Fasting : Why?

It's already 12 Ramadhan, meaning that all Muslims all over the world have been fasting for 12 days. (Who don't go away. Come back later. Haha) Yeah, that's true. But why do we fast? Common answers that we may get is just because it's a command of our God. Well, that's obliviously true. but will He just ordered it for no reasons? Absolutely NOT. There must be something meaningful hidden behind all His actions. Muslims (who can) fast from dawn till dusk in Ramadhan every year. So people, they don't die because of fasting. Muslims will break their fasting when it's Maghrib (dusk) and started it again when it's dawn.

I know that many people think that fasting is such a bullshit. Well, if that 'bullshit' is good for you why must you hate it then? Most Muslims fast only because they're ordered to do so, ignoring the main objectives of it, making their fasting imperfect. Be that as it may, they do get the medical benefit of fasting. By the way, I feel like writing only some goodness of fasting in health and humanity aspects.


Fasting and Health
Fasting had been introduced to medical world for such a long time. Even animals instinctively fast when sick and many ancient healers used fasting as a medicinal remedy. Hippocrates, father of western medicine and the famous physician of ancient Greece, often prescribed fasting. Paracelsus, another great healer in the Western tradition, wrote 500 years ago that “fasting is the greatest remedy, the physician within." Ayurvedic medicine, the world's oldest healing system, has long advocated fasting as a major treatment. However, Muslims' fasting are different from some rigorous fasting of the non-Muslims.

When fasting, Muslims basically miss lunch and take an early breakfast and do not eat until dusk. Abstinence from water during this period is not bad at all. It causes concentration of all fluids within the body which then produces slight dehydration. The body has its own water conservation, though. And you know what, slight dehydration and water conservation, at least in plant life, improve their longevity.

Oh no! I think that sounds like a doctor. LOL. But hang on. There's something more. Fasting also lower blood sugar, cholestrol and systolic blood pressure (What's this?). That seems good for diet. :) In fact, based on extensive studies of researchers all over the world, Muslims and non-Muslims, it's proven that in no way did fasting worsem any patient's health or baseline medical condition. Now you see that. However, people in critical condition should not try to fast. Do it at your own risk. Haha.

Fasting also affects psychological aspect. There is peace for those who fast during Ramadhan. Minimum personal hostility and low crime rate. Well, that could be related to stabilized blood glucose during fasting as hypoglycemia after eating, aggravates behaviour changes. It seems that I've started writing peculiar words.

Muslims will obtain tranquility of heart and mind when reciting the Quran not to mention that it improves the memory. Healthy Muslims should not fear becoming weak by fasting as that should improve their health and stamina. And I think that I've run out of words to write about this.


Humanity Aspect
When fasting, Muslims should leave all bad things and try to have a greater control over themselves, apart experiencing how does it feel, even a smidgen, to be in unlucky humankinds' situation. Have you ever think what poor people feel when they can't eat, got nothing to swallow? (Yeah, yeah, yeah. Old folks always go on about this) You won't be reading this if you've died because of starvation. Well, at least, we should be happy and grateful to have food to survive. Be thankful with what we got.

When fasting, Muslims ought to control their passion of whatever. Control you anger, patience. Be a better person, considerate, patient. No insult, cheating, and whatsoever. Well, IDK how to elaborate this LOL.


However, I hope you can see that fasting, especially for Muslims, is not useless. It's no bullshit. Even non-Muslims approve it. And hopefully, all Muslims can carry it out sincerely and put all the efforts to make it worthwhile.

p.s : I miss something? I'm wrong? Oh no! Correct me!

3 comments:

September 12, 2008 at 10:37 PM Anonymous said...

such a good article, i suppose
keep it up

September 13, 2008 at 9:27 AM Anonymous said...

nicely said..

happy fasting :)

September 13, 2008 at 11:18 AM Anonymous said...

anonymous : thanks! whoever you are :D

mims : thanks too. be that as it may, I think someone can patch it a lot better.
Happy Fasting!

Post a Comment

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...