I speak of the traditional knowledge in Islam.
Ramadan is the 9th month of the Islamic calendar (out of 12). It is mandatory to fast in this month. Muslims well acquainted with Islam don't only fast in Ramadan. They also fast the 2 previous months Rajab and Shaaban. Rajab is known as the month of God Almighty, Shaaban as the month of Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) and Ramadan as the month of the Muslim community, the Muslim nation, the Ummah. The Qur'an was revealed by God to Muhammad on a friday, in Ramadan. The small Muslim forces tore apart the much more numerous unbelieving forces at Badr, in Ramadan, on the 17th of Ramadan.
What is fasting, in Islam ? Muslim fasting is very much different from Christian fasting.
Muhammad emphasized that many don't achieve the satisaction of God when they fast. They only have hunger and thirst. These are the majority.
To fast is to abstain from food and drink from dawn to sunset, and also to abstain from anything that may tarnish the fast. It is forbidden to look at the (Islamically) illegal, to walk towards it, to listen to it when it is talked about or to talk about it oneself. This is the regular accepted level of fasting in Islam. Less than that is hunger and thirst, not satisfaction of God.
God likes the fasting of the servant. He is very fond of it and He says: "Fasting is for Me" (As Sawmu Li in Arabic). As such there are 2 joys for the one who fasts, the first when he breaks his fast, the second when he will meet God, his Lord.
During Ramadan, the devils are chained, and it becomes miraculously easier to do good deeds. You may specially feel it, regardless of your faith, on the first day of Ramadan (the date of that day depends on your country and your location). On that day, you may feel an increase in your strength of doing good deeds, if you pay attention. Muslims strive to make as much good deeds as they can in the month of Ramadan, because it is easier during this month, and the satisfaction of God is also greater.
Fasting is one of the supreme, if not the supreme good deed in Islam. Ramadan is mandatory fasting.
Ramadan is the 9th month of the Islamic calendar (out of 12). It is mandatory to fast in this month. Muslims well acquainted with Islam don't only fast in Ramadan. They also fast the 2 previous months Rajab and Shaaban. Rajab is known as the month of God Almighty, Shaaban as the month of Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) and Ramadan as the month of the Muslim community, the Muslim nation, the Ummah. The Qur'an was revealed by God to Muhammad on a friday, in Ramadan. The small Muslim forces tore apart the much more numerous unbelieving forces at Badr, in Ramadan, on the 17th of Ramadan.
What is fasting, in Islam ? Muslim fasting is very much different from Christian fasting.
Muhammad emphasized that many don't achieve the satisaction of God when they fast. They only have hunger and thirst. These are the majority.
To fast is to abstain from food and drink from dawn to sunset, and also to abstain from anything that may tarnish the fast. It is forbidden to look at the (Islamically) illegal, to walk towards it, to listen to it when it is talked about or to talk about it oneself. This is the regular accepted level of fasting in Islam. Less than that is hunger and thirst, not satisfaction of God.
God likes the fasting of the servant. He is very fond of it and He says: "Fasting is for Me" (As Sawmu Li in Arabic). As such there are 2 joys for the one who fasts, the first when he breaks his fast, the second when he will meet God, his Lord.
During Ramadan, the devils are chained, and it becomes miraculously easier to do good deeds. You may specially feel it, regardless of your faith, on the first day of Ramadan (the date of that day depends on your country and your location). On that day, you may feel an increase in your strength of doing good deeds, if you pay attention. Muslims strive to make as much good deeds as they can in the month of Ramadan, because it is easier during this month, and the satisfaction of God is also greater.
Fasting is one of the supreme, if not the supreme good deed in Islam. Ramadan is mandatory fasting.