In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Fasting is a common form of worship among the various religions across the world. Its spiritual benefits are widely recognized even though its frequency, practice and duration may differ from faith to faith. Islam places great importance on the act of fasting, calling it one of the pillars of worship, along with prayer, charity and pilgrimage.
God says in the Quran, the holy book of Islam, “You who believe, fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may be mindful of God” (2:183).
Islam teaches that God (Allah in Arabic) sent many prophets since the beginning of the human race, including Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad (peace be upon all of them). Hence, Islam shares core values such as belief in God as well as a commitment to justice and virtue with Christianity and Judaism; similarly, fasting in one form or another is common to all three Abrahamic faiths and, indeed, to the vast majority of religions across the world.
In Islam, fasting is one of the major acts of worship and a means of attaining God-consciousness. Along with the physical aspects of fasting, its spiritual dimensions purify the soul, instill self-reflection and inspire virtuous living.