[al-zalzalah]

Originally Posted by rayfisher

Once fasting is mingled with hypocrisy the whole meaning changes.The fasting observed by christians makes more sense because it is viewed as a booster to an individual's faith.

Isaiah 58:3-7. From this we see that fasting includes avoiding certain pleasures on one hand, and doing acts of charity and justice on the other. That is, there are some other pleasures besides food and drink that must be avoided. Also, the central meaning of the fast has to do with feeling for the hunger of the hungry and doing something to alleviate it.

I can say that Biblical fasting is the complete abstention from eating and drinking and some other pleasures . It includes acts of charity, alms and justice, and the especial avoidance of anger and quarreling.

there's a tendency among religious people to present their own religion in the most ideal terms and then to present other religions in less than ideal terms.
for instance, to show how christians fast, people here are quoting from the bible. and to show how muslims fast, they're talking about what they saw their neighbors doing......
hehhehheh. christians, why don't you talk about the way you behave when you yourselves fast, that is if you actually fast. it would be more honest.

as 4 me i don't fast during lent or any other time, so i'm not even going to pretend. what i try to do is to live a moderate lifestyle throughout the year.
in sympathy with those who are hungry and disadvantaged, i find it is more productive to donate time, energy and money in that direction than to abstain from eating. donate food to food banks, volunteer at soup kitchens, that sort of thing.

[ndigila]

Excellent point Al-zalzalah.

The thread needs some clarification. Are we comparing Christian fasting (from a Christian perspective) or Muslim fasting (from a Muslim's perspective). Because it's fruitless to attack Muslim fasting because they don't do it the Christian way.

[teejay]

Originally Posted by bible_reader

Fasting is suppose to be a personal issue between you and your God but muslims version is full of show off.

True that. Fasting is supposed to be discrete. Muslims' idea of fasting is more of an advertisement rather than a personal issue. I had cousins who converted to Islam in one of those rituals, not because the religion appealed to their conscience, but because of the eating festive that goes with the fasting.

Originally Posted by bible_reader

They wear sad faces and become moody at work.

Thats because they are hungry and God is nowhere near their hearts, but thoughts of when the eating time will commence.

[teejay]

Originally Posted by ndigila

Excellent point Al-zalzalah.

The thread needs some clarification. Are we comparing Christian fasting (from a Christian perspective) or Muslim fasting (from a Muslim's perspective). Because it's fruitless to attack Muslim fasting because they don't do it the Christian way.

Thats a good observations ndigila. But then again according to muslims, all prophets, biblical and koranic are appreciated and that Jesus was a prophet who foretold the coming of Mohammed (never mind that it is a miscomprehension). This therefore leads us to conclude that they (Muslims) inturn respect and observe the prophetic teachings. Prophet Jesus said that Fasting should not be done to impress other people. It's in the Bible, Matthew 6:17-18. "But when you fast, put on festive clothing, so that no one will suspect you are hungry, except your Father who knows every secret. And He will reward you.".

Muslims cannot have their cake and eat it. They must accept the prophets and all their teachings in absolution or completely disregard them. There is no point of half truths and half lies. Muslims therefore have no escape route on this one.

[Muhammad_4]

Originally Posted by bible_reader
Fasting is suppose to be a personal issue between you and your God but muslims version is full of show off.

please bring your proof

[grip_daddy]

Muslims cannot have their cake and eat it. They must accept the prophets and all their teachings in absolution or completely disregard them. There is no point of half truths and half lies. Muslims therefore have escape route on this one.

You have to show that the teachings are also in the Quran. Remember Muslims do not use the Bible as a source of instructions.

[Muhammad_4]

You have to show that the teachings are also in the Quran.

Quran 2:183 "O you who have faith! Fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you – so that hopefully you will have taqwa."
Islamically, fasting carries with it a number of benefits, amongst which are: the elevation of ones rank, the expiation of sins, the breaking of ones desires and lusts, the increase of charity, the multiplication of actions of obedience to Allah, giving thanks to the One who knows the hidden matters, and preventing oneself from even contemplating the committing of sin.
Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him said: "All of the actions of the son of Adam are for him except the fast for that is for Me (Allah) and I will reward it. Fasting is protecting shield, so when it is the day when one of you are fasting, let him not behave or speak indecently; if someone tries to abuse or fight him, let him say, 'I am fasting'. By the One in whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, the smell emanating from the mouth of the one fasting is better with Allah than the smell of musk. The one fasting has two time of joy, when he breaks his fast he is happy and when He meets his Lord he will rejoice at his fasting." [Bukhari and Muslim]
He (peace be upon him) also said, "Every action that the son of Adam does, [its reward] will be multiplied, a good deed will be increased tenfold up to seven-hundred fold. Allah, Mighty and Magnificent, says, 'except for the fast, for that is for Me and I will reward it for he left his desires and food for My sake.' " [Muslim]
His saying, " All of the actions of the son of Adam are for him except the fast for that is for Me and I will reward it," fasting has been specifically adjoined to Him in order to honour it because the hidden nature of fasting prevents ostentation entering it, and moreover, hunger and thirst are not used as means to draw closer to any king of this world nor any idol.
His saying, " And I will reward it," even though He rewards all actions of obedience, this phrase points to the greatness of the reward of fasting.
As for the two times of joy, the first is because the one fasting has been granted the divine accord to complete this act of worship and the second is because of the reward he will attain when Allah rewards him.
His saying, " He left his desires and food for My sake " meaning that he chose the obedience of his Lord over the obedience of the call of his soul, whoever chooses Allah, Allah chooses him. This is why when someone desires to commit a sin, then leaves committing it for fear of Allah, He says to the recording Angels, 'Record it as a good deed, for he only left giving in to his lusts for My sake.'
The breaking of ones desires and lusts :Hunger and thirst break the desire to commit sin.
Increase of charity :When the one fasting feels the pangs of hunger, he takes this as a reminder to feed others who are hungry, 'for the only one who feels compassion towards the lovers is one who has loved.'It is well known that Sulayman (Solomon) , or Yusuf (Joseph) (Peace be upon them) would not eat until all his dependants had first eaten and when asked why this was so, he said, 'I fear that I would become full and so forget the hungry.'
Giving thanks to the One who knows the hidden matters :The one fasting comes to truly appreciate the favours of Allah, it is only through knowing hunger and thirst that one truly appreciates satiation and the quenching of that thirst; it is only when blessings are absent that one appreciates them more.
Fasting has many more benefits, such as refining the mind and strengthening the body.

[grip_daddy]

Muhhamad I meant Jesus' teachings on fasting, not teachings on fasting.

Those discrediting Muslims must show their allegations by quoting the Quran, not the Bible.

[ndigila]

Originally Posted by teejay

Muslims cannot have their cake and eat it. They must accept the prophets and all their teachings in absolution or completely disregard them. There is no point of half truths and half lies. Muslims therefore have escape route on this one.

That's what I've been trying to communicate (albeit with much frustration) to our beloved resident Muslim, Muhammad.

[Muhammad_4]

I dont know what to say! May be it is your Church leaders who should be blamed for your ill manners, may be yourself, or the way you have been raised! I dont know!
Because, first you people here accused all Muslims for showing off without any proof! can any intelligent man claim this, let alone a kid!
We Muslims accepts all Prophet and their teachings! Quran 3:84 “Say (O Muhammad): We believe in Allah, and what was revealed to us, and what was revealed to Ibraaheem (Abraham), and Ismaa’eel (Ishmail), and Ishaaq (Isac), and Ya’qoob (Jacob), and the tribes, and what was given to Moosaa (Moses), and ‘Eesaa (Jesus), and the Prophets from their Lord. We do not separate between anyone from them, and we submit to Him (Allah) as Muslims.”
So the question now is: "Jesus' teachings on fasting, not teachings on fasting".
If I understand correctly is that: if we Muslims claim to accept Jesus, why dont we accept what he taught about fasting?, why do we have our own way of fasting different from Jesus`way?
First you should know that, it is a proven fact that the Bible can not be taken as a reliable source.
Second, you should know that that legislation differs from one Shari'ah (laws)to another,while the principles and beliefs remain the same in all of them.
So obviously Jesus shariah (law), or any other prophet shariah (Law) which he came with differ in lagislation to another prophet.Let me make it easy for you with these few examples:
Making of portraits was allowed in the Shari'ah of Sulayman ,Solomon (peace be upon him) but is prohibited in our Shari'ah.
Making prostration of salutation was permitted in the Shari'ah of Yusuf ,Joseph(peace be upon him) but is illegal in ours.(you have in Quran where Jacob make prostration to Joseph)
The Qiblah of people before us used to be towards Bayt Al-Maqdis (Jerusalem), but for us it is towards Ka'bah (Mecca).You see, when we pray we do face Kaabah in Mecca, why dont you ask us why we dont face bayt l maqdis in Jerusalem?
In a similar way, marriage between brothers and sisters was permitted in the Shari'ah of Adam (peace be upon him) as opposed to those that came afterwards.
Allaah allowed Adam (peace be upon him) to marry his daughters to his sons for necessity. Every couple used to have a boy and a girl. Hence, he married the girl of one couple to the boy of another.
So the legislation of fasting of Jesus teachings (if it is proven as the Bible says) differs to Muhammad teaching of fasting but the principles and beliefs remain the same in all of them.
I trust that I have answered that question.