no worldly food, only that of God and on top of that i can be working during that time

it is really a good way to cleanse yourself of your depedance on worldly things!!!!

Answer 8

Fasting is a form of cleansing both body and soul. All true religious people have always fast and meditate.
In fact, it has proved that the best way to detox is to fast all day and eat light two hours before bed.

Try it, you will loose the grease blocking your brain.

Answer 9

I always do it. Im a muslim.. and I fast for 1 month every year. Well... actually every religion/belief has thier own ways of fasting. For hindus, they fast for the sake of their husbands. for muslims, they fast only during the day and on the night they eat whatever they want or can. For the jews... im not very sure, but they do it also.

Answer 10

In my opinion if we were meant to fast we would not get hunger pains... Why starve yourself for no reason? No way! I don't need that book because I'm not an idiot. Eat healthy, be happy. :)