![]() The Islamic Centre of Northern Norway, issued a fatwa – a ruling by a scholar of Islamic law or Muslim judicial authority – that gives local Muslims the option of following the fasting hours of Mecca, when the fasting day in Norway exceeds 20 hours. ![]() How does a Muslim in Juneau, Alaska, fast? The sun remains visible at midnight in the Arctic Circle, and in northernmost Finland, it does not set at all for 60 days during summer.Īs a result, local scholars have said it is permissible to follow more reasonable dawn and sunset times of another country. Photograph: Mohammad Hannon/AP How do Muslims fast in places with no sunset? So with prolonged fasting of many days or weeks, the body starts using protein for energy.Īfter a few days of the fast, higher levels of endorphins – hormones related to mood – appear in the blood and can make a person more alert and give an overall feeling of general mental wellbeing, according to the NHS website.ĭr Razeen Mahroof, an anaesthetist from Oxford, said in a statement about fasting to the NHS: “A detoxification process also occurs, because any toxins stored in the body’s fat are dissolved and removed from the body.”Ī street vendor plugs in decorations for Ramadan in Amman, Jordan. This may, in fact, lead to gaining weight.ĭuring fasting, the body uses up glucose and then starts to burn fat, which can lead to weight loss. ![]() Health advice from the NHS includes keeping hydrated and having the right proportion of carbohydrates, fat and protein in between fasts, and not bingeing on oily feasts – however tempting. Scientists have found that short periods of fasting – if properly controlled – can have a number of health benefits, as well as potentially helping overweight people. Muslims do not fast continuously throughout the month: they eat before dawn and break their fast at sunset each day. It is also a time when Muslims try to reconnect with the Qur’an, which they believe is the word of God. The month is also a time of community it is the custom for Muslims to invite their neighbours and friends to share their evening meal – iftar – and recite special Tarawih prayers in congregation. It is considered to increase one’s patience, closeness to God and generosity towards others. Muslims believe fasting is not merely a physical ritual, but is primarily a time for reflection and spiritual recharging.ĭuring the fast, Muslims believe that their desires are curbed and that they can gain understanding of how those who are less privileged than them feel. ![]() In fact, this is where the challenge of patience and endurance comes in. You can hear the recitation of this verse in Arabic:įasting, or sawm in Arabic, literally means “to refrain” – and not only is it abstaining from food, drink and sex, but also actions such as smoking cigarettes, talking about others behind their backs, or using foul language.įasting does not mean Muslims retreat from their daily routine, rather they are encouraged to continue as normal in their work and usual activities. O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may attain Taqwa. The other acts of worship are the shahadah, which is the declaration of faith salat, the five daily prayers zakat, or almsgiving and the hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca.įasting in Ramadan is obligatory for Muslims, and in the Qur’an it states: This is because fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam. Why do Muslims fast?ĭuring this month, observant Muslims do not eat or drink during daylight hours. The month of fasting will end on either Friday 17 July or Saturday 18 July, as there are either 29 or 30 days in a lunar month.Īs Ramadan begins about 11 days earlier each year, it sometimes falls in winter months when the fasts are short, and in summer months when the fasts are long. When is Ramadan?ĭepending on the sighting of the crescent moon, or hilal, the month begins this year on the evening of the Wednesday 17 June, which means Muslims will begin their first day of fasting at dawn on Thursday 18 June. Ramadan is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar, or the Hijri calendar based on the lunar cycle, which began in AD622 when Muhammad migrated from Mecca to Medina. Muslims – there are 1.6 billion in the world – believe Ramadan is the holiest month in the year, when the Qur’an, the holy book of Islam, was revealed to the prophet Muhammad.
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