Why do Muslims fast?
Fasting in Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam, obligatory on every able Muslim adult. It is not a purposeless deprivation: it is an annual training in self-restraint and purifying the heart, a taste of hunger that deepens empathy with the poor, and gratitude for blessings that are easy to take for granted. For a close comparison, other faiths have their own fasts — Yom Kippur for Jews, Lent for Christians — while the Islamic fast is a full month on a precise daily schedule.
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ كُتِبَ عَلَيۡكُمُ ٱلصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِكُمۡ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَتَّقُونَO you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous -
Notice that the verse says fasting was prescribed for those before you — the Quran presents it as the continuation of a practice humanity already knows, not as a foreign ritual.
A fasting person's day: from suhoor to iftar
To follow a fasting person's day, these are the terms you will hear most:
- الفجرFajr
- First light of dawn on the horizon; the moment the fast begins.
- الإمساكImsak
- The stop of eating and drinking; timetables set it about ten minutes before dawn as a safety margin.
- السحورSuhoor
- The pre-dawn meal; a recommended practice the fasting person relies on through the day.
- الإفطارIftar
- The sunset meal that ends the fast, traditionally begun with dates and water.
- المغربMaghrib
- Sunset; the moment the fast ends and the evening meal begins.
The day then runs like this: the person wakes before dawn for suhoor, stops eating at imsak, and prays the dawn prayer. The day continues as normal — work, school, no water, food or smoking — with duties fully maintained. At sunset they break the fast, often communally with family or the community, share the evening meal, and many attend a congregational night prayer called taraweeh. Day after day until the month ends.
Who is exempt from fasting, and why?
Islamic law treats the fast as worship, not bodily punishment, and exempts anyone with a genuine excuse:
- Children before puberty: not obliged to fast; some families let them try short practice fasts under supervision.
- The sick whom fasting would harm, per medical advice and their condition — some make the days up after recovery, others feed a poor person for each day.
- Travellers on a legitimate journey, especially if it is hard; they break the fast and make the days up later.
- Pregnant and nursing women who fear harm to themselves or their babies.
- The elderly who can no longer fast: they feed a poor person for each day.
- Menstruating and postpartum women: they pause fasting (and prayer) temporarily and make up only the fasts afterwards.
And the golden rule you will hear from every fasting Muslim: “God intends ease for you, not hardship” (Al-Baqarah 2:185). Non-Muslims are not required to fast at all — no one considers a colleague's lunch a betrayal; it is simply not their duty.
What fasting Muslims also avoid
In Islam the fast is broader than an empty stomach: the tongue and the limbs fast too. During Ramadan a fasting Muslim deliberately avoids:
- Lying, backbiting, insults and quarrelling.
- Heated arguments and grudges, and answering provocations in kind.
- Sexualised looking and adult content.
- Marital relations during the fasting hours (permitted after iftar).
- Smoking in all forms, as it is a deliberate intake.
- Excessive idle entertainment, in favour of Quran, charity and reflection.
مَنْ لَمْ يَدَعْ قَوْلَ الزُّورِ وَالْعَمَلَ بِهِ، فَلَيْسَ لِلَّهِ حَاجَةٌ فِي أَنْ يَدَعَ طَعَامَهُ وَشَرَابَهُWhoever does not give up false speech and acting upon it, God has no need of his giving up his food and drink.
That is why a fasting colleague may seem gentler and calmer than usual — hunger alone is not the fast for Muslims.
The rest of the month's worship: taraweeh, i'tikaf, Laylat al-Qadr, zakat al-fitr and Eid
- Taraweeh: a congregational night prayer in mosques after the night prayer, with leisurely Quran recitation; for many visitors it is the most beautiful sight of the year.
- Quran: many Muslims try to complete the whole book in the month, and every mosque echoes with its recitation by night.
- I'tikaf: seclusion in the mosque during the last ten nights devoted to worship alone.
- Laylat al-Qadr: an unknown night in the last ten, better than a thousand months; Muslims seek it with prayer and supplication.
- Zakat al-fitr: an obligatory charity, in money or food, paid before the Eid prayer to purify the fast and feed the poor on Eid day.
- Eid al-Fitr: the festival that follows the month, opening with a morning Eid prayer, greetings and family gatherings.
How to deal with a fasting friend or colleague
Eating in front of them
Eat as you normally would; the fasting person has done this all their life and counts it as part of the test. You need not hide your lunch.
At work
Ask if he prefers heavy tasks in the morning, and allow an early leave near sunset; most fasting colleagues get through the day as usual without special accommodation.
In conversation
Feel free to ask about Ramadan with genuine curiosity — Muslims love talking about their month. Avoid provocative questions testing or challenging the fast.
Iftar invitations
If invited to a communal iftar, accept; it is an honour of the season with wonderful food and hospitality — you are not expected to fast.
Greetings
Say “Ramadan Mubarak” or “Ramadan Kareem” at the start of the month and “Eid Mubarak” at Eid — two short phrases that delight every Muslim.
Frequently asked questions
Do fasting Muslims drink water during the day?
No, they abstain from all food and drink from dawn to sunset, with permissions for illness, travel, pregnancy, nursing and old age. Whoever forgets and eats or drinks, his fast remains valid.
Is fasting harmful to health?
For an ordinary healthy adult, the Ramadan fast is considered safe, and recent research links intermittent fasting to possible metabolic benefits — though the science is still developing. Islamic law itself exempts the sick and anyone harmed by fasting, and anyone with a health condition or on medication should consult a doctor before the month.
Do children fast?
Children are not obliged to fast before puberty; many families let them practise gradually with short, supervised fasts.
Is anyone forced to fast?
No; fasting is a willing act of worship — the Quran states “there is no compulsion in religion”, and the majority of scholars hold that a coerced fast is invalid since intention is a condition. Those excused break their fast as a permitted concession, not a punishable act.
What if I accidentally ate or drank in front of a fasting person?
Don't worry; a fasting person who forgets and eats completes his fast without penalty — so your slip neither breaks his fast nor calls for embarrassment.
How long are the fasting hours?
From dawn to sunset — roughly 11 to 20 hours depending on season and country. Ramadan 2027 falls in northern winter, so days will be relatively short in Europe and North America.
What is the difference between Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr?
Ramadan is the whole month of fasting (29 or 30 days); Eid al-Fitr is the festival right after it, for a day or two: an Eid prayer, zakat al-fitr, family gatherings and greetings.
Quran text and translations: QuranEnc. Hadith translations: HadeethEnc. Sources are shown on each item. Found a mistake? Tell us.