Fasting in Arabic is صَوْم or صِيَام. Linguistically, both words are verbal nouns of the verb صَامَ 'he fasted'. Generally speaking, صَامَ means to refrain from doing something. For example, to say صَامَ عَنِ الْكَلَام means to refrain from talking, and to say صَامَ عَنِ التَّدْخِيْن means to refrain from smoking. However, the words صَامَ, صَوْم, and صِيَام in Arabic are always associated with religion, namely fasting Ramadan.
Source: www.arabiaweather.com
The fasting of Ramadan is the fourth pillar of Islam. Allah SWT clearly stated this in the Holy Book of Islam, the Koran, in verse 183 of Surat Al-Bagarah. "يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ". ‘O you who believe! Observing the fast is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those (who came) before you, that you may become pious.’ Therefore, historically and religiously fasting has been a necessity of life.
Historically, ancient Egyptians, particularly priests; clergymen; and religious people used to fast. The period of their fast ranged from one week to seven weeks. Likewise, ancient Chinese used to fast. Following Egyptians, the ancient Greek habitually fasted. Some fasted for a purpose. For example, the Romans fasted in order that they became victorious and defeated their enemies. In times of dangers and pandemics, the Jews fast a lot more frequently than it is prescribed in their religious beliefs. Christians have their own way of fasting. Hence, most religions have imposed fasting upon its followers. It is not restricted to specific months or seasons. Rather, people can practice it throughout the year.
Besides the obligation to fast Ramadan, Islam has evoked love and interest for fasting throughout the year. Prophet Mohammed (PBUH), by preference, recommended that Muslims fast during certain days and months of the year. Whoever fasts Ramadan, he states, and fasts six days of Shawwal, the lunar month that follows Ramadan, his fast is an eternal one. Also, he recommended that Muslims fast the day of Arafa, the day before the big Eid or Eid al-Adha (the festivity of sacrifice) and the second day of the Hajj.
Furthermore, he recommended that Muslims fast specific days in Muharram (the first month in the Islamic calendar) Rajab (the seventh month in the Islamic calendar), and Sha’ban (the eight month of the Islamic calendar). Many Muslims around the world also fast the white days, the 13th, 14th, and 15th, of each month in the Islamic calendar. It is also recommended that Muslims fast Mondays and Thursdays of every week in the Islamic calendar. So, what exactly is fasting and how is it performed?
Linguistically, fasting is to abstain and to refrain from changing one’s existing condition to another. Fasting in Islamic law is to have the intent refrain from doing anything that breaks one’s fast from dawn until sunset. To fully and precisely fulfill this intent, the person who fasts must refrain from eating, drinking, and engaging in a sexual activity. Equally important is the avoidance of what Sharia Law interdicts. In a Hadith, Prophet Mohammed enjoined that whoever does not forgo the falsehood or participating in it, his abstinence from eating and drinking is needless and pointless. Hence, fasting is one of the greatest good deeds that a Muslim perform, and Allah SWT values it immensely.
Allah SWT says that every deed of a human being (of a Muslim) is for himself except fasting; it is for Me and I shall reward him for it. Compared to other forms of worships, Fasting is the only worship that prohibits peoples’ (Muslims’) pleasures and lusts. Also, fasting is a worship that is between the person who fasts (the Muslim) and Allah. That is to say, deeds and intentions of the faster are not apparent to other human beings. Only Allah SWT knows how fasting is being done. For these reasons, Allah, the Almighty, says that fasting is for Him. The month of fasting (i.e. Ramadan) is the greatest month in Islam.
During the Holy Month of Ramadan, the doors of heaven are wide open. Also, Allah SWT orders that the doors of hellfire be tightly locked. More importantly, devils are firmly chained. In a Hadith, Abu Huraira narrated that Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) said, ‘when Ramadan arrives, the doors of heaven are opened, the doors of hellfire are locked, and the devils are chained.’ Allah SWT greatly reward fasters on the day of judgement. In another Hadith narrated by Sahl, the Prophet (PBUH) said: ‘there is a door in heaven called Al Rayyan. Only those who fast Ramadan go through it. On the day of judgement, a loud call says, ‘where are the fasters?’ They stand up and go through the Al Rayyan door, and no one else is allowed to enter through. Once the fasters go through it, it is locked.
