Ramadan why do muslims fast

At dawn, we perform the morning prayer. Since it's usually still pretty early, many go back to sleep for a bit before waking up again to get ready for the day I certainly do.

Muslims are not supposed to avoid work or school or any other normal duties during the day just because we are fasting. In many Muslim countries, however, businesses and schools may reduce their hours during the day or close entirely.

For the most part, though, Muslims go about their daily business as we normally would, despite not being able to eat or drink anything the whole day.

When the evening call to prayer is finally made or when the alarm on your phone's Muslim prayer app goes off , we break the day's fast with a light meal — really more of a snack — called an iftar literally "breakfast" , before performing the evening prayer. Many people also go to the mosque for the evening prayer, followed by a special prayer that is only recited during Ramadan. This is usually followed by a larger meal a bit later in the evening, which is often shared with family and friends in one another's homes throughout the month.

Then it's off to bed for a few hours of sleep before it's time to wake up and start all over again. Note: There are good reasons for only having a small snack to break your fast before performing the evening prayer and then eating a bigger meal later.

Muslim prayers involve a lot of movement — bending over, prostrating on the ground, standing up, etc. Doing all that physical activity on a full stomach after not having eaten for 15 hours is a recipe for disaster. Just trust me on this one. Some of you may be thinking, "Wow, that sounds like a great way to lose weight! I'm going to try it! That's because eating large meals super early in the morning and late at night with a long period of low activity bordering on lethargy in between can wreak havoc on your metabolism.

But if you're careful, you can avoid putting on weight, and you may actually lose a few pounds. One meta-analysis of scientific studies on the effects of Ramadan fasting on body weight found that "[w]eight changes during Ramadan were relatively small and mostly reversed after Ramadan, gradually returning to pre-Ramadan status.

Ramadan provides an opportunity to lose weight, but structured and consistent lifestyle modifications are necessary to achieve lasting weight loss. So just like with any other extreme diet plan, you may lose a few pounds, but unless you actually make "structured and consistent lifestyle modifications," you're probably not going to see major, lasting results.

For religious matters, Muslims follow a lunar calendar — that is, one based on the phases of the moon — whose 12 months add up to approximately days.

That's 11 days shorter than the days of the standard Gregorian calendar. Therefore, the Islamic lunar calendar moves backward approximately 11 days each year in relation to the regular Gregorian calendar. So that means that the first day of the month of Ramadan, which is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, moves backward by about 11 days each year. This has a large impact on how people experience Ramadan from year to year.

When Ramadan falls in the winter, it's much easier to fast: the days are shorter, which means you don't have to fast as long, and it's colder out, so not being able to drink water all day isn't as big of a deal because you're not sweating as much.

Conversely, when Ramadan falls in the summer, fasting can be brutal. In many Muslim countries in the Middle East and Africa, summer temperatures can reach levels usually reserved for the deepest bowels of hell.

And in some Northern European countries such as Iceland, Norway, and Sweden where, yes, there are Muslims , fasting can last an average of 20 hours or more in the summer.

And in a few places above the Arctic Circle, the sun never actually sets in the summer. In these cases, Muslim religious authorities have decreed that Muslims can either fast along with the closest Muslim country or fast along with Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

There's a reason "Ramadan start date" is one of the most-searched phrases every single year. That's because Muslims around the world do not know when exactly Ramadan is actually supposed to start. Islam is based on 5 core principles; believing in these principles is key to being identified as a person of the Islamic faith. These are acts that Allah SWT has ordained compulsory.

Fasting is one of the five pillars meaning that to fast during the month of Ramadan is mandatory for all able Muslims. As humans, we are susceptible to sins and transgression of the boundaries established by Islam and fasting teaching us to be pious and restrain ourselves from worldly pleasures.

The act of fasting during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam. Outlook Newsletters Ent. AR Tired of the unceasing, ungainly internet entertainment updates? Tech in style The right tech that defines you. Your aspirations. Your styles. Right in time. This year, the coronavirus pandemic is disrupting Ramadan observances across the world, closing mosques and upending plans for traditional suhoor and iftar gatherings.

But while celebrations might be subdued this year, the spirit of this centuries-old tradition will remain the same for many as a time for piety and self-reflection.

Shahadah : believing there is no deity but God and prophet Mohammad peace be upon him as his messenger.

All rights reserved. Sultan Ahmed Mosque Blue Mosque Constructed during the early 17th century, Istanbul's most photogenic building gets its nickname from the blue tiles adorning the interior. The Five Pillars of Islam. These guidelines are fundamental to the lives of Muslims. Sawm : fasting from dawn until dusk during Ramadan Shahadah : believing there is no deity but God and prophet Mohammad peace be upon him as his messenger Zakat : giving to charity Salah : praying five times a day Hajj : making the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once if able.

Share Tweet Email. Why it's so hard to treat pain in infants. This wild African cat has adapted to life in a big city. Animals Wild Cities This wild African cat has adapted to life in a big city Caracals have learned to hunt around the urban edges of Cape Town, though the predator faces many threats, such as getting hit by cars.

India bets its energy future on solar—in ways both small and big. Environment Planet Possible India bets its energy future on solar—in ways both small and big Grassroots efforts are bringing solar panels to rural villages without electricity, while massive solar arrays are being built across the country.

Go Further.