What Jesus (peace be upon him) has said about Fasting!

[Ummu Amatullah]

The Gospel of Matthew shows that Jesus “fasted forty days and forty nights” (Matthew 4:2). The Gospel of Luke adds the detail that “in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterwards hungered” (Luke 4:2). Since Jesus fasted, his true followers will also fast, if they indeed follow his teachings. He said, “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed” (John 8:31). People had complained to Jesus saying, “why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise the disciples of Pharisees; but thine eat and drink?” (Luke 5:33). But Jesus replied that as long as he is with them, his disciples should not fast but after he is taken away then “they will fast in those days” (Luke 5:35). This is why Jesus also gave instructions on how to fast for the sake of God. (Matthew 6:16-18). If they were never to fast, such instructions would be pointless.

The Bible shows that the disciples were fasting afterwards: “they fasted and prayed” (Acts 14:23). The Bible mentions fasting as one of the observances of a minister of God (2 Corinthians 6:5), and “fasting often” as a proof of the worth of a disciple of Jesus. Luke 5:33 quoted above reveals that (a) fasting means abstinence from eating and drinking and, (b) that although the disciples were not to fast until after Jesus was taken away, Jesus himself continued to fast, otherwise the complaint would have been against him also. It is clear that the Jewish rabbis were fasting (Mathew 9:14 and Mark 2:18). And Jesus too was called a Rabbi (see John 1:38, 3:2; 6:25 and Matthew 23:8). So he too must have been fasting. The disciples were unable to drive out a demon from a boy, but Jesus drove it out. When the disciples asked how he did it, he said that this kind can only be driven out only “by prayer and fasting” (Mark 9:29). This shows that because the disciples were not fasting they could not drive out the demon, and that Jesus could drive it out because he was fasting. Some copyists attempted to change this verse by leaving out the words “and fasting”. This is how, for example, the Revised Standard Version reads. However, this reading gives the passage an impossible meaning that Jesus’ disciples were not praying either. This is perhaps why the Catholic edition of the Revised Standard Version restores the words “and fasting”. The New Testament From the Ancient Eastern Text also includes the words “and fasting” (Mark 9:29). God rescued us from this uncertainty by revealing His final incorruptible message in which He instructed all able believers to fast for a month each year. Today Jesus’ true followers are still fasting according to God’s original instructions. Muslims are the true followers of Jesus and all of God’s Messengers.
By brother:Abdarraouf Shakir.

[Salema]

Jazakumullahul-khair..!

[azim]

Alhamdulillah, a very good post. Has anyone here read the Bible? I've read most of it, and even buried beneath all of the trinity and manipulations of the Church you can find the true message of Islam being taught. If Christians followed the Bible exactly, they'd be a stones throw away from being Muslim.

(*sigh* 7 more posts before my life as a 'limited member' ends)

[minaz]

shukri was that post 100% you, (not being a prat and saying you copied it) but is that your view on the similarities? Just was wandering because its good stuff

[Rabi'ya]

Alhamdulillah, a very good post. Has anyone here read the Bible? I've read most of it, and even buried beneath all of the trinity and manipulations of the Church you can find the true message of Islam being taught. If Christians followed the Bible exactly, they'd be a stones throw away from being Muslim.

brother Azim

I have read all of the Bible.many a time actually.cant say that im really knowledgable but when I was about 11 until the age of 15ish i used to go to Bible classes every week. The minister in my chapel was, lets say, not as knowledgable as I had have wished. And I found my way to Islam alhamdulillah....Islam answers all the questions whereas the modern-day translation of the Bible is so ambiguous(sp?) that I was not able to complete my search for the truth whilst following Christianity.

MashAllah its good to see that sister Shukri is posting this. And inshaAllah will help me when I speak to my family and friends who are not Muslim

May Allah increase all our knowledge and help us to provide better da'wah...ameen



Rabi'ya:rose:

[☆•♥°ąყ℮Տիმ°♥•☆]

my apologies for brining an old thread back to life... but i have a question regarding this topic.. maybe some of our Christian friends can answer...

I thought when Christians 'fasted' during the 40 days of Lent ( is that the correct word? ) that they 'gave up something' and not necesarrily fasted by the method of not eating or drinking during daylight hours.. is this correct? if not.. how do Christians fast?