1. Fasting : by Non-Muslims http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/2001/02/Fasting-Chart.aspx http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/10-benefits-of-fasting-that-will-surprise- you.html Slideshow by Dr. Hashim

2. Discussed in this slideshow: 1.Fasting according to different beliefs 2.10 Benefits of Fasting That Will Surprise You 3.Spiritual Benefits of fasting 4.Quotes of the ancient scholars about fasting 5.Quotes of modern MDs about fasting

3. Fasting according to different beliefs

4. Buddhist Fasting All the main branches of Buddhism practice some periods of fasting, usually on full-moon days and other holidays. How they fast: Depending on the Buddhist tradition, fasting usually means abstaining from solid food, with some liquids permitted. Why they fast: A method of purification, as a means of freeing the mind. Some Tibetan Buddhist monks fast to aid yogic feats, like generating inner heat.

5. Catholic Fasting Catholics fast and abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, and abstain from meat on all Fridays in Lent. since the mid-1960s,abstaining from meat on Fridays outside of 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. How they fast: On Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, two small meals and one regular meal are allowed; meat is forbidden. On Fridays in Lent, no meat is allowed. Why they fast: Teaches control of 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.

6. Eastern Orthodox Fasting There are several fast periods, including Lent, Apostles' Fast, Dormition Fast, and the Nativity Fast, and several one-day fasts. Every Wednesday and Friday is considered a fast day, except those that fall during designated "fast- free weeks. How they fast: "In general, meat, dairy products, and eggs are prohibited. Fish is prohibited on some fast days and allowed on others. Why they fast: Strengthens resistance to gluttony; helps open a person to God's grace.

7. Hindu Fasting Fasting is commonly practiced on New Moon days and during festivals such as Shivaratri, Saraswati Puja, and Durga Puja (also known as Navaratri). Women in North India also fast on the day of Karva Chauth. How they fast: Depends on the individual. Fasting may involve 24 hours of complete abstinence from any food or drink, but is more often an elimination of solid foods, with an occasional drink of milk or water. Why they fast: A way to enhance concentration during meditation or worship; purification for the system; sometimes considered a sacrifice.

8. Jewish Fasting Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is the best- known fast day. The Jewish calendar has six other fast days as well, including Tisha B'Av, the day on which the destruction of the Jewish Temple took place. Yom Kippur How they fast: On Yom Kippur and Tisha B'Av, eating and drinking are forbidden for a 25-hour period, from sundown to sundown. On the other fast days, eating and drinking are forbidden only from sunrise to sundown. Why they fast: Atonement for sins and/or special requests to God.

9. Mormon Fasting The first Sunday of each month is a fast day. Individuals, families, or wards may hold other fasts at will. How they fast: Abstaining from food and drink for two consecutive meals and donating food or money to the needy. After the fast, church members participate in a “fast and testimony meeting”. Why they fast: "Closeness to God; concentration on God and religion. Individual or family fasts might be held to petition for a specific cause, such as healing for one who is sick or help with making a difficult decision.

10. Muslim Fasting Ramadan, the ninth month of the Muslim calendar, is a mandatory fasting period that recognizes the period when the Quran was first revealed to Prophet Muhammad. Various Muslim customs recommend days and periods of fasting in addition to Ramadhan. Ramadan How they fast: Abstain from food, drink, smoking, profane language, and sexual intercourse from before the break of dawn until after sunset for the entire month. Why they fast: Some Muslims fast every Monday and/or Thursday because Prophet Muhammad used to do this, and some fast during the month of Rajab and Sha'baan, which precedes Ramadhan, and especially during the three days leading up to Ramadhan.

11. Pagan Fasting No organized fast days, but some pagans choose to fast in preparation for Ostara (Spring Equinox). How they fast: At the discretion of the individual-- some totally abstain from food, others reduce how much they eat. Why they fast: Intended to purify a person energetically; often used to raise vibrational levels as preparation for magical work. Ostara fasting is used to cleanse oneself from heavier winter foods.

12. Protestant (Evangelical) Fasting At the discretion of individuals, churches, organizations, or communities. How they fast: Though some people abstain from food or drink entirely, others drink only water or juice, eat only certain foods, skip certain meals, or abstain from temptations, edible or not. Why they fast: Evangelical fasts have become increasingly popular in recent years, with people fasting for spiritual nourishment, solidarity with impoverished people, a counterbalance to modern consumer culture, or to petition God for special needs.

13. Protestant (Mainline) Fasting Not a major part of the tradition, but fasts can be held at the discretion of communities, churches, other groups, and individuals. How they fast: Discretion of those fasting. Why they fast: For spiritual improvement or to advance a political or social-justice agenda. One example: the ELCA's“ Campaign of Prayer, Fasting, and Vigils."

14. 10 Benefits of Fasting That Will Surprise You

15. 1. Fasting Helps Weight Loss Fasting can be a safe way to lose weight as many studies have shown that intermittent fasting (fasting that is controlled within a set number of hours) allows the body to burn through fat cells more effectively than just regular dieting. Intermittent fasting allows the body to use fat as it’s primary source of energy instead of sugar. Many athletes now use fasting as means to hitting low body fat percentages for competitions.athletes

16. 2. Fasting Improves Insulin Sensitivity Fasting has shown to have a positive effect on insulin sensitivity, allowing you to tolerate carbohydrates (sugar) better than if you didn’t fast. insulin sensitivity A study showed that after periods of fasting, insulin becomes more effective in telling cells to take up glucose from blood.tudy

17. 3. Fasting Speeds Up The Metabolism Intermittent fasting gives your digestive system a rest, and this can energize your metabolism to burn through calories more efficiently. If your digestion is poor, this can effect your ability to metabolize food and burn fat. Intermittent fasts can regulate your digestion and promote healthy bowel function, thus improving your metabolic function.

18. 4. Fasting Promotes Longevity Believe it or not, the less you eat the longer you will live. Studies have shown how the lifespan of people in certain cultures increased due to their diets. However, we don’t need to live amongst a foreign community to reap the benefits of fasting. One of the primary effects of ageing is a slower metabolism, the younger your body is, the faster and more efficient your metabolism. The less you eat, the less toll it takes on your digestive system.

19. 5. Fasting Improves Hunger Fasting helps to regulate the hormones in your body so that you experience what true hunger is. We know that obese individuals do not receive the correct signals to let them know they are full due to excessive eating patterns.obese individuals do not receive the correct signals Think of fasting as a reset button: the longer you fast, the more your body can regulate itself to release the correct hormones, so that you can experience what real hunger is.hormones Not to mention, when your hormones are working correctly, you get full quicker.

20. 6. Fasting Improves Your Eating Patterns Fasting can be a helpful practice for those who suffer with binge eating disorders, and for those who find it difficult to establish a correct eating pattern due to work and other priorities.binge eating disorders With intermittent fasting going all afternoon without a meal is okay and it can allow you to eat at a set time that fits your lifestyle. Also, for anyone who wants to prevent binge eating, you can establish a set time in where you allow yourself to eat your daily amount of calories in one sitting, and then not eat till the following day.

21. 7. Fasting Improves Your Brain Function Fasting has shown to improve brain function, because it boosts the production of a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF.)brain function BDNF activates brain stem cells to convert into new neurons, and triggers numerous other chemicals that promote neural health. This protein also protects your brain cells from changes associated with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

22. 8. Fasting Improves Your Immune System Intermittent fasting improves the immune system because it reduces free radical damage, regulates inflammatory conditions in the body and starves off cancer cell formation.immune system In nature, when animals get sick they stop eating and instead focus on resting. This is a primal instinct to reduce stress on their internal system so their body can fight off infection. We humans are the only species who look for food when we are ill, even when we do not need it.

23. 9. Fasting Contributes To Self-Enlightenment Fasting has helped many people feel more connected to life during the practices reading, meditation, yoga and martial arts etc. With no food in the digestive system, this makes room for more energy in the body – the digestive is one of the most energy absorbing systems in the body. Fasting for self-enlightenment, allows us to feel better both consciously and physically. With a lighter body and a clearer mind we become more aware and grateful for the things around us. Fasting for self-enlightenment

24. 10. Fasting Helps Clear The Skin Fasting can help clear the skin because with the body temporarily freed from digestion, it’s able to focus its regenerative energies on other systems. Fasting can help clear the skin Not eating anything for just one day has shown to help the body clean up the toxins and regulate the functioning of other organs of the body like liver, kidneys and other parts.

25. Fasting will: 1.rest the digestive system 2.allow for cleansing and detoxification of the body 3.create a break in eating patterns, while shining a spotlight on them 4.promote greater mental clarity 5.cleanse and heal "stuck" emotional patterns 6.lead to a feeling of physical lightness, increasing energy level 7.promote an inner stillness, enhancing spiritual connection

26. Spiritual Benefits Quotes of the ancient scholars Quotes of modern MDs

27. Spiritual benefits of fasting 1.And let's not forget the powerful effects of fasting on our spiritual connection. 2.Another one of the benefits of fasting is that it promotes we take our attention inward, that we listen, become quiet. 3.And that quiet quality time, you with you, will also allow, if you are willing, a greater sense of kinship with your Inner Being. 4.Without the continual addition of heavy foods into the system, the body takes on a lighter, less dense, feeling. 5.This helps to create a subtle separation from ordinary physical reality and all its worldly things, and instead you begin to sense the presence and power of things beyond this world.

28. Spiritual benefits of fasting, Continued 6.Meditation or prayer become clearer, higher states easier to attain, messages or guidance from higher realms clearer. 7.Knowing you are loved and supported every minute of your day and of your life is something you begin to intuitively feel. 8.Recognition that there truly is a higher plan or purpose will become more real as it is intuitively experienced rather than just intellectually understood. 9.Your experiences will be deeply personal and unique. Sometimes, subtle too. 10.You have to pay attention to the little things, you have to be quiet enough internally to pick up the nuances in a changed attitude or perception.

29. Fasting Quotes: Historical "Instead of using medicine, better fast today." (Plutarch, a Greek biographer and moralist) "Everyone has a doctor in him; we just have to help him in his work. The natural healing force within each one of us is the greatest force in getting well....to eat when you are sick, is to feed your sickness." (Hippocrates, one of the three fathers of Western medicine)

30. Fasting Quotes: Modern M.D.s "I believe that fasting is the "missing link" in the Western diet." "From a medical point of view, I believe that fasting is not utilized often enough." ".... fasting is one of the best overall healing methods because it can be applied to so many conditions and people." "Fasting is the single greatest natural healing therapy. It is nature's ancient, universal 'remedy' for many problems. Animals instinctively fast when ill." Elson Haas, M.D. in Staying Healthy with Nutrition

31. Fasting Quotes: Modern M.D.s "Therapeutic fasting is not a mystical or magical cure. It works because the body has within it the capacity to heal when the obstacles to healing are removed. Health is the normal state. Most chronic disease is the inevitable consequence of living a life-style that places disease-causing stressors on the human organism. Fasting gives the body an interlude without those stressors so that it can speedily repair or accomplish healing that could not otherwise occur in the feeding state.“ "The job of fasting is to supply the body with the ideal environment to accomplish its work of healing." Joel Fuhrman, M.D., in Fasting and Eating for Health

32. In Conclusion, Let us Read Surah al-Asr together By the eons of Time,وَالْعَصْرِ Verily Man is in loss,إِنَّ الْإِنْسَانَ لَفِي خُسْرٍ Except those who believe and do good, and enjoin one another to truth and enjoin one another to patience. إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِ

33. Thank you And May Allah Bless you Dr. Hashim