What is Abstinence or Fasting? Abstinence according to the dictionary means restraining oneself from an indulgence whilst fasting means abstaining from food or certain food especially as a religious observance.

During our school years, we understand that our Muslim brothers and sisters fast during the month of Ramadan. Some of us have also experienced fasting in our own spiritual traditions be it without food and drink or without meat. But, wait a minute…

The concept of fasting is more than just not eating and drinking. It's more of abstinence. Not only we abstain from drinking, but abstain from many other things. Thus one may refer to religious fasting, professional fasting, physiological fasting, pathological fasting and accidental or experimental fasting.

A fruit fast is abstinence from everything else but fruit; a vegetable fast is abstinence from everything else but vegetables; milk fast is abstinence from everything else but milk; water fast is abstinence from everything else but water, and similar fasts may be defined accordingly. Religious fasting is abstinence to develop a person spiritually or fulfill religious rites. Professional fasting is abstinence for purposes of notoriety and publicity. Physiological fasting is normal inanition in nature, such as the hibernation and seasonal abstinence of certain animals. Pathological fasting is associated with organic derangements which make one unable to take or retain food. Accidental or experimental fasting is forced inanition among man or animals for purposes of scientific investigation.

Now, what do the religions of the world have to say about fasting?

Most religions use fasting, as self-discipline or preparation. Fasting is used as a self-purification or to defeat evil spirits that show forth in the desire for material things. It is also one of the many ways to experience the God within.

How does fasting differ in various religions then?

• Fasting the Hindu Way

According to Hindu philosophy, food means gratification of the senses and to starve the senses is to elevate them to contemplation. Fasting is an integral part of the Hindu religion. Individuals observe different kinds of fasts based on personal beliefs and local customs.

Fasting is commonly practiced on New Moon days and during festivals such as Shivaratri, Ganesha Chathurthi, Saraswati Puja and Durga Puja. The women in North India fast on the day of Karva Chauth

Methods of fasting vary widely and cover a broad spectrum. How Hindus fast depends on the individual. For some, fasting may involve 24 hours of complete abstinence from any food or drink, but it is more often an elimination of solid foods, with an occasional drink of milk or water. If followed strictly, the fasting person does not take any food or water from the previous day's sunset until 48 minutes after the following day's sunset

• Fasting the Buddhist Way

Fasting is generally considered by Buddhists as a form of asceticism. All the main branches of Buddhism practice some periods of fasting, usually on full moon days and other holidays.

Depending on the Buddhist tradition, fasting usually means abstaining from solid food, with some liquid permitted. Buddhists fast simply as a method of purification. Theravadin and Tendai Buddhist monks fast as a means of freeing the mind. Some Tibetan Buddhist monks fast to aid yogic feats, like generating inner heat.

Methods of fasting vary widely and cover a broad spectrum. How Hindus fast depends on the individual. For some, fasting may involve 24 hours of complete abstinence from any food or drink, but it is more often an elimination of solid foods, with an occasional drink of milk or water. If followed strictly, the fasting person does not take any food or water from the previous day's sunset until 48 minutes after the following day's sunset

• Fasting the Christian way

The Bible defines fast as abstaining from satisfying hunger or thirst, and any other lustful needs one may yearn for. The blessings gained from this are claimed to be substantial. By practicing this acceptable fast is often to attest the spiritual principles surrounding fasting and seek to become a testament.

Catholics fast and abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, and abstain from meat on all Fridays in Lent*. For many centuries, Catholics were forbidden to eat meat on all Fridays, but since the mid 1960s, abstaining from meat on Fridays outside of Lent has been a matter of local discretion.

Catholics believe fasting teaches them to control fleshly desires, penance for sins and solidarity with the poor. The Lenten fast prepares the soul for a great feast by practicing austerity. The Good Friday fast commemorates the day Christ suffered.
*the period before Easter during which Christians traditionally eat less food or stop doing something that they enjoy

• Fasting the Islam Way

Fasting in Islam consists of deliberately abstaining from all food, drink and sexual relations from the time of the first light before dawn until the last light after sunset. The principal fast occupies the entire month of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic year.

Muslims believe that fasting is more than abstaining from food and drink. It also includes abstaining from any falsehood in speech and action, from any ignorant and indecent speech, and from arguing and fighting and lustful thoughts. Therefore, fasting helps develop good behaviour.

Fasting inculcates a sense of fraternity and solidarity as Muslims feel and experience what their needy and hungry brothers and sisters feel. Moreover, Ramadan is a month of giving charity and sharing meals to break the fast together.

Fasting is also prescribed in the Quran as expiation for offences ranging from manslaughter to the breaking of an oath. The rules for such fasts are the same as those for the fast of Ramadan. The Quran specifically identifies fasting as an obligation that had been imposed in earlier religions. Muslims generally consider the purpose of fasting to be the purification and humbling of the human soul.

• Fasting the Sikh Way

Sikhism is probably the only major organized world religion that does not promote fasting except for medical reasons. The Sikh Gurus discourage the devotee from engaging in this ritual as it is considered to 'bring no spiritual benefit to the person'.

The Sikh Holy Scriptures, Sri Guru Granth Sahib tells us: 'Fasting, daily rituals and austere self-discipline - those who keep the practice of these, are rewarded with less than a shell'. So, most Sikhs have never undertaken a fast of any kind.

But seriously, fasting, as an aspect of abstention, forms the basis of a truly religious lifestyle. Various religions enjoin the ritual of fasting, and it is believed that those who made these prescriptions be it Ramadan, Lent, or the weekly fast observed by many Hindu women all had knowledge of the spiritual and therapeutic benefits of fasting.

This, to us, is "Many Ways, One Aim".