The holy month of Ramazan is just around the corner, and we are sure that you are all preparing for it in your own way. The concept of fasting is by no means unique to Islam alone; Christians, Jews, Bahai’s and Hindus also observe fasts, but with their own set of rules. Us takes a look…
Islam
Fasting in the month of Ramazan is one of the five Pillars of Islam, and thus it is one of the most important acts of Islamic worship. Fasting from fajr (dawn) till maghrib (sunset) during the month of Ramazan is an obligatory practice for all adult Muslims. They are prohibited from eating, drinking, smoking, and engaging in sexual intercourse while fasting.
In Islam, fasting, whether during Ramazan or any other time, is a means through which Muslims try to draw closer to Allah by abandoning the things they enjoy, such as food and drink. However, fasting does not only mean abstaining from food and drink; it is more than that. It also includes abstaining from any falsehood in speech and action, from using profane language, from arguing and fighting, and lustful thoughts. Therefore, fasting is supposed to help in developing good behaviour as well. Fasting also evokes a feeling of sympathy for the needy and hungry.
While fasting in the month of Ramazan is considered obligatory, Islam also prescribes certain days for non-obligatory and voluntary fasting, such as six days in the month of Shawwal, the Day of Arafat (9th of Dhu al-Hijjah) and the Sunni Muslims also observe fast on the Day of Ashura (10th of Muharram). However, it is prohibited for Shia Muslims. Fasting is forbidden on Eid-ul-Fitr (1st Shawwal) and Eid-ul-Adha (10th Dhulhijjah) and Tashriq (11th, 12th, 13th Dhulhijjah).
Although fasting is obligatory, some people are exempted from it under particular circumstances. It’s not obligatory for prepubescent children to fast, though they are encouraged to fast earlier for ‘shorter periods’, so that they get used to it. People suffering from some serious illness are also exempted; travellers and pregnant/nursing women are exempted from fasting as well. However, one must make up for the days of fasting that are missed later on. If someone is too ill or old and is not able to fast, he/she should donate the amount of a normal person’s diet for each day missed if they are financially capable.
Re: All set to fast !
Judaism
In Judaism fasting is a means for atonement for sins. There are three essential purposes of fasting. One is the achievement of atonement for sins and omissions in Divine service. The second purpose in fasting is commemorative mourning. The fast of mourning shows that those who are fasting are affected by the loss. The third purpose in fasting is showing gratitude. Since food and drink are the basic needs of human body, abstinence from them serves to provide a unique opportunity to focus on the spiritual needs. Jews observe fast on up to six days of the year. Yom Kippur is the most solemn religious fast of the Jewish year. It is very important to fast on this day, and only those are exempted from fasting whose life would be in danger such as the ill, elderly and pregnant or nursing women, as endangering one’s life is against a core principle of Judaism. Those that do eat on this day are encouraged to eat as little as possible at a time and to avoid a full meal. For some, fasting on Yom Kippur is considered more important than the prayers of this day.
Fasting, as a means of repentance, is expected of every Jewish man and boy above the age of thirteen (bar mitzvah) and every Jewish woman and girl above the age of twelve (bat mitzvah). In addition to fasting and prayer, Yom Kippur has some restrictions regarding work, such as striking a fire, carrying objects outside the home, using tools, and so on. Traditionally, leather shoes are not worn on this day. Men may wear a white gown over their clothes, symbolic of a burial shroud. Women may either wear all white, or they may simply wear a large white scarf over their heads, and many do not put on make-up or jewellery.
The second major day of fasting is Tisha B’Av, the day on which the Romans destroyed the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and the Jews were banished from their homeland nearly 2000 years ago. Unlike the fast of Yom Kippur, there are no restrictions on activities, although one is supposed to avoid doing regular work in the first part of the day, sit in a low chair or on the floor, and wear no leather shoes. Brushing teeth and sexual relations are also forbidden on these two fast days.
Both of these holy days are considered major fasts and are observed from sunset to sunset the following day. The remaining four fasts are considered minor.
It is traditional for a bride and groom to fast on their wedding day before the ceremony as the day represents a personal Yom Kippur.
Apart from these, Jews may often fast to seek repentance in case of some tragedy or impending calamity. For example, a fast is sometimes observed if the scrolls of the Torah are dropped.
Christianity
In Christianity, fasting means afflicting the soul through abstaining from fulfilling the needs or wants of the flesh. Fasting is practised by several branches of Christianity. However, some branches like the Reformers in Protestantism regard fasting as a purely external observance that cannot lead to salvation. Other Protestants consider fasting to be an important part of their spiritual experience. The Methodist fast in the old Wesleyan (denoting the teachings of the English preacher John Wesley who founded the main branch of the Methodist Church) way of sundown to sundown on Mondays to Tuesdays and Thursdays to Fridays.
There are different ways of observing fast in Christianity. The Roman Catholics, for example, reduce the intake of food to one full meal (which may not contain meat during Fridays in Lent, (the period preceding Easter) or two small meals taken in the morning and the evening.
In Christianity, fasting includes abstention from animal products like meat of quadrupeds and fowl; all dairy products like eggs, milk, cheese, etc., and on many fast days, fish as well as wine (which is often interpreted as including all alcoholic beverages). Some Christians also abstain from oil (that may include abstention from olive oil only or abstention from all cooking oils in general).
Similar to Islam, certain festal periods are fast-free in Christianity, too, meaning that fasting is forbidden during those periods. These periods are:
- The 12 days from the Nativity (birth) of Christ to Epiphany (the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles as represented by the Magi).
- The week of the Publican and the Pharisee (which is the week that falls exactly two weeks before the beginning of Great Lent each year).
- The week following Pascha (Easter), usually called ‘Bright Week’. During the 50 days from Easter Sunday to Pentecost. The fasting laws are lessened, wine and oil being permitted even on Wednesdays and Fridays.
- The week following Pentecost.
Hinduism
The most diversified and interesting ways of fasting can be seen in Hinduism. Fasting is an integral part of the religion and different kinds of fasts are observed by individuals based on their personal beliefs as well as local customs. The methods and days of fasting are different in every caste, and they differ even from state to state. Some Hindus fast on certain days of the month; certain days of the week are also set aside for fasting depending on personal belief and favourite deity. For example, the followers of Lord Shiva tend to fast on Mondays, while those of Vishnu tend to fast on Fridays or Saturdays. Thursday fasting is very common among the Hindus of northern India. On Thursdays, devotees listen to a story before breaking their fast. They wear yellow clothes, and meals with yellow colour are preferred. Women worship the banana tree and water it. Food items are made with yellow-coloured ghee.
Fasting during religious festivals is also very common, for example fasting on Maha Shivaratri or the 9 days of Navratri. Karwa Chauth is also a form of fasting unique to the northern part of India where married women observe fast for the well-being, prosperity, and long life of their husbands. The fast is broken after the wife views the moon through a sieve after sunset. In the state of Andhra Pradesh, the month of Kaarthika, which begins with the day after Deevali is often a period of frequent (though not necessarily continuous) fasting for some people, especially women.
As mentioned above, the methods of fasting vary widely and cover a broad spectrum. If followed strictly, the person fasting does not take any food or water from one day’s sunset till 48 minutes after the following day’s sunrise. Fasting can also mean limiting oneself to one meal during the day or abstaining from eating certain types of food or eating only certain food types. In any case, even if the fasting Hindu is non-vegetarian, he/she is not supposed to eat or even touch any animal products (i.e. meat, eggs). Milk, however, is an exception to this rule.
Buddhism
Unlike other faiths, observing fast is not considered a religious obligation in Buddhism. Rather, it is regarded as a means to achieve and practice self-control. According to Buddhism, fasting is the initial stage of a process that ultimately leads to the path of acquiring self-control and discipline. In Buddhism, sages who want to learn self-control start fasting on a regular basis. They are often kicked and tortured, their limbs tied together. They are supposed to endure all this calmly, without showing any anger or hatred and it is said that they are able to endure this because they learn to subdue their will to a higher one and control their passions with the help of regular phases of fasting.
All the main branches of Buddhism practise some periods of fasting, usually on full-moon days. Depending on the Buddhist tradition, fasting usually means abstaining from solid food, with some liquids permitted.
Fasting is closely linked to Buddha’s spiritual awakening. The Buddha (Siddhartha) was a prince who renounced all worldly desires in order to find the truth about life. He wandered for years, looking for teachers and wise men to tell him what they thought about life. The knowledge he gained by his experiences made him realise that desire was the root of all the evils. And since food was man’s first and the most basic desire, he decided to give up eating and gain freedom from the sufferings of the worldly life. Initially, he ate only one grain of rice and a sesame seed per day. Soon, he became so thin that he could touch his spine by pressing his stomach. However, by fasting in this severe manner he lost all the strength. He couldn’t meditate anymore. It made him realise that this lack of strength would cause his death and he would die before learning the great lessons of this world. At that time, a young maiden offered him some food that he accepted. The food gave him the strength he needed to meditate and he achieved ‘Nirvana’ – the state of eternal bliss. His experiment to quit fasting taught him a great lesson - to lead life in moderation. And moderation soon became the main principle of Buddhist practice known as the ‘Middle Path’.
Interestingly, in Buddhism, fasting is not practised by common man because it is considered as a deviation from the Middle Path. Only Buddhist monks and nuns observe fast and do not eat each day after the noon meal.
Jainism
There are many types of fasting in Jainism, however, the main goal of any type of fasting is to achieve complete non-violence during that period. One of the various types of fasting is called Chauvihar Upwas, in which no food or water is consumed until sunrise the next day. Another is called Tivihar Upwas, in which only boiled water is allowed. Fasting is usually done during Paryushana but can be done during other times also.
Self-starvation by fasting is known as Sallekhana and is supposed to help shed bad karma according to Jain philosophy. Another form of fasting is Santhara - the ritual of voluntary death by fasting. Supporters of the practice believe that Santhara cannot be considered as suicide, as it is something one does with full knowledge and knows its implication. Due to the prolonged nature of Santhara, the individual is given ample time to reflect on his or her life. The vow of Santhara is taken when one feels that one’s life has served its purpose.
Baha'i Faith
The Baha'i Faith is a religion that emphasises the spiritual unity of all humankind. It was founded by Baha'u'llah in the nineteenth-century Persia and it has a following of around six million people all over the world.
The founder of Baha'i faith Baha'u'llah established the guidelines for observing fast in his religious book Kitab-i-Aqdas. According to this book, fasting is observed from sunrise to sunset during the Baha'i month of 'Ala' which coincides with the month of March.
Observing the fast is an individual obligation, and all Baha'is who have reached the age of maturity are supposed to fast. In Baha'i faith, fasting means complete abstinence from food, drink and smoking.
Sikhism
Sikhism is one of the two religions that does not promote fasting except for medical reasons. In fact, it rejects fasting terming it ‘a blind ritual’. The Sikh gurus discourage their followers from engaging in fasting as those who observe fast are considered to be “rewarded with less than a shell” according to the holy Scripture of Sikhism, the Guru Granth Sahib. So, mostly Sikhs never undertake a fast of any kind.
Zoroastrianism
Just like Sikhism, fasting is forbidden in Zoroastrianism as well. In fact, it is considered as offensive and even a crime by some to fast on purpose. According to Vendidad, a collection of holy text in Zoroastrianism: "The person who abstains from food, or takes insufficient food, has neither enough strength to practice active virtues, nor can he till the earth, nor beget children, nor is he able to withstand hardship and pain." Therefore, fasting is regarded not only as a practice that diminishes one's ability to practice good deeds, but also as something that decrease the strength to fight evil. However, some Zoroastrians, who believe in Sae Baba observe fasts on Thursdays. They do not eat meat or grain from sunrise to sunset, but are allowed to partake of juices and fruit.
