By Ganna Mahmoud
Ramadan.
You have probably heard this word recently whether it’s from public news, on the internet, or from friends and neighbors, so what is Ramadan?
Ramadan, in Arabic, is the name of the ninth month of the Islamic Calendar. It is an entire observance month in which Muslims perform multiple religious activities, but mainly it is the month of fasting.
According to Islam, that is also the month where the Quran, the religious book, was introduced to the Prophet Muhammed.
Muslims tend to fast from dawn until sunset abstaining from food and drink to complete it, the fourth pillar of Islam.
So yes! Not even water!
There are so many spiritual and surprisingly even health benefits behind this type of fasting.
One of the spiritual benefits is self-control. Fasting itself requires a lot of discipline and self-control which will help one’s ability to control their urges and practice awareness and self-regulation.
Empathy is another huge benefit of fasting. Since Muslims abstain from eating and drinking for a long time, they can feel the thirst and the hunger that poor people or the less fortunate go through. This discomfort will allow Muslims or people in general to be compassionate with the less fortunate and take an action to help them which also leads to the next spiritual benefit, gratitude.
There is no doubt that gratitude is a powerful emotion that can boost both mental and spiritual health. Abstaining from food and water and feeling the discomfort of the less fortunate will allow one to feel the appreciation and the blessings of basic things.
Before we move on to the health benefits, let’s introduce other facts that you may have not known about this month.
Firstly, every Muslim is obligated to fast except women and girls on their periods, pregnant women, travelers or anyone who suffers severe sickness that needs medications on a certain time. Since women and girls get tired and hungry at the time of the month, they don’t need to fast, and that is the same condition for pregnant women.
Travelling can be exhausting, especially a trip that takes long hours, so travelers do not need to fast. However, all those people who did not participate in the fasting due to health reasons, should make up the days they missed after Ramadan ends.
Let’s say a girl got her period during the month and it lasts for four days, so that means that she needs to make up four days of the fasts she missed after the month ends and also before the next Ramadan.
Now, back to health benefits!
Scientists from different backgrounds have argued that fasting can help with renewing metabolism and detoxification of the body. Moreover, various studies suggest that fasting can help in reducing sugar in blood, cholesterol, excessive fatty issues or any other diseases that can affect heart health. It can also help with smoking addiction since smoking should be also abstaining. Overall, this month is an important time for Muslim to become closer to their faith.