Muslims accept fasting as a personal form of worship. During Ramadan, they strive to be closer to God similar to the Christian concept of ‘being born again.’ While they are fasting, Muslims read the entire Quran.

Muslims accept fasting as a personal form of worship. During Ramadan, they strive to be closer to God similar to the Christian concept of ‘being born again.’ While they are fasting, Muslims read the entire Quran.

Matt Detrich / The Star
Written by
Michael Saahir

In the Quran, Chapter 2, verses 183-184 read, “O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint — (Fasting) for a fixed number of days; but if any of you is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed number (should be made up) from days later …”

Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar is a special time for Muslims as well as our human family because it was during this sacred month that Prophet Muhammad received the first five verses of God’s message to humanity in what culminated — over a 22-year period — to become the Quran.

During Ramadan, in recognition of Prophet Muhammad receiving this first portion of Quran, Muslims read the entire holy book while fasting, a book that is divided into 30 sections to facilitate reading the Scripture in its entirety in one month. It is common to see Muslims, many as young as 8 years old, who have read the entire Quran. This reading combined with fasting yields a peaceful presence of patience and self-restraint.

Fasting in Islam is a very personal form of worship directly between the believer and their creator. The fast brings an inner peace that is unadulterated by the habits of appetites. Completing the fast of Ramadan is similar to the Christians’ “being born again,” in that upon fasting the whole month, Muslims believe that all past sins are forgiven. This individual self-renewal then becomes an opportunity for sharing this rebirth with humanity, spreading the peace and humbleness with others that one attains while fasting.

Each night during Ramadan you will find many masjids (mosques) busy with Muslims making special tarawih prayers as they seek to realign their life closer to God’s will. This devotion to faith purifies the whole person of selfishness and greed while opening their hearts to a peaceful serenity that spreads out for the well-being of everyone.

Ramadan doesn’t alter Muslims’ daily routines. They continue going to school, work and pursuing other life activities. In a number of sports, we’ve seen many Muslim athletes achieve their best statistics while fasting, despite the rigors of practice and the intensity that often comes during competition.

As the month of Ramadan progresses, thinking of food, drink and other pleasures during daylight is replaced with self-control over appetites. Yes, people who fast experience the hunger pangs that many unfortunate people involuntarily experience year-round. Ramadan connects you with the less fortunate and humbles you as you remember your good fortune. These are important life lessons and benefits that fasting yields while giving a sense of peace and order to our lives.

For the past several years, Muslims of Indianapolis have been the special guests of Christian and Jewish communities for a sunset breakfast meal and program at a local synagogue or church. The result: People of faith united upon commonness and cherishing the opportunities to open the rich prospects for future harmony for our human family.

Maybe you, too, can join us for one day as we realign and discipline our lives for peace and justice as we relate to those who hunger involuntarily year-round.

Michael Saahir is resident imam at the Nur-Allah Islamic Center in Indianapolis.

Source: http://www.indystar.com/article/20130705/NEWS/307050079/Muslim-fast-ritual-self-restraint?gcheck=1