What Every Clinician Should Know about Ramadan & Intermittent Fasting

The five pillars of Islamic faith are:

1. Declaration of faith, which entails believing in the oneness of God (Allah), with Muhammad (peace be upon him) as his prophet and final messenger;
2. Performing five daily prayers;
3. Giving alms (2.5% of every earning of individual wealth once it reaches a certain amount and is maintained for one lunar year);
4. Observing the fast during the month of Ramadan; and
5. Traveling to perform the Hajj (pilgrimage) once in a lifetime, if able.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which is based on the lunar, rather than the solar or Gregorian, calendar. Due to this, the dates for Ramadan change by 10–12 days every year, allowing it to fall in every season over an approximately 33-year cycle. It is during this month that Muslims believe the Muslim holy scripture, the Quran, was initially revealed by Allah (the Arabic word for God, similar to Elah in Aramaic) through the archangel Gabriel to the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him (pbuh). According to tradition, the Quran was revealed over approximately 23 years and compiled into script as it was being revealed.

Muslims observe the month as a period of introspection, prayer and self-improvement. It is a month of communal prayer (salāt) in the mosque (a place of worship) and reading of the Quran. Muslims believe God forgives the past sins of those who observe the holy month with fasting, prayer and faithful intention.² Further, able-bodied Muslims are obligated to observe a fast from dawn to dusk. Fasting is a form of self-restraint, not only from food and drink but also from sexual activity and from all behaviors considered immoral or harmful, such as false words, bad deeds, smoking and poor intentions.

Muslims can observe Ramadan through charity, such as feeding a less-privileged person, in lieu of fasting if one is unable to fast due to health-related reasons. The overall goal is to improve oneself to a higher degree and maintain this self-improvement throughout the year until the next Ramadan arrives.

Fasting is a tradition practiced by many Abrahamic faiths. Traditionally, times for fasting include Lent, Yom Kippur, Tisha B’av, 17th of Tammuz and 10th of Tevet.