What does fasting do for you?

[quote=MakeMeRawr_6TeenF]

But basically i'm just curious as to what do you get, if anything at all, from fasting in Ramadan?
[/quote]

hungry

I don't think I have ever thought of ramadan as something you get something out of, more as something you do (well, don't do) and experience.

I guess you get out of it is what you put in - and it is a marathon not a sprint, where things in you may change (or not change) slowly but surely over the period of 30 days.

What I get out of ramadan? erm... a little tiredness maybe (or potentially a little weight gain?). Then again, I have not really done anything religious this ramadan. Just sat around. or slept.

[quote=M4k4v3l1][quote=MakeMeRawr_6TeenF]

But basically i'm just curious as to what do you get, if anything at all, from fasting in Ramadan?
[/quote]

hungry[/quote]

What do you get spiritually?

if nothing at all, is there any point?

[quote=MakeMeRawr_6TeenF]What do you get spiritually?

if nothing at all, is there any point?[/quote]

Yes - it is still something that has been co0mmanded to be done, and by merely doing that, there is a point even if you feel no other tangible benefit.

Saying that, you cannot always judge there and then or straight away (or ever?) if there was any other benefit apart from complying with what has been mandated.

Not fasting in Ramadan is a sin.

(also, tortoise Vs Hare. 30 days. slow and steady. and it does have an impact - you don't eat at times when you otherwise would and you would eat when you otherwise wouldn't - all (potentially) due to god consciousness. from here, you can move onto Dawud's blog on worship and make your own conclusions.)

like you said, there is a point.
i gain alot through ramadan. i spend all my free time tryin 2 learn more and more bout islam and try my best to act upon it, dont really wate my time on jus lyin about doing nothing. most importantly it keeps me away from bad things such as girls, music, swearing etc. (specially girls) after ramadan finishes most of the things i learnt tend to stick with me, but some things just come running bak 2 me such as music and girls lol

[quote=You][quote=MakeMeRawr_6TeenF]What do you get spiritually?

if nothing at all, is there any point?[/quote]

Yes - it is still something that has been co0mmanded to be done, and by merely doing that, there is a point even if you feel no other tangible benefit.

Saying that, you cannot always judge there and then or straight away (or ever?) if there was any other benefit apart from complying with what has been mandated.

Not fasting in Ramadan is a sin.

[/quote]

But if you fast and you don't actually have faith or whatever, is that hypocrisy?

In which case is that a sin worse than not fasting, which means you shouldn't fast?

[quote=M4k4v3l1]like you said, there is a point.
i gain alot through ramadan. i spend all my free time tryin 2 learn more and more bout islam and try my best to act upon it, dont really wate my time on jus lyin about doing nothing. most importantly it keeps me away from bad things such as girls, music, swearing etc. (specially girls) after ramadan finishes most of the things i learnt tend to stick with me, but some things just come running bak 2 me such as music and girls lol[/quote]

Ok, that's cool (:

So you do gain something from it.

& btw, i wasn't saying that there was no point, i was asking if you personally thought there was one if you don't achieve anything but hunger

If you don't mind me asking, what do you feel you have gained so far from Ramadan, Rawrsy?

a few extra pounds.

[quote=Noor]a few extra pounds. [/quote]

:o

You'd better be talking about you :doubt:

[quote=s.b.f]If you don't mind me asking, what do you feel you have gained so far from Ramadan, Rawrsy? [/quote]

I asked first :p

[quote=MakeMeRawr_6TeenF][quote=s.b.f]If you don't mind me asking, what do you feel you have gained so far from Ramadan, Rawrsy? [/quote]

I asked first :p[/quote]

Oh no. 🙂

Well, so far, I don't actually feel anything yet.

The day seems to go so fast and I have so many things planned and I don't know where to start. By the time, I get into the mood of things...it's nearly midnight.

I'll answer this question again near the end of Ramadan - insha'allah.

Now your turn. 😉

[quote=MakeMeRawr_6TeenF][quote=Noor]a few extra pounds. [/quote]

:o

You'd better be talking about you :doubt: [/quote]

i am.

mum makes big tasty dinners and there's always dessert.

i prefer fasting outside ramadan, only because i don't put weight on!

looks like i'll be joining the gym, grrr. i don't like gyms.

[quote=MakeMeRawr_6TeenF]In which case is that a sin worse than not fasting, which means you shouldn't fast?[/quote]

Only if you are looking for a way out. If you carry out one sin, that does not mean you have carte blanche on then all as if you are on a supermarket shopping binge. one loaf of bread... get some jam with that...

Even some non-muslims try a fast or two to see what it feels like. Ofcourse such a taster misses out on a lot as its like running the first hundred metres of the london marathon... but it is a taster, makes some thing.

You are also assuming that you are able to measure the benefits - many people can, but that is not always the case.

The question of "is it worth it should I carry on?" is answered by one word: yes absolutely. it is at a minimum building patience/determination/the ability to keep going in you, maybe strengthening it to a greater degree than it was there before - hence you wanting to quit.

(you once again being a general one, not specific to a person or group of people.)

I tried fasting before I became Muslim (I was interested in Islam, but hadn't "made the leap"). It was REALLY difficult, and I think I only managed to keep 2 or 3 days. At lunchtime food was just SOO tempting, and I felt extremely thirsty when I woke up in the morning, so 'had' to have a big glass of water.

The year after, after I'd taken shahada, I tried fasting again, and (as far as I can remember) managed every one with no problems. It was just a COMPLETELY different situation - going to the mosque on my lunchbreak at work, which was much more full than usual, and seeing everyone else in the same situation as me, made me feel like part of something much greater and more important than me alone. It humbled me and made me grateful that I had been chosen rather than the millions of other people who had been like me and hadn't discovered Islam.

Of course I did feel hungry at lunchtime, but after about 2pm the hunger and thirst seemed to disappear; it's like a mountain, once you get to the top (midday) it's all easy and downhill the rest of the way.

And then going to Central mosque after work and meeting up with loads of my friends; all of us waiting eagerly; there was such a BUZZ and an amazing atmosphere. People walking around sharing fruit with each other, talking to more different kinds of people than at other times of the year. It's when the word 'Ummah' really has a meaning which you can see with your own eyes.

It also did have a profound spiritual effect on me. I started to have a greater respect for food, and honestly became more grateful to Allah (swt) for putting me in a country/time in history where lack of food is never a problem. I would actually be a little disgusted with people at work complaining that they were 'starving' just before lunchtime, or saying that the 'need' a coffee first thing in the morning before they can do anything or think strait.

Also, it helped me control my lustful gazes more than usual. If I saw someone hot walking past from the corner of my eye, then the hunger in my belly would remind me why I shouldn't gawk at her; all the hunger and thirst would be wasted if I carried on doing things like that. The hunger also encouraged me to stop wasting time; for example I would read qur'an on the bus rather than listen to my ipod.

It also gave me a reason to actually get up for fajr, due to the importance of eating (or at least drinking) for suhoor. Basically fasting is a proof to us that we can become better people, insha'Allah. If we manage to give up something which is halaal for us (food/water), even if for only part of each day for only a month, then it should be easy (or at least possible) for us to give up things which are haraam for us during the rest of the year.

[quote=Ya'qub]I tried fasting before I became Muslim (I was interested in Islam, but hadn't "made the leap"). It was REALLY difficult, and I think I only managed to keep 2 or 3 days. At lunchtime food was just SOO tempting, and I felt extremely thirsty when I woke up in the morning, so 'had' to have a big glass of water.

The year after, after I'd taken shahada, I tried fasting again, and (as far as I can remember) managed every one with no problems. It was just a COMPLETELY different situation - going to the mosque on my lunchbreak at work, which was much more full than usual, and seeing everyone else in the same situation as me, made me feel like part of something much greater and more important than me alone. It humbled me and made me grateful that I had been chosen rather than the millions of other people who had been like me and hadn't discovered Islam.

Of course I did feel hungry at lunchtime, but after about 2pm the hunger and thirst seemed to disappear; it's like a mountain, once you get to the top (midday) it's all easy and downhill the rest of the way.

And then going to Central mosque after work and meeting up with loads of my friends; all of us waiting eagerly; there was such a BUZZ and an amazing atmosphere. People walking around sharing fruit with each other, talking to more different kinds of people than at other times of the year. It's when the word 'Ummah' really has a meaning which you can see with your own eyes.

It also did have a profound spiritual effect on me. I started to have a greater respect for food, and honestly became more grateful to Allah (swt) for putting me in a country/time in history where lack of food is never a problem. I would actually be a little disgusted with people at work complaining that they were 'starving' just before lunchtime, or saying that the 'need' a coffee first thing in the morning before they can do anything or think strait.

Also, it helped me control my lustful gazes more than usual. If I saw someone hot walking past from the corner of my eye, then the hunger in my belly would remind me why I shouldn't gawk at her; all the hunger and thirst would be wasted if I carried on doing things like that. The hunger also encouraged me to stop wasting time; for example I would read qur'an on the bus rather than listen to my ipod.

It also gave me a reason to actually get up for fajr, due to the importance of eating (or at least drinking) for suhoor. Basically fasting is a proof to us that we can become better people, insha'Allah. If we manage to give up something which is halaal for us (food/water), even if for only part of each day for only a month, then it should be easy (or at least possible) for us to give up things which are haraam for us during the rest of the year.[/quote]

Merci beaucoup.

& i see, but that was your first ever ramadan.

Was every/any other ramadan, or the one directly after the first, just as brilliant and spiritually enhancing?

[quote=MakeMeRawr_6TeenF]...if anything at all, from fasting in Ramadan?...[/quote]

I think it has allowed me to be a little more circumspect about things.

[quote=You][quote=MakeMeRawr_6TeenF]...if anything at all, from fasting in Ramadan?...[/quote]

I think it has allowed me to be a little more circumspect about things.[/quote]

what do you mean, like in what way?

[quote=MakeMeRawr_6TeenF]

Was every/any other ramadan, or the one directly after the first, just as brilliant and spiritually enhancing?
[/quote]

Yes and no.

This one is not going well.

But that's cos I haven't been trying to get the best out of it.

I'm sure if I tried I would get a lot of good things from it, iA.

[quote=MakeMeRawr_6TeenF]The title's pretty self explanatory.

But basically i'm just curious as to what do you get, if anything at all, from fasting in Ramadan?

If you get nothing, why do you think that is? And what would you ideally LIKE to get?[/quote]

Salaam,
this is the only worship (ibaadat) in which it is between you and your creator.
you do it soley for the pleasure of the creator.
only you and the creator know your thoughts and intentions.
fasting is not just from NIL BY MOUTH
fasting of the eyes , ears, hands, feet, mind,thoughts...

[quote=harun]

Salaam,
this is the only worship (ibaadat) in which it is between you and your creator.
you do it soley for the pleasure of the creator.
only you and the creator know your thoughts and intentions.
fasting is not just from NIL BY MOUTH
fasting of the eyes , ears, hands, feet, mind,thoughts...

[/quote]

Okay.

Alahamdullillah i totally agree...

:o 

I so didn't know I'd already asked this question! 

All I know is I can't think of anything worse than not being able to fast in Ramadan.  My mum has had diabetes for years and it has taken its toll on her and now the doctor has forbidden her to fast, she is very depressed about this.  Worship and fast are her life.  If I couldn't fast I would be mortified too.

Thank you Allah for yet again giving me another year of Ramadan

please people lets pray for each other and that our fasts and prayers are accepted and made easy for us.