What is the purpose of Ramadan?

I just saw this thread "To our Muslim friends - A blessed Ramadan Kareem." where we wish muslims a happy ramadan.
But my question is, why do you fast a whole month? It is a pretty hardcore version of the Christian fasting month.
You guys don't drink nor eat from sunrise till sunset... That is in this period from 4 am till almost 10 pm. Why?

Many reasons.

Spriritual rebirth of sorts.

Also good to detoxify during the long days for physical health.

www.quora.com...

Dates back to times of low harvests. Those in power hoarded the crops and instilled Ramadan to avoid negative outcomes. Church did it in me devil times it just didn't catch on or become part of the faith.

I don't believe a God would care what or when we eat not what rituals we practice.

Regardless of which religion you practice this seems a foolish tradition to me.

a reply to: WombRaider69

Religion is nothing more than an accepted cult. These rituals which include fasting are nothing more than to force religious indoctrination and control over their followers. If you really follow a life of love and helping your fellow man, you really don't need to show your commitment to your God by taking part in these outrageous rituals! I've met so many people who are so absorbed in their religious beliefs, yet they lead their life far from what they preach.

I really don't know how anybody can follow organized religion when many of them have shown to be extremely judgmental, hypocritical and some even find mutilation, killings and beatings to be justified and accepted by their loving God! Many Christians religions have carried out their own killings and wars in the name of God. Really, where's the rational in this thinking?

a reply to: WombRaider69

"O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may (learn) self-restraint " -Quran 2:183

The original Arabic word translated here as self-restraint is Taqwa, which has a much broader significance. It symbolizes that basic mortal quality that demarcates the line between morality and amorality, and distinguishes humans from animals as moral beings. It represents love of good with an eagerness to respond to it, and a strong desire to keep away from what is evil and harmful.

Taqwa is also defined as God consciousness i.e being aware that God is watching you. Taqwa has been emphasised over and over in the Quran (its been mentioned 251 times) . Why? Because, praying 5 times a day is easy. Giving charity is easy. But being conscious of God all the time is hard.
Let's assume that you have a bad habit. You smoke daily in secret. Would you smoke if are aware that your parents are watching
you through the window? If you have any respect for them, you won't.
Once you are conscious that God is watching you.. everything will fall right into its place.

God says in that fasting has been decreed upon you so that you may attain Taqwa. But how are you gonna attain Taqwa by fasting?

On a physical level during Ramadan, you are supposed to keep yourself from eating/drinking for prolonged period everyday for 29-30 days consecutively. You stomach is shouting "give me food", your throat is yelling "give me water" and nobody is stopping you except your heart! It is your heart that says "shut up. Not until sunset." to your stomach and throat , it is your heart that is in control for 30 days.

These 30 days is a training period. You train yourself to resist your temptations. When a guy is walking on the street and sees a pretty girl, his eyes have an urge to look at her, but his heart (which is full of taqwa) says "Stop!."
(Staring lustfully to men or woman is forbidden in Islam and can therefore break your fasting)

You might have noticed that Muslims who do not even offer daily prayers regularly , observe fasts and pray 5 times a day through out the Ramadan. It is because God has made it easy for us in the month of Ramadan.
Satan keeps whispering to us throughout the year.. encouraging us to sin. The Satan(major ones) are chained during Ramadan.

“When the month of Ramadan comes, the gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of (Hell) Fire are closed, and the devils are chained.” [Sahih al Bukhaari #3277]

In addition to this there are other reasons and benefits of fasting.
You appreciate things when you don't have it. We take blessings like food and water etc for granted. When you are fasting you realize what poor people feel like everyday. You learn to appreciate things that God has given you. You become more grateful.

There are also medical benefits for fasting.
"10 benefits of fasting that will suprise you"
www.lifehack.org...

But the major reason we fast is because it has been decreed upon us by God like it was on people before us so that we may become righteous(hopefully).

Thanks for being interested, I hope I answered your question.

Peace

a reply to: WeRpeons

Really, where's the rational in this thinking?

With the rational religious people who do not commit atrocities, a few billion of them.

a reply to: ElectricFeel
Think he was asking the real reason it started, not what you've been told/taught.

Was it not a flood? I know a few muslims that believe this to be the true reason for its purpose.

It's not really fasting if you are feasting once the sun goes down. In that respect I fast year round, just from sunset to sun rise.

a reply to: WombRaider69

originally posted by: Sadface
It's not really fasting if you are feasting once the sun goes down. In that respect I fast year round, just from sunset to sun rise.

a reply to: WombRaider69

Nope that is not how it is supposed to be done.

Prophet Muhammad used to consume a very light meal before the dawn (suhoor) and moderate meal (iftaar) to break the fast at sunset, while scrupulously avoiding filling his stomach. He is reported to have said: “The worst container a human being can fill is his stomach. A few morsels of food to keep a person’s back straight are sufficient. However, if his desire overcomes him, then let him eat a third, drink a third and leave a third for breathing.” (Ibn Majah) The Prophet used to break his fast with a few fresh or dried dates and a glass of water just before beginning the sunset prayer.[5] This level allows the fasting person to experience the pangs of hunger and thirst and thereby develops sympathy in him or her for those starving and dying of thirst in other parts of the world.

www.islamreligion.com...

a reply to: ElectricFeel
Can I ask you, if you were to find out that it does all revolve around a bad season of harvesting/entire crops ruined due to flooding, does that dent your perception on islam and the foundations for ramadan. Objectively speaking, isn't difficult to accept it as "prophet given".

Would genuinely like to know.

a reply to: ElectricFeel
Do muslims use there stomach to breathe?
Or when they aren't fasting they struggle to breathe with there lungs?

That 3rd 3rd 3rd thing is funny no matter how you interpret it.

a reply to: GemmyMcGemJew

That is a mistake from my source it should be 1 third for food, 1 third for water, 1 third for air.
Look it up, all other sources will use the word air instead of breathing. My bad for not doing this research before adding this quote. Thanks for pointing that out.

originally posted by: WombRaider69
I just saw this thread "To our Muslim friends - A blessed Ramadan Kareem." where we wish muslims a happy ramadan.
But my question is, why do you fast a whole month? It is a pretty hardcore version of the Christian fasting month.
You guys don't drink nor eat from sunrise till sunset... That is in this period from 4 am till almost 10 pm. Why?

The same reason enough every religion does anything. Faith. It is a Spiritual tradition if you want to know the history you have the internet.

Why are you asking? Is a more provocative question.

a reply to: GemmyMcGemJew

Well that seems logical

a reply to: ElectricFeel

Thank you, that was the answer I was looking for.

a reply to: ElectricFeel

Mohamed ate just like I do. It is healthy to fast it stimulates your metabolism and if you train yourself you can go days without eating.

I have gone three days with no hunger pains I only took vitamins.



I think fasting started because it produces euphoria before you die and people would go without eating until they felt it.

a reply to: Szarah

No I really was genuinely interested to know. It really wasn't my intention to provoke, maybe it is because of my straightforward way of asking?

a reply to: WombRaider69

I don't know the history it is just tradition like Christmas or Chanukah.

Hindus have a festival of lights for days every culture has customs but no doubt it is related to Mohamed.

originally posted by: WombRaider69
I just saw this thread "To our Muslim friends - A blessed Ramadan Kareem." where we wish muslims a happy ramadan.
But my question is, why do you fast a whole month? It is a pretty hardcore version of the Christian fasting month.
You guys don't drink nor eat from sunrise till sunset... That is in this period from 4 am till almost 10 pm. Why?

originally posted by: WombRaider69
a reply to: Szarah

No I really was genuinely interested to know. It really wasn't my intention to provoke, maybe it is because of my straightforward way of asking?

The month of Ramadan is also the month when the Qur'an was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. You can actually get a lot of basic info on Ramadan right here. There are a lot of different reasons why we fast, though the first answer is because it's a requirement for us lol. (It's also helped me learn the difference between wants and needs, and much more.)

And yes, fasting can suck sometimes (though I probably shouldn't say that). When I was growing up, Ramadan was occurring in the winter months. So 9-10hrs of fasting was easy, especially with the cold weather. But the last few years it's been in summer, and we've had 16hrs of daylight where I live. It really wears on the body and mind. Or to be blunt, I can get really grumpy and I seem to lose my mental filter. Ironically, it only starts to wear on me somewhere between the 13th and 20th day. But then it becomes a grind, especially if I have significant work to do. But then I remember why I'm doing it and it gets better.

Though I also feel at my spiritual peak during Ramadan. It's almost like I have a constant feeling of inner peace and enlightenment. So it's like my body gets grumpy but my soul gets refreshed.

If you have any specific questions, I'll try to answer them. Maybe. Depends on what they are lol.

Edit to add: Oh yeah, I remember what I wanted to add. Here's something you have to remember about Islam. As Muslims, we literally volunteer to submit ourselves to God. We're basically choosing to be God's servants. And we believe the Qur'an is the literal teachings of God. Not "words that were inspired" by God, but God's direct teachings, word for word. Nothing in Islam overrides the Qur'an. So even though there have been many attempts to explain reasons why the Qur'an and God tell us to do certain things, all of those explanations and rationalizations are secondary. The real reason is because He commanded us to do it.

(As an example, look at some of the last Surahs in the Qur'an. Some of them start with the word "Say:". It's literally telling us to say those words.)