Fasting in Light of Philosophy

In a purely materialistic world, it is difficult to keep one’s inner existence (spirituality) free from the phenomenon of desires and interests that more often becomes impediments in the process of purification of the soul.

Fasting is a qualitatively different act which strives for inspiration, purification and God consciousness. It keeps us in a right relationship to all. It is a stance of love, sympathy, goodwill, kindness towards all living beings.

Fasting is characterized as a unique spiritual and moral act. It is an act of self-constraint, a conscious and deliberate abstention from food, drink and sexual intercourse and everything that nullifies the fast.

During Ramzan an individual who fasts do not eat a grain of food or a drop of water from dawn to dusk, even how delicious the food is or how hungry or thirsty one feels.

But it is not only about avoiding food or drink rather it is a practice of self-discipline and self-control. It is the period of meditation, self-restraint, repentance and spiritual recuperation.

In this period an individual start readjustments of inner life, inspires and refreshes the vigor and vitality of the spiritual forces which were potentially exist but unfocused.

Hence fasting nourishes individual’s spirituality and brings him/her near to the ultimate. In this sense fasting is an act of spiritual reflection.

Fasting brings self-discipline and self-control. Control of passions is necessary since cast of the soul has to be given to please them. When an individual is ruled by his/her impulses its spiritual aspect vanishes and one lives like a brute animal.

When an individual sublimates one’s impulses, commits himself/herself voluntarily to the spiritual realm and the Divine Law one enters into the highest stage of life where one experience a transition from lower consciousness to higher consciousness this transition differentiates humanity from the animal world. Hence it is an occasion where an individual can strengthen one’s khudi (self) and achieves the status which Sir Muhammad Iqbal characterizes as the perfect man (insaan-e kamil) which is the highest form of life. 

In this sense fasting cleanses the soul, from harmful impurities raises one’s flesh to the spirit, renders the heart contrite and humble, scatters the clouds of concupiscence, quenches the fire of lust, and kindles the true light of chastity.

Fasting is extremely relevant to modern world because it helps an individual in restoring his wisdom and leads an individual to the ethically disciplined life.

Fasting urges people to be patient and calm. It prepares an individual for charity and generosity. It prepares people to give for the sake of others and to be compassionate towards the poor.

It inculcates feeling of empathy and love for poor, hungry and needy and encourages actions of charity and generosity.

Thus fasting is a practice that promotes chastity and humility. It prevents a believer from sinful, immoral and vice activities as well as from the outburst of uncontrolled lust, false intentions and imaginations.

Thus fasting is not only a free, conscious and deliberate act of avoiding or abstaining from food and drink but it also includes abstention of falsehood in speech and practice, bad argumentation and impure imagination which are the basic principles of ethical life.

Furthermore, fasting can create an intimate relationship of an individual with his Lord. It enhances individuals love for Allah and Allah’s love for him it is a unique way to bring ourselves near to Allah and His mercy and blessings.

In this sense fasting kindles and inspires the religious life of an individual and inculcates God-consciousness (taqwa) which is its basic endowments.

Fasting has immense impact on human beings and the society as well. The virtue of fasting is that it helps an individual in relating to the plight of the poor and the hungry and makes one aware of the difficulties faced by several those fellow members of the society who are deprived of one of the basic necessities of life like food.

This creates empathy in the individual’s mind and heart and gives rise to the tendency of giving to those who are deprived, resulting in charity.