unique characteristics of fasting

3:59:55

2019-05-14

1575

Fasting, like praying and pilgrimage to Hajj, is worshipping. Nonetheless, it has its own unique characteristics. The following are some of the unique characteristics of fasting.

The longest worshipping: Fasting is the longest worshipping of God. Daily Prayers will not take more than one hour every day at most. Pilgrimage to Hajj will not take more than a few weeks in a life time. The worshipping of fasting is about 12 to 16 hours (depending on the season and your geographical location) and lasts for a whole month every year. In other words, a faster typically spends more than 400 hours within one month for worshipping Allah! Isn’t this amazing?!

Does not interrupt your daily life: Fasting unlike other types of worshipping does not interrupt our daily transactions. One cannot normally offer his/her daily prayers whilst working. You ought to take a break from your work, perform your Wudhu, find a suitable place and offer your Salat. Pilgrimage to Hajj is even more so interrupting your daily life. Fasting exceptionally is the only type of worshipping that can be observed whilst one is doing his normal daily work. It does not interrupt your worldly life at all. Amazingly a faster is still in the state of worshipping Allah even if he/she is asleep. Fasting is only in conflict with sinning.

Worshipping God without any action: All other types of worshipping consist of some actions. Take the example of daily Prayers. It is the combination of some recitation of the Qur’an, some Thikr in different postures. The same applies to Hajj, Zakat etc. Fasting is the only of worshipping of Allah that amazingly consists of some non-doings! Fasting is avoidance of drinking, eating etc. a faster does not require doing anything. It is enough no to do anything! This is the reason why it is in no conflict with our daily lives.

The most sincere worshipping: Worshipping God is like a perfume kept in its container. Once the lid is opened the fragrance flies and only its tasteless liquid remains. The best worshipping is the most secret of all. Once its seal is broken it may be spoiled by showing off. All other types of worshipping are prone to show off. Salat, which is meant to be offered in a group for its public nature is prone to showing off and hence can be easily void. Pilgrimage to hajj is even more prone to showing off. Fasting, however, is the only worshipping of Allah that none other than God would really know if you are fasting. Fasting is an inner worshipping and hence it can be the most sincere worshipping.

The only worshipping act that there is a penalty (expiation) if missed deliberately. If any Muslim misses his daily Prayers even deliberately, although he has committed a mortal sin, he only has to make up the lapsed Prayers, there is no penalty involved in it. The same applies if one misses his pilgrimage to Hajj. Fasting is the only worshipping act that if is it deliberately missed in addition to making it up, there is a hefty penalty for it. Abdullah Ibn Sanan in an authentic Hadith narrated from Imam As-Sadiq (a.s) about the expiation against someone who has deliberately-and without any religious justification- broken one day of fasting saying: " He must free a salve or fast two months or feed sixty poor people, but if he was unable to do so, he must give charity as much as he can ." This penalty becomes even heftier if the person has broken his fast with something Haraam such as drinking alcohol or masturbation.

Nature

Most Active Volcano in Europe Just Got Stranger

2026-04-23

Scientists Raise Concerns Over Newly Recognized Pollutant Found Everywhere in the Air

2026-04-20

20x Difference: Study Reveals True Source of Airborne Microplastics

2026-04-15

Why Antarctic Sea Ice Suddenly Collapsed After Decades of Growth

2026-04-13

Climate Change Is Altering a Key Greenhouse Gas in a Way Scientists Did Not Expect

2026-04-09

Ancient Carbon Is Flooding Arctic Rivers as Permafrost Melts Faster

2026-04-07

Scientists Uncover Giant Lava Fields from an Active Underwater Volcano

2026-04-04

One of the Greatest Migrations on Earth Is Collapsing Beneath Our Rivers

2026-03-30

Scientists Discover Alaska Glaciers Are Melting Weeks Longer Than Expected

2026-03-28

Scientists Capture Sperm Whales Headbutting in Stunning New Footage

2026-03-23

Get advices

The Shortest Road to Success

2026-04-14

The Bounteous Source of Streng ... read more

2026-03-29

Foresight

2026-03-24

Aligning Goals with Capacities

2026-03-18

1	Your Goals May Harm You If You Cannot Ac ... read more

2	You Always Have a Choice

3	Effectiveness of Training

4	How Do We Respond to Provocation?

5	Localization of Technology

6	Rationalizing Reactions

7	Why Do We Learn?

8	Take Responsibility for Your Choices

9	The Key to Success in Your Work and Life

8:18:3 2026-04-21

Interpretation of Sura al-Nur - Verse 40

11:24:32 2026-04-18

Interpretation of Sura al-Nur - Verse 39

10:16:16 2026-04-14

Interpretation of Sura an-Nur - Verse 38

10:59:23 2026-04-12

Islamic Idelogies

The Shortest Road to Success

11:26:37 2026-04-18

False Advantages and Distinctions

11:1:47 2026-04-12

Honour, from the Islamic Viewpoint

11:37:51 2026-04-08

Refraining from Humiliation

10:17:9 2026-04-05

Holy Prophet

A Mathematical Approach to the Quran

10:52:33 2024-02-16

mediation

2:36:46 2023-06-04

what Allah hates the most

5:1:47 2023-06-01

allahs fort

11:41:7 2023-05-30

Prophet ‘s progeny

striving for success

2:35:47 2023-06-04

Imam Ali Describes the Holy Quran

5:0:38 2023-06-01

livelihood

11:40:13 2023-05-30

silence about wisdom

3:36:19 2023-05-29

Science and technology

Every time

What Makes Rubber So Strong? Scientists Finally So ... read more