Faith & Reason: Everyone Knows That Muslims Fast in Ramadan, but Why? ; Next Week Islam's Holiest Month Begins. Its Outward Trappings Are Now Well-Known - but Not the Resolution of Reform That Lies at Its Heart

Nahdi, Fuad, The Independent (London, England)

MOST PEOPLE are aware that Muslims observe an annual fast during the month of Ramadan, which begins in the middle of next week. Our overweight society has no difficulty in understanding the idea of abstaining from food when it comes to slimming. What is increasingly less understood are the spiritual, as distinct from physical, benefits which fasting brings.

Of course, fasting, in the various forms observed through history, is known to have beneficial effects on one's health. But in a religious context it is primarily a technique of seeking proximity to God. In a sense it is a complement to prayer: prayer constitutes an addition to our lives, while fasting is - visibly at …

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Publication information: Article title: Faith & Reason: Everyone Knows That Muslims Fast in Ramadan, but Why? ; Next Week Islam's Holiest Month Begins. Its Outward Trappings Are Now Well-Known - but Not the Resolution of Reform That Lies at Its Heart. Contributors: Nahdi, Fuad - Author. Newspaper title: The Independent (London, England). Publication date: November 2, 2002. Page number: 22. © 2009 The Independent - London. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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