Fasting

7 items across 3 content types

Questions (2)

beginner

Comparative Religion

What do the Bible and the Qur'an agree on?

Far more than most people realise. The Bible and the Qur'an both declare that God is absolutely one (Deuteronomy 6:4; Mark 12:29; Qur'an 112:1), both command sincere private prayer (Matthew 6:5-6; Qur'an 2:45), both record fasting as an act of worship (Matthew 4:2; Joel 2:12; Qur'an 2:183), both prohibit pork (Leviticus 11:7-8; Qur'an 2:173) and intoxicants (Proverbs 20:1; Qur'an 5:90), both call for modesty in dress (1 Timothy 2:9; Qur'an 24:31), and both foreground care for orphans and the poor as markers of authentic faith (James 1:27; Qur'an 2:177). Even Jesus' posture in prayer — falling on his face (Matthew 26:39) — is the same prostration performed by every Muslim five times daily.

Comparative Religion Bible Christianity

beginner

Islamic Practices

What is the purpose of fasting in Ramadan — why do Muslims fast?

Muslims fast in Ramadan in obedience to Allah's direct commandment in the Quran: *'O you who believe! Fasting has been prescribed upon you as it was prescribed upon those before you, that you may attain taqwa.'* (Al-Baqarah 2:183). The purpose is *taqwa* — God-consciousness, piety, and moral awareness. Fasting is not punitive; it is transformative — a monthly training programme that disciplines the body, purifies the soul, cultivates gratitude, builds empathy for the hungry, and reconnects the believer with worship and Quran.

Fasting Ramadan Pillars of Islam

Articles (2)

Article

Common Ground: Bible Teachings That Align with the Qur'an and Islamic Practice

From monotheism to fasting, modesty to caring for orphans — the parallels between the Qur'an and the Bible are more extensive than most people realise.

TheOpenQuran Research

One of the most effective approaches in interfaith dialogue is to build on shared foundations. Muslims and Christians — and Muslims and Jews — share far more in common than their differences suggest. This article explores specific Bible verses that directly parallel Quranic teachings: the same insistence on one God, the same call to sincere private prayer, the same practice of fasting, the same prohibition of pork and alcohol, the same call to modesty, the same emphasis on caring for orphans and the poor. The Bible does not merely tolerate these Islamic practices — it commands them.

Article

Fasting, Taraweeh & Zakat

Shaykh Salih Al Uthaymeen

A comprehensive guide to the rulings of fasting in Ramadan, the night prayer (Taraweeh), and Zakaat — covering obligations, nullifiers, concessions, and the recipients of charity.

Hadith (3)

Hadith

Sahih al-Bukhari 8

Sahih

بُنِيَ الإِسْلاَمُ عَلَى خَمْسٍ شَهَادَةِ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ وَإِقَامِ الصَّلاَةِ وَإِيتَاءِ الزَّكَاةِ وَالْحَجِّ وَصَوْمِ رَمَضَانَ

Buniya al-Islamu 'ala khamsin: shahadati an la ilaha illallah wa anna Muhammadan Rasulullah, wa iqamis-salah, wa ita'iz-zakah, wal-hajj, wa sawmi Ramadan

The Prophet said: 'Islam is built upon five pillars: the testimony that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger, establishing prayer, giving Zakaat, performing Hajj, and fasting in Ramadan.'

Narrated by Abdullah ibn Umar

This hadith outlines the Five Pillars of Islam — the fundamental acts of worship that form the foundation of a Muslim's life. The Shahada (testimony of faith) comes first as the declaration of monotheism, followed by the four practical pillars of prayer, charity, pilgrimage, and fasting.

Hadith

Sahih al-Bukhari 1903

Sahih

مَنْ صَامَ رَمَضَانَ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ

Man sama Ramadana imanan wahtisaban ghufira lahu ma taqaddama min dhanbihi

The Prophet said: 'Whoever fasts during Ramadan out of sincere faith and hoping to attain Allah's rewards, all his past sins will be forgiven.'

Narrated by Abu Hurairah

This hadith connects the act of fasting to sincere intention and divine reward, echoing the principle from the first hadith that actions are judged by intentions. Fasting in Ramadan is not mere abstention from food — it must be accompanied by genuine faith and conscious devotion.

Hadith

Sahih al-Bukhari 1904

Sahih

قَالَ اللَّهُ كُلُّ عَمَلِ ابْنِ آدَمَ لَهُ إِلاَّ الصِّيَامَ، فَإِنَّهُ لِي، وَأَنَا أَجْزِي بِهِ

Qala Allahu: Kullu 'amali ibni Adama lahu illa as-siyam, fa innahu li, wa ana ajzi bihi

The Prophet said: 'Allah said: All the deeds of Adam's sons are for them, except fasting which is for Me, and I will give the reward for it. Fasting is a shield from the fire and from committing sins. If one of you is fasting, he should avoid sexual relation with his wife and quarreling. By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, the unpleasant smell coming from the mouth of a fasting person is better in the sight of Allah than the smell of musk. There are two pleasures for the fasting person: one at the time of breaking his fast, and the other at the time when he will meet his Lord.'

Narrated by Abu Hurairah

This is a Hadith Qudsi — a divine saying transmitted through the Prophet. God claims fasting as uniquely His because, unlike prayer or charity which can be observed by others, fasting is an entirely private act between a person and God. No one can verify whether someone is truly fasting — making it the purest expression of sincerity. The promise that God Himself will determine its reward (rather than specifying a fixed reward) suggests that fasting's reward is limitless. The mention of the fasting person's breath being 'better than musk' to God further elevates this act of self-denial into something beautiful in the divine estimation.