Ramadan: a spirit of rejuvenation

Once again, we, the Muslim community, are celebrating the much awaited and loved month of Ramadan, the month of fasting in Islamic calendar. As soon as many people hear that we fast from from dawn to sunset, they gasp and ask how do you do it? We answer that it is not that difficult. Indeed, if people realised the benefits we gain from fasting for this long period, they too would also look forward eagerly to this month. The Quran says: ‘And that you should fast is better for you, if you only know’.

The spiritual benefits of fasting are, of course, well known to believers. Personal concerns about our religious commitments, in our devotional worship and ibadaat on a daily basis, reconnecting with Allah the Almighty, the fixing of broken or neglected relationships, or rejuvenating our social fabric and community relationships, all benefit from the act of ‘fasting’. Ramadan provides solutions for all these and much more that has a negative impact on our life.

Islam’s obligatory commitments and its moral and educational guidance are not meant only to serve the spiritual aspects of human life. They can also benefit our physical wellbeing and enhance the quality of our life style in all aspects. Allah says of this in the Quran: ‘Soon shall We show them Our Signs on the horizons and in their own beings until it becomes clear to them that it is the Truth. Is it not enough that your Lord is a witness over everything’? S41 V53

Allah’s Signs are manifested through the benefits that we gain from the practices of His obligations upon us, especially in the improvements to our health. Indeed, the Prophet Muhammad, peace and mercy of Allah be upon him, said: ‘Fast and you will be healthier (or you will gain health)’. 

The benefits of fasting have long been recognised by the medical community. Much research and its reporting in medical journals has revealed that, amazingly, fasting provides or aids cures for many health problems.

One research paper that attracted my attention was by Yoshinori Ohsumi. I read an article submitted by Dr Jason Fung MD titled ‘How to renew your body: Fasting and autophagy.

What is autophagy? The word, in Greek, literally means to eat oneself. But essentially it is the body’s mechanism for getting rid of all the broken down old cell machinery (organelles, proteins, and cell membranes), when there is no longer enough energy to sustain it. It is a regulated, orderly process to degrade and recycle cellular components.  In the process of autophagy, the sub-cellular organelles are destroyed and new ones are rebuilt to replace them. Mr Yoshinori Ohsumi discovered the mechanisms for autophagy and was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

So if this is the process of autophagy, how does it work and what activates it?

The article says: Nutrient deprivation is the key activator of autophagy. In fact, fasting (raises glucagon) provides the greatest known boost to autophagy. (Glucagon is kind of opposite hormone to insulin.) As we eat, insulin goes up and glucagon goes down. When we don’t eat (fast) insulin goes down and glucagon goes up. This increase in glucagon stimulates the process of autophagy.

The article goes on saying: ‘Fasting is actually far more beneficial than just stimulating autophagy. It does two good things. By stimulating autophagy, we are clearing out all our old, junky proteins and cellular parts. At the same time, fasting also stimulates a growth hormone, which tells our body to start producing some new snazzy part of the body. We are really giving our bodies the complete renovation’.

‘You need to get rid of the old stuff before you can put in new stuff. The consequences of accumulating old junky proteins all over the place can be seen in two main conditions – Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and cancer.’

‘What turns off autophagy? Eating. Glucose (or decreased glucagon) and proteins all turn off this self-cleaning process. So this process of autophagy is unique to fasting – something not found in simple caloric restriction or dieting.’

Interestingly, there are recommendations for fasting between 12 to 16 hours or even a bit longer, if we are to benefit from this process. Islam’s guidance of ‘intermittent fasting’ seems to be the right one and shows us that fasting is not only considered the devotional act of a believer but it delivers health and physical wellbeing to mankind. It shows God’s well planned and the all-encompassing benefits from His obligations to human beings. 

Fasting in Islam also helps people develop a better character and human values by removing bad habits and refraining from evil.

The Prophet Muhammad, peace and mercy of Allah be upon him, said: ‘Fasting is a shield. So one should not get involved in idle talk (indecent talk) or in ignorance. If someone is provoked into fighting or by being sworn at by someone, he should say I am a person fasting.

In another hadith, the Prophet said of the purpose of fasting:  ‘If a person does not abandon the habit of falsehood, in saying and practice and acts of ignorance, then there is no need from Allah that he relinquish his food and drinking’.

In the hadith, there are three types of speech that a fasting person should stay away from:

‘Fala yarfuth’: Rafath is talk or conversation that is of a sexual nature in any shape or form.

‘Laa yaskhab’:  raising one’s voice in argument, or any agitated action that takes away the serenity of the moment.

‘Laa yajhal’: Jahl literally means ignorance. Here in this context, it is more of an impatient attitude, agitation, or failing to demonstrate forbearance.

Ramadan grants us all these benefits to our lives; spiritual, mental, physical, social and moral. We should welcome the blessed month of Ramadan and pray to Allah that He grants us all the benefits that it brings with it and makes us better human beings and wise believers.