Muslim and Christian Attitudes toward Fasting in Southeast Asia

Abstract

Fasting is practiced by members of every worldwide religion. A study of this phenomenon offers an opportunity to understand the similarities and differences among these religions. The research involved the study of 1,437 students at five Southeast Asian universities. The sample included Muslims, Roman Catholics, Protestants and nonaffiliates. This report deals with the phenomenon of fasting within Islam and Christianity. As a result of the research, it seems clear that fasting is more important to Muslims than to Christians. It was anticipated that fasting would mean something different to the two groups. This seems true. Consistently, more Muslims gave as their reason for :fasting "to show obedience to God." The mystical reason for fasting found little support among either Christians or Muslims. There is some evidence to suggest that with modernization the meaning of fasting for Muslims will shift from being an expression of one's relation with God to being a means of attaining this-worldly goals, such as selfcontrol or identity with the poor. The article concludes with a discussion of why modernization does not seem to be causing a decline of fasting among Muslims. THE MEANING OF FASTING IN ISLAM AND CHRISTIANITY Far back in history, fasting was part of a symbolic system suggesting death and rebirth, not only of an individual (e.g., a king would fast before installation, a priest before ordination) but also of nature as a whole. "The fasting that precedes the rebirth of nature after winter survives in the substitution of unleavened for leavened bread during the Passover week among the Jews, the thirty days' Ramadan among the Mohammedans and the forty days' lent in the Christian church" (Hocart, 1967: 145). However, the meaning of fasting has changed within both the Christian and Islamic contexts.? Within the Christian tradition fasting acquired the character of a penance -an act of self-punishment to remove the effects of sinful acts (Hocart, 1967: 145). "There are three main reasons for fasting [in Christianity], the same reasons as those for any other penance: (1) to gain control over the body and it se se appetites; (2) to raise the mind to thoughts of God and to prayer; (3) to offer satisfaction for offenses given to God" (Anon., 1970:108). In a way, the Christian association of fasting and penance does relate to the ancient symbolism of death and birth. Penance is the transitional stage from "being bad" to "being good." But Christianity did i troduce the sense of personal guilt to this symbolic process.