THE HYGIENIC, SOCIAL, AND EDUCATIONAL EFFECTS OF FAST

      By fasting, a Muslim may learn self-restraint and cherish his power of decision and determination, and he may also moderate his passions and caprices.

      The instinct for food, drink, and sex, are strong in the animal nature, and temporary restraints from all these enables him who fasts to direct his attention to higher things and spiritual affairs. As a matter of fact, the greatest advantage of fasting lays in its spiritual and moral effects. It serves to promote man from the level of humanity up to the rank of angels. As our prophet (AS) has said: ``Fasting is a shield against the blazing fire of Hell.'' The prophet has also said that there is a

certain gate in the Paradise, named the door of RAYAN, and it will only opened to those who perform the fast commandment.

   ITS SOCIAL EFFECT

      It is evident that FAST can teach the lesson of equity in our social affairs. According to a tradition; HESHAM-IBN-HAKAM asked HAZRAT IMAM SADIQ (AS): ``Why was the FAST prescribed to us?'' and Imam answered: ``It was commanded in order to settle equity and fairness in dealing between the poor and the wealthy; so that the rich may also taste the bitterness of poverty, and pass over the rights of the poor and have mercy on them.''

ITS EFFECT ON THE HEALTH

      In the old and new medicine, the temporary abstention from food, drink, and sex, is proved to be salutary, and useful in health of almost all. Most of the diseases are due to habitual eating and drinking to excess. All the foods eaten, are not attracted to the body. They may leave some extra fat and glucosides, and other unnecessary compounds in different organism of the body, particularly in the blood; making suitable marshy points for cultivation and development of microbes and other germs of illnesses. The FAST burns out all the rubbish, and unessential extrinsics of the body. According to a tradition; the prophet has said: ``Fast and live healthy.'' He also has said: ``The stomach is the house of all kinds of disease, and the FAST is the head of all the medicines.''

THE FAST AMONG THE PREVIOUS NATION

      From the present scriptures, we can understand that the Jews as well as the Christians were also commanded to fast. Of course this does not mean that Muslim FAST is exactly like the other fasts previously observed, in the number of days, time or manner of fasting. But the scriptures signify that the previous nations when encountered with a sorrow and or a misfortune, they vowed a fasting. It is written in the scriptures that Moses and Jesus (AS), both of them fasted for a periods of forty days.

FAST IN TESTAMENTS

      ``There by the AHAVA CANAL, I gave orders for us all to FAST, and humble ourselves before our Lord, and to ask HIM to lead us on our journey. So we fasted and prayed for God to protect us and God answered our prayer.''

      On the twenty-fourth day of the same month the Israelites assembled to FAST to show sorrow for their sins.   NEHEMIAH 9: 1-2

      `` But even now'', says the Lord, ``Repent sincerely and return to ME with FASTING and weeping and mournings.''   JOEL 2: 12

      The people ask: ``Why should we FAST, if the Lord does not take notice? Why should we go without food if God pays no attention to it?'' In answer to this God says: ``As a matter of fact, when you are FASTING, you pursue your own interest, and you still oppress your workers. The kind of FASTING I want is to remove the chain of oppression, and yoke of injustice, and let the oppressed go free. Share your food with the hungry, and open your house to the homeless poor.''

ISAIH 58: 3-10

      And when you fast do not put on a sad face that everyone may know you are FASTING. When you FAST wash your faces and comb your hairs so that others cannot know your FASTING.''

MATTHEW 6: 16

      ``Barnabas and Sual preached the GOSPEL and in each church they appointed elders and with prayer and FASITING they commanded them to the Lord in whom they had put their trusts.

ACTS 14: 23

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