Psychological Benefits of Islamic Fasting

Everything we experience in life has an effect on our thinking, emotions, and ultimately our behaviour. Similarly, the act of islamic fasting has significant effects on our thinking, emotions, and behaviour. This is what is meant by the psychological effects of fasting.

Going hungry, thirsty, and indulging into other rituals of fasting such as taraweeh, waking up for suhur, and iftar (breaking the fast) – all these acts affect how we think, behave, and feel. For example, just the routine of it all brings a certain discipline in our life that lots of us may not have had before.
The holy month of Ramadan and fasting in this month has a potential to be helpful in resolving many psychological problems. But, if the problems are long lasting and complicated, a person may need additional help. Seeking such help in this holy month often proves more beneficial than in other months, that is, if the client and the therapist both practice the adaab (ethics) of fasting.

As well, for one to be obligated to fast, he must be of sound mind. Fasting is not obligatory on the insane person

Among the conditions for the validity of one’s fasting is that the person does not become insane, not even for a moment during the fasting day. If a person loses his sanity during the day or during part of the day, even for a moment, then his fasting would be invalidated


Ramadan is a month of self-regulation and self training, with the hope that this training will last beyond the end of Ramadan. If the lessons learned during Ramadan, whether in terms of dietary intake or righteousness, are carried on after Ramadan, there effects will be long lasting.

There are psychological effects of fasting as well. There is a peace and tranquility for those who fast during the month of Ramadan. Personal hostility is at a minimum, and the crime rate decreases. Muslims take advice from the Prophet who said, "If one slanders you or aggresses against you, say I am fasting."

This psychological improvement could be related to better stabilization of blood glucose during fasting as hypoglycemia after eating, aggravates behavior changes. There is a beneficial effect of extra prayer at night. This not only helps with better utilization of food but also helps in energy output. There are 10 extra calories output for each unit of the prayer. Again, we do not do prayers for exercise, but a mild movement of the joints with extra calorie utilization is a better form of exercise. Similarly, recitation of the Quran not only produces a tranquility of heart and mind, but improves the memory.

Fasting Ramadan is useful as it has a restraining power over the soul's whimsies, and an urge to abandon bad habits, specially when the smoker is obliged to abstain from smoking even if for a temporary period, on the hope such abandon will be permanent. This is also applied to drinking too much coffee and tea. The psychological benefits are numerous. The fasting person feels complacent, attains mental and psychological rest, refrains from all that disturbs the integrity of his fasting, and maintains the proper behaviour controls, that all reflect positively on the general community. The Prophet said; "Fasting is restraining. When anyone of you is fasting, he should refrain from obscene language or any acts of ignorance. And if anyone slanders him or quarrels with him, he should say; 'I am fasting, I am fasting.'" Several studies revealed that crime rate in Islamic countries decreases during Ramadan .

Allah has mentioned patience more than seventy times in the Quran and has commanded patience in more than sixteen ways in His Book. So when one fasts, and gives up one's food and drink, and one's marital sexual relations for those hours, one learns restraint and patience. This Ummah needs man and women that are strong willed, who can stand upon the Sunnah and the holy Book of Allah and not waver in front of the enemies of Allah We do not need emotional people, who just raise slogans and shout, but when the time comes to stand upon something firm, they cannot do so, they waver.

The Prophet (may Allah send His blessing and peace upon him) made us adhere to discipline and strictness, strictness that does not lead to fanaticism or going outside the bounds that Allah has laid down. One cannot knowingly break the fast before the sunset, as this will not be accepted by Allah. Muslims should learn to be very strict in their lives, because they are people of an important message, which they mold their lives around.