Ramadan: Fasting of the Heart

2018

During the month of Ramadan, millions of Muslims worldwide observe an absolute fast from dawn to sunset without any drink or food. The impact of fasting during Ramadan on patients with stable cardiac disease seems minimal and does not lead to any increase in acute events. Then, most patients with the stable cardiac diseases can fast safely. Most of the drug doses and their regimen are easily manageable during this month. Ramadan fasting is a healthy non-pharmacological means for improving cardiovascular risk factors. But patients with acute coronary syndrome, uncontrolled hypertension, decompensated heart failure, recent cardiac intervention or cardiac surgery or any debilitating diseases should avoid fasting. Résumé Durant le mois de Ramadan, des millions de musulmans du monde entier observent un jeûne absolu du levée jusqu’au coucher de soleil sans boire ni manger. Pendant ce mois saint, l'impact du jeûne chez les patients atteints d'une maladie cardio-vasculaire stable se...

He argues that to understand the spirit of Islam, it is essential to comprehend "devotional religious experience and behavior" together. To understand the spirit of the Qur'anic message to humanity, fasting in Ramadan is a good example. Although Muslims observe fasting as a religious obligation ordained by Allah, we do believe that there are numerous purposes and wisdom in the fasting. Ramadan thus has far-reaching meanings and lessons for all of us. I will try to summarize some of these major wisdoms of fasting. In doing so, I primarily consulted and benefited from Said Nursi's treatise on Ramadan. Nursi is one of probably the most influential Muslim thinkers in Turkey in the 20th Century. Nursi underlines that fasting in Ramadan is one of Islam's foremost pillars and greatest symbols. Many of its purposes relate to God's Lordship and giving thanks for His bounties, as well as to humanity's individual and collective life, self-training, and self-discipline. Then, he delineates the wisdom of Ramadan as follows: First, the noble Qur'an, the word of God, was revealed to humanity in the month of Ramadan (the Qur'an, 2:185). Accordingly, to shun the lower demands of the ego and trivialities and to resemble the angelic state by abstaining from food and drink in order to greet that heavenly address in the best manner is to attain a holy state.

Saudi medical journal

To determine the clinical and biochemical effects of fasting during Ramadan on patients with cardiac disease. Eighty-six outpatients with heart disease with intention to fast were studied in the month of Ramadan 1996 (1416 H) at the King Fahd Armed Forces Hospital, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Detailed clinical and biochemical assessments were performed within 3 days before the start of Ramadan and then on the last day of Ramadan. There were 54 (62.8%) males and 32 (37.2%) females with a mean age of 56.3 years (range, 17-84 ). Forty-six patients (53%) had coronary artery disease, 23 patients (27%) had valvular heart disease, 13 patients (15%) had congestive heart failure and 4 patients (5%) were treated for arrhythmia. Sixty-two patients (72%) were in New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class I, 18 patients (21%) in Class II, and 6 patients (7%) were in Class III. Seventy-four patients (86%) managed to fast during the entire Ramadan, 9 patients (10.4%) missed the fasting for up to...

The Muslim Reader, 2022

Sawm or fasting is the fourth of the five pillars of Islam. Sawm means to abstain. It was prescribed upon Muslims in the month of Sha’ban , around 18 months after hijra (emigration to Medina), and not ordained during the first years of Islam in Makkah. The month of Ramadan (the 9th month in the Islamic calendar) is the time designated for fasting and Muslims fast every year during Ramadan. In a very literal sense, fasting is to refrain from eating, drinking or even from actions such as speaking. In Islam, it means to abstain (with the intention to fast) from eating, drinking and sexual gratification from dawn until sunset. There are many good books and courses about the “rules” and essential elements of fasting, and this article does not wish to replicate those rules. Instead, this article is about certain aspects of fasting generally that are beyond the cardinal rules, including the virtues of fasting generally, days recommended for fasting, the fast of the silence and i’tikaf (or spiritual retreat or seclusion).

Journal of the Saudi Heart Association, 2014

The holy month of Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam. During this month, fasting Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking, and sex from dawn until sunset. Although the Quran exempts sick people from the duty of fasting, it is not uncommon for many heart disease patients to fast during Ramadan. Despite the fact that more than a billion Muslims worldwide fast during Ramadan, there is no clear consensus on its effects on cardiac disease. Some studies have shown that the effects of fasting on stable patients with cardiac disease are minimal and the majority of patients with stable cardiac illness can endure Ramadan fasting with no clinical deterioration. Fasting during Ramadan does not seem to increase hospitalizations for congestive heart failure. However, patients with decompensated heart failure or those requiring large doses of diuretics are strongly advised not to fast, particularly when Ramadan falls in summer. Patients with controlled hypertension can safely fast. ...

Logos Universality Mentality Education Novelty: Philosophy and Humanistic Sciences

In Eastern spirituality fasting has both a physical and a spiritual side. Physical fast involves refraining oneself from consuming certain types of food and reducing the amount of food allowed to be consumed. The spiritual fast implies the spiritualization of the human being by avoiding hollow thoughts, facts that are against moral laws, inappropriate words. Both physical and spiritual fast create the proper conditions that lead to spiritual and bodily health. The purpose of fasting is the spiritual ascension, the bodily health being only a side effect of the ascetic endeavors of the human being. A person can only be declared healthy if both his/her soul and his body are in good health. Of course, the medical aspects of fasting should not be forgotten either, the Christian having the duty of properly taking care of his body, by not neglecting or disregarding it. Having a dichotomous nature, the human being must be concerned with the soul, but also with the body, fasting being the means by which the soul manages to dominate the passionate impulses of the body. Fasting has an important religious-moral value, it is a welcome act to God, a means of removing passions and sins, an instrument of lust control, a separation from the materialism of the present world. Fasting is a way to acquire the moral order within society, being a means of Christian philanthropy, an instrument of helping people, a way through which society can progress.

Open Access Macedonian Journal of Medical Sciences

Fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam. Fasting entails more than abstaining from food and drink, fasting improves impulse control and aids in the development of good behavior. The holy month of Ramadan falls on the 9th month of the lunar calendar. Ramadan is a month-long fasting period that takes place between dawn and sunset. Some people with diabetes and those who are sick or have certain medical conditions may be exempt. The majority of people with diabetes, on the other hand, choose to fast; even against medical advice. Many studies have been conducted to determine the health benefits of fasting. Apart from the benefits to the body’s organs, Ramadan fasting is also beneficial for the growth of the gut microbiota and gene expression and is believed to impact the body’s autophagy process. Furthermore, Ramadan fasting has an impact on mental health; TC and LDL were lower, while HDL and TG were higher, lowers inflammation, and oxidative stress markers.

Quran and Medicine, 2013

Context: Believers, fasting is decreed for you as it was decreed for those before you; perchance you will be cautious (Surah Al-Baghara, 183). The holy Prophet (SAW) also stated: "Fast and stay healthy". Islamic fast is an exquisite and especial method for proper planning to develop mental and physical health in fasting person. Fasting for a month, especially in the holy Ramadan, is the specific model for twelve month of life that can insure the health of fasting person for one year, because researches show that biological clock of the brain needs to be adjusted, annually. According to the holy Quran introductions and the traditions of holy Prophet, the biological clock of the brain should be adjusted within this month, since in this holy month the doors of God`s mercy are open to his servants, and implying the specific model in this month may cause physiological and psychological coordination. Hence, biological clock of the brain will be adjusted by fasting and energy turns the light of physical and mental health for the next eleven months. Evidences Acquisitions: Reports over the last decade show that any change in the lifestyle of patient can accelerate the treatment progress. Results: Although Islamic fasting is not in available in all religions, the principle of fasting exists in all religions which represents the domination of documented procedures on the human nature. Results of the current study showed that Islamic fast can be considered as the best model to improve physical health and relaxation; and reduction of crimes and violations in this month is derived from the relaxation that is naturally resulted from the adjusted basis of physiological and psychological homeostasis. Conclusions: Personal and psychological arrangements can play an important role to adjust strong homeostasis in the physiological systems. This stable procedure or homeostasis helps physiological procedures to be stable and integrated even if any problems occur, and physiological stability cannot be replaced easily by pathologic factors; hereby the illness is prevented. Regulating the release of brain neurotransmitters, hormones secretion, and metabolic processes are the most important achievements of Islamic fasting that result in mental and physical health.

Ramadan is everywhere: Muslims all over the globe are welcoming and observing this holy month. Ramadan has been changing and transforming individuals, families and societies alike. So, let us look at and try to understand the meaning of this special time. "Ramadan" is an Arabic word, which literally means "parched thirst" and "sun-baked ground." It expresses the hunger and thirst felt by those Muslims around the world who spend the daylight hours of this month in a complete. As opposed to other holidays-when people often indulge-Ramadan, by definition therefore, is a time of sacrifice and reflection on the meaning of that sacrifice and bounties given us by Allah. This pious reflection leads to a spiritual awakening and renewal. Therefore, it is a time for inner reflection, devotion to Allah, altruism, and self-control. We Muslims think of it as a kind of tune-up for our spiritual and physical well-being. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. The entire cycle takes around 35 years. In this way, the length of the day, and thus the fasting period, varies in length from place to place over the years. Every Muslim, no matter where he or she lives, will see an average Ramadan day of approximately 13.5 hours. From Dawn to Dusk The daily period of fasting begins with the breaking of dawn (an hour before sunrise) and ends with the setting of the sun. In between-that is, during the daylight hours-Muslims completely abstain from food, drink, smoking, and marital sex. The usual practice is to have a pre-fast meal (suhoor) before dawn and a post-fast meal (iftar) after sunset. If you fail to wake up and consequently miss the pre-fast meal, you will fast for nearly 24 hours. Children do not observe the fast during their fragile growing years. However, young people at the beginning of puberty are required to. Parents train their children over a few years, beginning when they are about six years old, to fast, from the observation of half days at the beginning to complete days later on.

This paper seeks to explicit the important of Ramadan. Ramadan is a special month for a million of Muslim around the world. It begins at the first sight of the new moon of a nine month of the Muslim calendar. During Ramadan, many Muslims fast by no eating or drinking from sun rise to sun set. Muslim gets up before doon and have a meal call SUHOOR and they wouldn't eat again until sunset. Then they will break their fast usually with date or water and a meal called IFTAR. Muslim believes that fasting help them understand the need of poor and those without food. This paper conclude that Muslim come close to Allah/God by asking for forgiveness, praying and giving out charity.