When you first hear the word “Ramadan,” what kinds of ideas pop into your head? “Oh, isn’t that the month where Muslims don’t eat or drink all day long?” If this is what comes to mind, you are probably in the same boat as most people around the world. Muslims do fast all day, but the specific reason as to why they do it often goes unacknowledged.
The most common misconception behind fasting is that its purpose is to put your feet into the shoes of people in poverty by not eating or drinking. If this notion is true, why would God force impoverished Muslims to also fast all day long as well? While this assumption can most certainly be a logical interpretation, the Qur’an states “O you who believe, fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may develop consciousness of God” (2:183). Thus, the purpose of fasting is to learn to control your desires in the areas we hold most dear as human beings.
Not only are Muslims not permitted to eat or drink from dawn to sunset, but they also strive to control a host of other human impulses. They must refrain from smoking, having impure thoughts, sexual intercourse, cursing, and more. As humans, we have a natural tendency to hold such practices close to us as they revolve around our desires. Withholding these actions for 30 days straight is intended to teach discipline, self-control, sacrifice, and gives the consciousness of God.
Ramadan is a time of spiritual reflection, self-improvement, heightened devotion, and worship of God. Many Muslims like to seclude themselves from the material world and maximize the number of good deeds they can do during the month to further develop their relationship with God. Ramadan is much more than fasting, and it is a celebration, not a punishment.
