A non-Muslim’s Ramadan fast …

Some of you may know that I set myself the challenge to fast during this Ramadan. Here is my account of it.

I am sure that some of you will not consider my attempt to fast to be in any way, shape or form Islamic. You are probably right, and I want to make that clear from the outset.

My fasting entailed the following:
I had breakfast and prayed (not Islamically) before sunrise, and I broke the fast with our family meal in the evening (around 6 PM, so an hour or two before the actual sunset)
During that time I fasted pretty much the same way Muslims do – no food or drink consumed.

The first three days were terrible!
On the first day my mind became so occupied with FOOD that even sweets wrappers or discarded food in the bin started to look tempting! +o(
By the third day my concentration and energy was so low, that I did not think I would be able to continue …

… but luckily by day four my body had adjusted, and it became much more manageable.

I continued for twenty days, but which time I suddenly felt that I was not fasting for the right reasons any longer, so I stopped fasting then – I felt that if I was fasting to impress my Muslim friends rather than to please God, then my intentions were wrong anyway, and there was no point continuing …

I must say that fasting has be a very profound and spiritual experience for me.
Although I fast pretty regularly as part of my Christian faith, I have never done it for such a length of time.
The two main things which I noticed the most were that

1. I had an increased awareness of how many of God’s blessings we take for granted in life, without even thinking to thank him for. Going hungry for so long every day was a great reminder of that!

2. I really felt very much in touch with God. He certainly pricked my conscience with regards to several issues in my own life – which I am trying very hard to address as we speak.

So overall it was a great thing to do.
Although I may not have fasted Islamically in the true sense of the word, I would certainly consider fasting again.

Thanks for reading. :thumbs_up

Peace

Subhan Allah Sister,

Fasting is a very very spiritual experience. The most important part of the fasting is not the food and drink. The most amazing part of fasting is how you find it so easy to resist all worldly temptations.
You stop lying, swearing, thinking bad about anyone, cursing anyone, you lower your gaze when you come across the opposite sex etc etc.

You also feel closer to God in so many ways.

Well done on fasting for 20 days. If you did them with the right intention then may Allah reward you.


Also why not try fasting 1 day in the Islamic way and see how that feels? After all we are both worshipping the same God

Peace.

wow...glo, it must be an exciting experience to you

I think u sense the main benefits of fasting in your experience (being closed to Allah), so its not just fasting from food and drinks but from everything that not pleasing Allah

you must be feeling so refresh now after this experience, I think its good to see how the other feel about something by practicing that thing....

can I say see you fasting next Ramadan in sha allah? :-[ *wink*
or you will not repeat that again ?:?

from deep of my heart.....May Allah guide You to the best path, glo

SAYA said:

wow...glo, it must be an exciting experience to you

I think u sense the main benefits of fasting in your experience (being closed to Allah), so its not just fasting from food and drinks but from everything that not pleasing Allah

you must be feeling so refresh now after this experience, I think its good to see how the other feel about something by practicing that thing....

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Thank you, SAYA

can I say see you fasting next Ramadan in sha allah? :-[ *wink*
or you will not repeat that again ?:?

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I may just join you again next Ramadan.

As a Muslim you will probably disagree, but I am also considering fasting outside Ramadan ... perhaps even in the run up to Christmas or Easter. That seems like a good time to try to draw closer to God.

from deep of my heart.....May Allah guide You to the best path, glo

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Indeed

its really heartwarming that you fasted, mashallah

glo said:

As a Muslim you will probably disagree, but I am also considering fasting outside Ramadan ... perhaps even in the run up to Christmas or Easter. That seems like a good time to try to draw closer to God.

Indeed

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That is a great Idea. I might even join you in that because my family is nonmuslim and they celebrate easter and christmas. Of course my fast will not be about celebrating those holidays but will be just for Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala and to inshaAllah help me remember to make lots of duas for my nonmuslim family to embrace islam.

Fasting during Ramadan is obligatory, but one may do it at any time (besides one or two days where it's forbidden) they like. Some days it is preferred to fast, such as the day of arafat. If one missed some fasts during Ramadan, they are obliged to make them up afterwards. The prophet peace be upon him used to fast every monday and thursday (correct me someone if i'm wrong). So to gain the benefits of fasting, one doesn't have to wait just for ramadan, it can be done any time you wish.. Some people fast when they feel low on eeman, as a sort of spiritual boost.. So fasting outside of Ramadan is perfectly okay.

Reading about your fast was interesting, hope you try it again some other time.

glo said:

I may just join you again next Ramadan.

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oh great !

then I am waiting u in sha allah, okay *wink*

glo said:

Some of you may know that I set myself the challenge to fast during this Ramadan. Here is my account of it.

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I was wondering how your fasting went. I am glad that you posted your experiences.

My fasting entailed the following:
I had breakfast and prayed (not Islamically) before sunrise, and I broke the fast with our family meal in the evening (around 6 PM, so an hour or two before the actual sunset)
During that time I fasted pretty much the same way Muslims do – no food or drink consumed.

Click to expand...

That is approximately the same for me from about 5:40 AM to 7:30 PM.

The first three days were terrible!
On the first day my mind became so occupied with FOOD that even sweets wrappers or discarded food in the bin started to look tempting! +o(
By the third day my concentration and energy was so low, that I did not think I would be able to continue …

… but luckily by day four my body had adjusted, and it became much more manageable.

Click to expand...

Not to be critical, but it is interesting that it was this difficult for you from just missing the noon meal. The main difficulty for me was more in not being able to drink water, but perhaps I have more energy "reserves" than you do.

I continued for twenty days, but which time I suddenly felt that I was not fasting for the right reasons any longer, so I stopped fasting then – I felt that if I was fasting to impress my Muslim friends rather than to please God, then my intentions were wrong anyway, and there was no point continuing …

Click to expand...

You are exactly right that the intention determines the merit of the deed. Whether your intention as a non-Muslim in fasting was to have a similar physiological experience as a fasting Muslim due to a sense of brother/sisterhood, to "try Islam on" for how well it suits you (like a new pair of pants), or to seek spiritual guidance from God for some personal dilemma, I am hopeful that Allah fulfilled your intention.

I am intrigued when a Christian tells me that he has prayed or fasted along with Muslims. For these actions to have merit before Allah, the intention must be to worship Allah in the manner exemplified by Prophet Muhammad (saaws). If I as a Muslim would kneel before my bed at night with my hands raised in front of my face palmside together and pray to God in thanksgiving for the daily blessings and asking for certain needs, would I be praying according to the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (saaws)? No, of course not. Prayer in Christianity approximates the du'a in Islam, but I don't know that salah in Islam has any equivalent in Christianity. Perhaps there is some ritualized prayer in Catholicism, but I don't think that it was instigated by Prophet Jesus (as). In Islam there is no salah without recitation of al-Fatiha or following the example of Prophet Muhammad (saaws).

The example of salah can also be applied to sawm or fasting. Our intention of fasting in Islam is none other than as an act of worship to our Creator. As with performing our 5 daily prayers, the fasting of Ramadan is an act of submission to the Will of Allah as exemplified by Prophet Muhammad (saaws). We begin the fast with a light meal and drink before the crack of dawn (~1 hour before sunrise), we abstain from food, drink, and marital relations during the daylight hours, we break our fast immediately after sunset with 3 dates and water, and we say extra salah at night (taraweeh) and read more Qur'an - all according to the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (saaws).

I must say that fasting has be a very profound and spiritual experience for me.
Although I fast pretty regularly as part of my Christian faith, I have never done it for such a length of time.

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Can you describe your regular fasting? What does fasting in Christianity entail? Is it along the lines of Prophet Jesus (as) in the wilderness Mark 4:2 for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they had ended, he became hungry. or does it mean not eating meat on Fridays before Easter? Does it mean something else?

As a Baptist, I had no concept of the word fasting, but then in college I periodically abstained from food (drank plenty of water) for up to 3 days and nights seeking God's guidance. I indeed felt that reading the Bible meant more to me during those times.

The two main things which I noticed the most were that

1. I had an increased awareness of how many of God’s blessings we take for granted in life, without even thinking to thank him for. Going hungry for so long every day was a great reminder of that!

2. I really felt very much in touch with God. He certainly pricked my conscience with regards to several issues in my own life – which I am trying very hard to address as we speak.

So overall it was a great thing to do.

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Those are excellent results. May Allah grant you guidance to and along the Straight Way that leads to Eternal Life.

Although I may not have fasted Islamically in the true sense of the word, I would certainly consider fasting again.

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Allah willing, next time as a Muslimah.

Mustafa, I don't really want to confuse this thread with discussions about my Christian practices.
This thread it merely about me reflecting on how it felt to keep the Ramadan fast (albeit only partical)

Please PM me if you want to know more - in fact I seem to remember you asking in a previous PM about my fasting ... I will try to find it when I have time.

Peace

trying to take Sahoor(before the fajr prayer)like 5.00am..so then when u listen the Azan(calling for prayer) u stop from eating and drinking...! then u fast...
but ensure u take heavy food like protein and wheat...like rice,pizza,pasta,and etc is the energy source for you to survive on the fasting time...and take some
kurma(the muslim taking the dates when fasting) eat u take four tablet and eat it...so u fast until the maghrib(sunset prayer) then u open the fast...!

i am so happy u try to fast...!:skeleton::thumbs_up:?:X

glo said:

Please PM me if you want to know more

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...or you could PM me with your reply to my post.

MustafaMc said:

...or you could PM me with your reply to my post.

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I believe she asked you first...lol

A very heart-warming read...

Its sad but what you probably felt in your genuine attempt to fast for a greater good, many Muslims who fast just for the sake of it dont even feel...even for a second. Sad but true and your story just reminds us, as Muslims what fasting or any form of worship for that matter-should be, day in and out.

Dear Glo!

I am not sure where I personally got the distinct impression, that fasting, wasn't something you desired to do anymore?.. something about Jesus and fasting as the hypocrites do, and that God has distinctly shown you the way during fast, that Islam wasn't the right religion.. I must have dreamt it? ..

I am glad it was such a positive experience for you...
Perhaps it is best to stick with Christian style fast than the Islamic one, since you following the footsteps of Muslims could be perceived by your God as hypocrisy!

peace

Greetings,

I think it's an impressive thing glo has done, just as I am consistently amazed by the resilience and steadfastness of the Muslims I know fasting during Ramadan.

I really don't think I would be strong enough to do it, and I am humbled by this mass action every year.

Well done to everyone!

Peace

layla is here said:

I believe she asked you first...lol

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Actually I already have sent her a question, but I would still like some kind of honest response to my post about fasting.

glo said:

2. I really felt very much in touch with God. He certainly pricked my conscience with regards to several issues in my own life – which I am trying very hard to address as we speak.

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I know of no other Christian who has fasted during Ramadan, may God fulfill your intentions in doing so.

I understand from your post that the Ramadan fast was significant to you on a personal level. There is a 21-Day Daniel Fast practiced by some Christians in USA, "And they are turning to the 21 Day Daniel Fast as a way to draw nearer to God as they diligently seek His kingdom." http://danielfast.wordpress.com/200...re-and-more-turn-to-this-powerful-discipline/ I assume that you were trying to grow closer to God like these other Christians who are seeking God's kingdom.

Perhaps, the issues you speak of are personal, but I hope that the fasting was helpful to you in addressing them.

Thank you, Glo, for fully addressing my post by PM.eace: