Why fasting plays a central role in most religions

Fasting, be it of food, water, marital relations, or anything else is both done and encouraged by religions all around the world.

Even people who don’t conform to a religion fast in the name of ‘detoxing’.

All over the world, across different religions, fasting and detox is a practice that is appreciated as it serves a greater good.

Fasting is not just good for personal health, but many times it also works as an amazing cause for something.

It is a form of spiritual discipline, which helps develop self-control, reflection, and connection with the divine.
Here we mention why and how fasting plays a central role in most religions.

In Christianity, fasting is often done around Lent, for a period of forty days leading up to Easter. During Lent, Christians abstain from certain foods and activities as a form of penance and spiritual discipline. Fasting in Christianity is seen as a way to in a small way mimic Jesus Christ’s sacrifice and to prepare oneself for the celebration of his resurrection.

In many Christian communities, people also fast for certain days and then donate the money that was saved from abstaining from food to the needy.

In Islam, fasting is usually done during the month of Ramadan and is considered as one of the ‘Five Pillars’ of Islam. Ramadan fasting is mandatory for all adult Muslims, with exceptions of people who are sick, pregnant, nursing, travelling, or menstruating.

Ramadan fasting involves abstaining from food, drink, smoking, and sexual relationships from dawn until sunset and is considered to be the best time for spiritual reflection, self-discipline, and increased devotion to Allah.

One thing that is well established, is that fasting is not limited to a certain religion or the belief in a religion. Everyone does it, just with different names. And all through it, people fast for many different reasons, including spiritual, cultural, and health. From a spiritual lens, fasting is seen as a way to cleanse the body and soul. In many cultures, fasting is also done to show solidarity to those who are not as fortunate and at times cannot afford the basic survival needs.

Above all, when a religious person keeps a fast, he or she does it to purify the body and soul. Abstaining from food, water or anything and keeping control of their urges allows people to detach from worldly distractions and focus on their spiritual journey. By keeping away any kind of grains and other indulgences, fasting creates an environment which is good for prayer, meditation, or even self reflection as an active mind is ready to do it all.

Many scholars have remarked that once men can control their hunger and greed, they are ready to walk on the road to a more disciplined self. And fasting requires self-discipline and willpower to resist the urge to eat. By exercising some form of restraint over their choices, people form a control over impulses and behaviours. And once this hunger is mastered and taken control of, this control extends to other parts of life as well.

When fasting for a religious cause, people abstain from food and drinks and also donate to the less fortunate and those in need. So, in many ways, fasting helps develop some empathy and compassion towards people. By experiencing hunger, people get an insight about how others live, the struggles they face and the discipline they have to develop out of force. This sense of compassion for another person makes them want to help others which in turn converts to good karma on their charts.