Fasting is considered to be important to Muslims because the Islamic faith is built on five pillars: Shahadah (or the declaration of faith), Salat (prayer five times a day), Sawm (fasting), Zakat (paying alms to charity), and Hajj (the holy pilgrimage to Mekkah). Fasting, especially during Ramadan is considered to have great spiritual value, and it is believed that fasting will allow you to get closer to Allah by means of Taqwa. Muslims believe that fasting allows them to appreciate God and how much he does for them, as well as inducing empathy for those less fortunate. Fasting also helps create a feeling of Umma within the Islamic community as Muslims across the world know that their brothers and sisters are going through the same ordeal that they themselves are.
Not everybody has to fast. Children under the age of 13 (girls) or 14 (boys) are exempt, as are pregnant and breast-feeding women, the elderly and the sick. There are also many things that negate the fast if a person commits them. For example, eating, drinking, sexual activities, smoking, swearing and immoral behaviour all exempt the fast. If a person commits one of these offences, depending on the severity, they would either have to make up the day of fasting, or fast for 60 days after Ramadan ends.
Fasting is considered to be important to Muslims because the Islamic faith is built on five pillars: Shahadah (or the declaration of faith), Salat (prayer five times a day), Sawm (fasting), Zakat (paying alms to charity), and Hajj (the holy pilgrimage to Mekkah). Fasting, especially during Ramadan is considered to have great spiritual value, and it is believed that fasting will allow you to get closer to Allah by means of Taqwa. Muslims believe that fasting allows them to appreciate God and how much he does for them, as well as inducing empathy for those less fortunate. Fasting also helps create a feeling of Umma within the Islamic community as Muslims across the world know that their brothers and sisters are going through the same ordeal that they themselves are.
Not everybody has to fast. Children under the age of 13 (girls) or 14 (boys) are exempt, as are pregnant and breast-feeding women, the elderly and the sick. There are also many things that negate the fast if a person commits them. For example, eating, drinking, sexual activities, smoking, swearing and immoral behaviour all exempt the fast. If a person commits one of these offences, depending on the severity, they would either have to make up the day of fasting, or fast for 60 days after Ramadan ends.