Is it mandatory for Muslims to fast?

Question

Whats gonna happen to them if they eat or something like that?
Whats does the thing on their head signifies?

Answer 1

Dear Sister,
It is required for all Muslim men and women to fast through out the month of Ramadan. It is considered the longest consistent worship of the Almighty in the Muslim religion and every adult male and female is required to fast. Those who are sick or are travelling or are too old or feeble are exempted. Women are also exempted when they have their period to make sure they are not weakened too much by not eating. If a person accidentally cuts himself or vomits, then too the fast becomes invalid and you can eat the rest of the day. But in all these cases (except in the case of women who are having their period), the fast has to be made up by an equal number of fasts during another time, after Ramadan.

If one missed one fast deliberately without any valid reason, then one has to pay a penalty for it by freeing a slave (in the old days when people had slaves). If one did not have a slave, then it was required to buy a slave from another person who owned slaves and and free him/her

If there are no slaves left after some years of this activity, then the requirement is to feed sixty poor and needy men one meal for every fast missed. If you are unable to do that due to financial restraint, then one is to fast another day to make up for the fast.

The purpose of the fast is several folds. It can make you feel hunger, so you can directly relate to those who go hungry due to poverty and lack of food. Also, you appreciate the food of the Lord Almighty more when it is time finally to eat. Water is something I used to miss a lot when I had begun to fast when I was thirteen years old. Thirst used to be hard. But, at the end of the day, when you drink a cold glass of water, it is like heaven. You begin to appreciate the mercies of the Lord Almighty that we normally take for granted.

When you give up food and water for the sake of the Lord Almighty, we believe it brings obedience in our souls and it is easier to obey the Mighty Lord in other things.

Many people also manage to break bad habbits in this month, as smoking is not allowed. People who have alchohol problems (some Muslims do drink alchohol) can use the month of fasting to give up drinking during the month of Ramadan, it is easier for them to break that habbit.

If we miss the fast deliberately, and do not make it up or pay to free a slave or feed sixty people, then the Lord Almighty will be angry with us in our belief and it can begin to take us away from the path of obedience to the path of disobedience, which can lead one to hell.

Men have always worn a head covering in the Arab and Jewish culture as a sign of honor. It also provided protection from the sun and it hides if a man is bald. Women, slaves and children in the old days were not allowed to wear anything on their head before Islam as a sign of their lower status as compared to men. When Islam came, it required both women and slaves to wear a head covering, to bring them on par with their (free) males.

Males have always worn special head coverings to signify their higher status in society. Thus the king would wear the most fanciest of head covering, while the lesser men wore lesser head coverings based on their status in society. Islam wants all men and women to cover their head as a sign that they are honorable people and equal to one and another.

The only distinction in status is based on who fears and loves the Lord More and obeys him with more precautions, which is in the hands of anyone to do.

Ultimately we are required to wear a head covering when we pray. The slaves were also required to wear it, thus the slaves and free men became equal in the sight of God in practice. In the past the slaves had their front locks cut off and were ordered not to wear a head covering.

This is only a partial answer and it has already gotten too long. Sorry about that. I hope it does answer some of your queries.

Answer 2

Like Judaism, Islam is a religion of salvation through obedience to the Will of God via His commands. One of these is the command to fast through the month of Ramadan. No food may be eaten from sunrise to sunset on any day of that month. To be disobedient is to be damned. The very word "islam" means obedient.

That "thing" on the head is there to protect the brain from the beating, blistering heat of the desert sun. The patterns and colors are indicative of the wearer's tribe. It has become the custom to continue wearing it even when not in the desert.

Answer 3

If you don't complete the fast, you have to fast extra days later on. It's a very strict religion.

Answer 4

yes.