The historical reasons why Muslims fast are not always presented in a simple or universally agreed-upon manner, even though it is a big part of recurrence tradition. Interpretations of Islamic practice have evolved over years, particularly with the emergence of various reform movements that sought to reshape religious understanding. Some critics argue that certain strands of modern Islamic fundamentalism have, at times, contributed to interpretations that significantly depart from earlier traditions and principles of Islam.
One such movement is Wahhabism, an austere and puritanical 18th-century reform movement within Sunni Islam founded by Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab around 1744. It promotes a very strict and literal interpretation of the Quran and the Sunnah, and seeks to purify Islamic practice by removing what its followers regard as religious innovations (bid’ah).
Wahhabism has had a significant influence in Saudi Arabia and has shaped religious discourse in various parts of the Muslim world. Its role and impact, however, remain subjects of ongoing debate among scholars and Muslims globally.
It primarily gained a foothold with funds flowing from Saudi oil, supporting only very fundamentalist movements across the world. This, in turn, became very violent in its implementation, including the use of suicide bombers. That is why the world has become increasingly anti-Muslim, and gradually many Muslims are recognising that Wahhabism is far removed from the basic principles of Islam. Instead, it reflects some form of nomadic, prehistoric dissent from Arabia. However, the damage over the past 40 years has been done, and Islam is now often perceived as a rigid religion lacking human rights and prone to violence even over minor issues.
CALIPHS
A major turning point in Islamic history came after the death of the Prophet Muhammad. Leadership of the Muslim community passed to a series of four caliphs Abu Bakr, Umar ibn al-Khattab, Uthman ibn Affan, and Ali ibn Abi Talib. These rulers are known among Sunni Muslims as the “Rightly Guided Caliphs.” During their leadership, the early Islamic state expanded rapidly, and by around 640 CE Muslim forces had entered and taken control of Jerusalem.
During the rule of Uthman, an official recension of the Quran was compiled and standardised to preserve its text. Unfortunately, Uthman, a Caliph from a very wealthy family, behaved in a manner similar to the United States President Donald Trump, appointing family members to positions of power for personal gain. Worse still, this wealthy Caliph is said to have compiled the Quran to suit his own agenda and then ordered all other manuscripts to be burned. For this reason, the Quran is considered by some to lack a systematic order and to have been written in the Syriac language. The question of why the Prophet, who received revelations for 20 years, did not write down the Quran himself is one that many people still ask.
Later political and administrative centers of Islamic power developed in major cities such as Damascus and Baghdad. Over time, the centers of Islamic governance and culture expanded far beyond the Arabian Peninsula, with important political and intellectual hubs emerging across the wider Middle East and Mediterranean world, including Cairo, Jerusalem, Damascus, Baghdad, Tehran, and eventually Istanbul.
Another important shift occurred when the caliphate gradually moved from a system where leaders were chosen from different companions of the Prophet to dynastic rule. The Umayyad Caliphate, founded by Muawiya I, established one of the first hereditary Muslim dynasties with its capital in Damascus and ruled for about ninety years. It was later followed by the Abbasid Caliphate, centered in Baghdad, which governed for roughly five centuries and presided over what is often described as the Golden Age of Islam, a period marked by significant achievements in science, philosophy, medicine, and literature. Centuries later, the Ottoman Empire ruled from Istanbul for more than six hundred years.
As these dynasties consolidated power over long periods, political authority, religious interpretation, and legal traditions evolved within the changing circumstances of their empires and own families for personal interests. Debates about the development of Islamic jurisprudence including the interpretation of hadith literature and the application of Sharia continued throughout these centuries and remain subjects of scholarly discussion today because it was introduced by families and not the Prophet.
According to historical accounts, during the wars, Saladin restricted alcohol consumption among soldiers because drunkenness was affecting discipline and military performance. At the same time, smoking and shisha use were tolerated or encouraged in some circles. Soldiers were also discouraged from shaving their beards, as a fierce appearance was considered important in projecting strength on the battlefield. These practices were part of broader military and leadership strategies employed during the era of the caliphates.
Up to that period, even many Muslims consumed alcohol, as beer had originated in Egypt and was widely consumed across the Middle East. Grapes were also cultivated extensively, and wine production was common, particularly in Jerusalem.
During the wars, however, Saladin reportedly banned alcohol because soldiers were becoming drunk and ineffective in battle. Smoking, on the other hand, was permitted, and shisha was encouraged. Soldiers were also discouraged from shaving their beards, which contributed to a fiercer appearance. These measures were considered part of the military strategies adopted by the caliphs.
CRUSADE
For many Christians in medieval Europe, Jerusalem revered as the birthplace and central setting of the life of Jesus Christ was believed to belong under Christian control. This sentiment contributed to the launch of the First Crusade, called by Pope Urban II. In 1099, Crusader forces captured Jerusalem after a prolonged campaign.
During the conflicts between Crusader and Muslim armies, observers often remarked on the discipline and religious devotion of certain military orders, including the Knights Templar. Their reputation for strict routines of prayer, fasting, and abstinence was widely noted.
In the Muslim World, military and political authorities based in cities such as Baghdad and Damascus also learned from this and subsequently emphasised religious discipline among soldiers and the broader population. Over time, religious practices including the observance of the five daily prayers, fasting during the month of Ramadan, and restrictions on alcohol became firmly embedded within Islamic tradition through only interpretations of the Quran and the corpus of hadith literature.
Jerusalem eventually returned to Muslim rule in 1187 under the leadership of Saladin. Throughout later centuries, Islamic practices continued to develop and were maintained across different Muslim societies despite varying climates and political contexts.
Later, the Ottoman Empire, which ruled large parts of the Middle East, North Africa, and southeastern Europe from its capital in Istanbul for more than six centuries, focused heavily on territorial expansion and governance across a vast empire that included parts of Europe. The Ottoman caliphs saw themselves as rulers of a multi-continental empire that bridged both the Islamic world and Europe and saw themselves as Europeans.
WAHABISM AND FASTING
It was not until the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the subsequent discovery of large oil reserves in the Arabian Peninsula that new political powers emerged in the region. During the 20th century, particularly after the formation of modern states such as Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait, leadership increasingly came from tribal and formerly nomadic Arab elites.
With the rise of oil wealth and political influence in the 1960s and beyond, the spread of Wahhabi religious doctrine associated with the teachings of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab became more prominent. Critics argue that this interpretation of Islam emphasized a rigid and highly literal approach to religious practice, prioritizing strict adherence to rules and rituals over more flexible or humanistic interpretations that had developed historically in many Muslim societies.
Among the practices emphasised was strict observance of fasting during the month of Ramadan, calculated precisely from sunrise to sunset according to local time. While fasting has long been part of Islamic tradition, critics contend that its enforcement in some places became highly formalized and compulsory, with severe social or legal consequences for those who failed to observe it.
In some periods during the late 20th century, particularly in regions where Wahhabi influenced legal systems were dominant, breaking the fast publicly could result in harsh punishments under interpretations of Islamic law. These developments contributed to ongoing debates within the Muslim world about religious authority, tradition, and the interpretation of Islamic practices in modern societies.
6:00am to 6:00pm
As many Muslims become more educated and increasingly focused on professional work and family responsibilities, some argue that the traditional sunrise-to-sunset fasting schedule can be challenging in modern life. In today’s highly competitive and demanding world, many Muslims prioritise education, career development, and caring for their families while still striving to uphold the spiritual message of fasting.
From this perspective, the core purpose of fasting self-discipline, reflection, and spiritual awareness remains the most important element. Whether one breaks the fast at 6:00 pm, some believe the essential message of restraint and reflection has already been fulfilled.
Across the Muslim world, many individuals are also engaging more deeply with their faith by studying its history and traditions. This has encouraged greater discussion about the practicality and meaning of certain practices and ceremonies in contemporary society. Rather than following traditions mechanically or robotically, many Muslims seek to approach their faith with education, understanding, and personal reflection.
Also, fasting was implemented by the caliphs during wars, not by the prophets in Mecca, where temperatures reached 40 degrees Celsius and water was scarce because it was a desert. Due to the militaristic style of the caliphs, many Sunni countries have been ruled by military powers, lacking democracy and marked by violence. These dictators were also never interested in education, as an educated person is considered a greater threat than a gun.
For some, adopting a structured fasting period such as from 6:00am to 6:00pm is seen as a practical way to maintain the spiritual discipline of fasting while balancing the demands of modern professional life.
In addition, there is no need for robotic prayers five times a day, where meditation is removed; instead, morning and evening devotion is sufficient. The five daily prayers came into being in order to mobilise armies for war, along with the removal of meditation, which was a key element of Islam by the Caliphs.
