Fasting humbles ego, enables mindfulness and divine nearness

Hunger is a common denominator felt by all life forms to ensure survival and nourishment. At extreme end of hunger and fullness, humans and animals react differently.

In hunger, human and beast act to save themselves from starvation, and in extreme instances prepare to eliminate competition. Surprisingly, when it comes to satisfying hunger, human and beast respond differently. Animals hunt and eat until appetite is satisfied, neither overeating nor storing food beyond instinctive need. Of course, there are many exceptions.

In contrast, human behaviour progressively changes. Even after fulfilling appetite, they tend to indulge in overeating. Ultimately, it becomes sumptuous eating for seeking pleasure and displaying status (one of the most expensive foods is Almas caviar - $34,000/kg approximately). Relationship between food and vanity-driven ego in humans is hard to ignore.

This behavioural divergence reveals fasting's unique transformative power for humanity. Animals are designed with natural restraint, while humans have undermined this instinctive balance through abundance. We have developed ego-driven relationships with food that extend far beyond nutrition into orbits of status, pleasure-seeking and identity construction.

Ancient civilisations used fasting to harmonise human mind, body and soul before codified divine guidance. Egyptians, Mesopotamians and Zoroastrianism practised priestly fasting for encounters with deities. Vedic and Buddhist traditions sought enlightenment. China was developing Taoist practices while Greeks institutionalised it. Pythagoras fasted for 40 days, believing it increased mental perception and creativity; Hippocrates prescribed fasting for patients with certain symptoms of illness; Plato labelled it the source of true health. These were not accidental practices, but anchored in human experiences living across time and distances, experimenting with altered states.

Prophet Ibrahim (PBUH) bridged ancient innate wisdom with divine revelations, and it is now reinforced by modern scientific understanding. He practised fasting as monotheistic devotion. Later, it continued through Prophet Musa (PBUH), who fasted forty days on Mount Sinai receiving Torah; through Prophet Isa (PBUH), who fasted forty days in wilderness before beginning his ministry; and finally it became mandatory for Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Fasting was codified and became obligatory for every Muslim for whole month of Ramazan.

Modern science increasingly explains how fasting and its duration uniquely alters human state at every level: cellular, metabolic, neurological, hormonal, emotional, consciousness, etc. What fasting does is systematically remove excess, repair cellular damage, renew depletion and restore our innate design. It alters production of biochemical markers and switches body's fuel from excess glucose/fat to cleaner ketones, minimising oxidative waste. Effects on body, mind and soul are not philosophical constructs, but biochemical changes that occur in entire body, while emotional/behavioural response is neither reckless nor beyond human control.

Human ego is embedded in abundance and rigid self-perception views. A key one from food runs on insulin-glucose spikes, leptin-driven food obsession and dopamine reward. Fasting can dismantle these metabolic sources, potentially disrupting ego-craving circuits. Studies suggest that neurologically, brain's raw material (BDNF) tends to increase during fasting states, generating new neurons and neural pathways and strengthening cognitive functions and flexibility. Emotionally, anxiety may reduce in some cases over extended periods; endorphins can surge in prolonged fasting. Sleep quality improves within first week as circadian rhythm realigns. What emerges is ego dissolution, and an opening for spiritual awareness.

Mindfulness is a state of heightened alertness, patience and tolerance. Fasting-induced metabolic changes can provide clean/stable ketone brain fuel instead of glucose-driven craving/spikes rooted in impulsive consumption. This not only helps prevent mood swings and scattered attention, but may clear brain fog and improve cognitive functions. Gut-brain coherence stabilises serotonin mood balance, while circadian rhythm restoration aligns body with natural day-night cycles, deepening sleep and sharpening waking awareness.

Divine yearning is the highest form of human desire. Fasting is practised to achieve this profound sense of peace and connection beyond ordinary consciousness. It may evoke endorphin joy surge in prolonged fasting, a feeling mystics attribute as sublime. Ketonic fuel can clear brain fog and sharpen perception beyond ordinary ego-filters in certain fasting states.

Above all, fasting evokes solidarity through activation of mirror neurons. Communal feeling is generated, with Oxytocin bonding, during fast and breaking of fast with other Muslims, imparting nearness and brotherhood around world. This silences brain's self-referential structure and creates space beyond ego's persistent self-interest. Prophets and sages across history accessed this state through fasting, and what may emerge is a sense of connection to whole - divine.

Fasting is not unique for Muslims; it was decreed upon earlier nations to attain taqwa (Quran 2:183). Imam al-Sa'di (1889–1956 CE) suggested five ways fasting builds inner discipline and God-consciousness that cultivate taqwa: 1) Complying with Allah's commands and avoiding prohibitions purely for Allah. 2) Training constant awareness of Allah's watchfulness. 3) Weakening Satan's influence by lightening body. 4) Increasing acts of worship. 5) Cultivating empathy for poor through experiencing hunger.

Ramazan fast is from first light of dawn until last light of sunset. Uniqueness of suhoor time is that cortisol alertness rises, brain has its most receptive window towards inner clarity, and it is optimal for glycogen carb-rich food storage. It is a most mindful meal of day, dislodging egoist eating habits and timings. Whereas at iftar time, insulin sensitivity peaks, which maximises nutrient absorption. At this most conscious moment, body nourishes after a daylong fast, evoking endorphin-laced joy. Gratitude so biochemically overwhelming that it does not require theology to explain feeling of blessing.

Fasting is one of highest forms of devotion to Lord offered by Muslims, by remaining hungry and thirsty during day in the month of Ramazan. Prophet (PBUH) revealed, "Allah says: Every act of son of Adam is for him except fasting. It is for Me, and I shall reward for it..." (Sahih Muslim, 1151). He advised increasing four specific matters during this month: shahada; istighfar; asking for Paradise; and seeking refuge from Hellfire (Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah, 1887).

What remains after Fasting is a human being with a body, mind and soul reset, and closer to Divine. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) warned of humiliation for those who pass Ramazan's blessings and are not forgiven (Sunan at-Tirmidhi, 3545). Choice is always ours to follow or to pass.