Spiritual and Physical Benefits of Fasting: A Comparative Study of Islam and Science

Abstract

For centuries fasting has been a religious practice. It is the practice of abstaining from food or drink for a specific period not only in religion. It is observed by many different faiths and cultures around the world. It has been practiced for centuries for various reasons, including religious, spiritual, and health purposes. Fasting can be done in different ways, such as intermittent fasting, restricting the eating window to certain hours of the day, or extended fasting, which involves longer periods of fasting, typically twenty-four hours or more. This is a comparative study, and the purpose of this paper is to compare the concept and importance of fasting in major religions including Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and Hinduism also to answer why fasting is a part of most of the religions.