Fasting: potential therapy for stressful modern-day living?
2011-07-28
Faadiel Essop
Imagine having access to a soothing therapy for the mind, body and soul. Modern-day living has sadly evolved into the proverbial “mad rush’’ with individuals scuttling from meeting to meeting, snowed under an avalanche of emails, grabbing a snack on the go... the never-ending list goes on and on. Such an unfortunate series of events regrettably morphs into stress and anxiety, inner turmoil and the rapid erosion of time. Just think how often we hear our colleagues, friends or family members lament “I would love to go for a walk or play with the kids, but I simply do not have the time’’. Or “I feel so stressed and tired, but I do not have the time to do anything about it’’. However, the age-old ritual of fasting may just be the perfect remedy by creating a unique opportunity to stimulate spiritual rejuvenation, ignite our intrinsic need to serve others, and to quench our thirst for inner peace. Fasting as an article faith is found in most of the major world religions such as Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, with variations in terms of the exact stipulations and requirements. The holy Qur’an – the final divine revelation to humankind – is in agreement with this notion stating that fasting has been prescribed for you as it was for those before you (Qur’an 2:183). For Muslims, Ramadan constitutes the month of fasting and God provides a clear reason why one should fast: “Oh believers, fasting has been prescribed for you as it was for those before you so that you may develop God-consciousness” (Qur’an 2:183). Thus Ramadan is a refreshing and welcome visitor that annually docks at our shores, providing a month-long opportunity for nurturing God-consciousness and also allowing for spiritual cleansing and deep introspection. During Ramadan, Muslims fast from day-break until dawn by refraining from eating and drinking. This roughly equates to twelve hours at present (in South Africa) with Ramadan starting on the first of August this year. Since Muslims adopt the lunar calendar system, Ramadan moves backwards about ten days each year, completing a full calendar year in about 34 years’ time. The fasting person typically rises about an hour before dawn to consume a small meal (referred to as suhur) with family members whereafter the morning prayer (fajr) is completed at dawn. Young children, and individuals who are ill or travelling are excused from fasting. It is clear that there is more to fasting than only the abstention from food and drink. The noted Muslim scholar, Muhammad al-Ghazzali, first documented the prophetic dimensions of the fast that includes both external and internal facets. Here abstention from eating and drinking throughout the day represents the outward dimension. However, the inner dimension refers to the training of our senses to reach a higher sense of morality and consciousness. Thus one’s hands, feet, ears, and tongue should also “fast”. For example, the fasting person is required to employ restraint in terms of behaviour e.g. steer clear from backbiting, obscenities or abusive speech. In agreement, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) explained that if a fasting person encounters someone that is confrontational (arguing, verbal abuse) he/she should check the tongue and respond “I am fasting’’. Since the spirit of Ramadan is strongly centred on enhancing spirituality, the pursuit of leisurely activities markedly wanes thus creating an abundance of “free time’’. Such time is usually used for Qur’anic recitation and reading, prayer, meditation and remembrance of the Creator (dhikr) and social interactions with others. For example, Muslims are encouraged to be more generous during Ramadan by aiding the poor and needy (of all denominations) and to also make time to serve others. Thus the month-long “training period’’ during Ramadan should result in a significant improvement of overall well-being, spirituality and inner tranquility. It is therefore clear that fasting is the ideal antidote for the mind and soul, but what about the body? We are currently living in an era of nutritional excess that has resulted in an alarming surge in associated conditions such as diabetes and heart diseases. Interestingly, research studies are increasingly demonstrating the benefits of caloric restriction (a type of fasting). For example, the Intermountain Heart Collaborative Study reported that Mormons (who fast once a month for 24 hours) displayed reduced incidences of coronary heart disease (blocked arteries). Here study leaders found that fasting was strongly correlated with lower onset of coronary heart disease. Although this study is preliminary in nature it raises interesting possibilities that require further investigation. More recently, animal studies have shown that fasting promotes longevity – however this still needs to be confirmed by performing human studies. At sunset Muslims typically break fast (referred to as boeka or iftar) with something small (e.g. dates, home-made cakes and savories) and water. Neighbours often exchange boeka treats with one another in keeping with the spirit of sharing and caring for each other. This is followed by the evening prayer (maghrib) whereafter supper is served. Here moderation is the key and the aim is not to make up for food intake missed during the day. For the duration of Ramadan there are special (optional) evening, congregational prayers (tarawih) to allow for further spiritual growth and social interaction. During this period portions of, or the entire Qur’an, are recited to remind believers of the special link between the Qur’an and Ramadan. When the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was forty years old (610 AD) the angel Gabriel appeared before him and revealed the first verses of the Qur’an to him and to humankind: “Read in the name of thy Sustainer who has created man out of a germ cell. Read for thy Sustainer is the Most Bountiful One who has taught the use of the pen. Taught man what he did not know” (Qur’an 96: 1-5). Following this, the Qur’an was gradually revealed (from God to Muhammad) over a period of 23 years. During this time the Qur’an was memorised and written down (by several members of the community) precisely as it was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (peace by upon him). To sum up, Ramadan provides an ideal opportunity to re-energise the mind, body and soul, and allows one to emerge with renewed spirituality and inner contentment to readily face the challenges of contemporary society.
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