Every year, over 1.8 billion Muslims around the world observe Ramadan by fasting from before sunrise until sunset — abstaining from food, drink, and intimate relations for roughly 14 to 15 hours each day for an entire month. But what most people never hear about are the extraordinary health benefits, spiritual rewards, and deep wisdom behind this pillar of Islam. In this eye-opening episode of The Deen Show, veteran community leader Sheikh Faisal, who has spent nearly 50 years educating Americans about Islam, breaks down the real benefits of Ramadan fasting and exposes the truth about Sharia law that the mainstream media refuses to tell you.
The Remarkable Health and Spiritual Benefits of Fasting in Ramadan
God Almighty, who created the human body, knows exactly what it needs to flourish. Modern medical research now confirms what Islam prescribed over 1,400 years ago: fasting once a year for a sustained period delivers powerful health benefits. Studies show that fasting for 10 to 14 hours daily over the course of a month helps rid the body of accumulated toxins. Even more striking, research indicates that cancerous cells are starved during fasting, making Ramadan a potential tool in the fight against cancer. But the benefits of fasting in Islam extend far beyond the physical. Consider what Ramadan accomplishes on every level:
- Spiritual recharge: Ramadan serves as a spiritual and physical bootcamp, a “booster shot” that allows Muslims to rebuild their connection with God, recharge their faith, and recommit to prayer, discipline, and devotion.
- Health restoration: Doctors confirm that observing this style of fasting once a year can contribute to long-term health — and you do not even have to be Muslim to benefit from it.
- Empathy and compassion: Fasting allows you to feel the hunger of millions of refugees, orphans, and widows who struggle to find food daily, bringing humanity together through shared experience.
- Self-discipline: Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) taught that fasting curbs unhealthy desires and strengthens willpower, a benefit confirmed by people of all ages who have tried it.
- Connection to the Prophets: Abraham, Moses, and Jesus (peace be upon them all) practiced fasting. When Muslims fast during Ramadan, they connect with the greatest human beings who ever walked the earth.
- Quranic revelation: Ramadan is the blessed month in which the Quran was revealed as guidance to all of mankind — not just Muslims — illuminating the path from darkness to light.
“It is a win-win situation. You please the Lord by obeying, you take care of your body which is health, and you take care of your fellow human being so in case you are in the same spot, somebody else will take care of you.”
Sharia Law Exposed: What It Really Means vs. What the Media Tells You
The word “Sharia” has been weaponized by media outlets to frighten people, but the truth is far simpler and far more beautiful than the scare tactics suggest. Sharia is simply the Arabic word for legislation — the same concept behind every law passed by Congress. In fact, the word Sharia appears over 250 times in the Arabic Bible. When researchers studied which countries best applied the principles of Sharia — love, justice, freedom of speech, and security — the top-ranking nations were not even Muslim-majority countries but included New Zealand and Scandinavian nations. The penal code that critics obsess over represents less than 1% of Islamic law, and even that system is built on profound justice: before any punishment is considered, Islam first demands that society eradicate poverty, provide employment, and ensure no one goes hungry. As Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) taught, a person who sleeps with a full belly while their neighbor is hungry is not truly one of us. Islam prioritizes prevention, compassion, and community responsibility above all else.
Islam in Action: Character That Changes Hearts
“That’s practically how Muslims around the world accepted Islam — because of the character and the behavior and the morals and the ethics of the Muslims. Everybody likes honest people, dependable people, nice people, cheerful people — and that’s what Islam is all about.”
- A Muslim couple in Chicago returned to Costco to pay for items they were accidentally undercharged for. The cashier was so moved by their honesty that she later became Muslim herself.
- A Muslim woman in Los Angeles found a bag of merchandise from another store mixed in with her purchase. She took the bus to return it to the rightful store, and the entire staff applauded her integrity.
- An Imam returned extra change to a bus driver who had deliberately tested him. That single act of God-consciousness became the catalyst for the bus driver to embrace Islam.
Take the First Step Toward Understanding Islam and Ramadan
God does not demand abrupt, overwhelming change. The Quran itself shows how guidance comes step by step — just as the prohibition of alcohol was revealed gradually, allowing people to grow at their own pace. The first step is simply to acknowledge your Creator, ask for His help, and trust that He is the Most Merciful and the Most Forgiving. Ramadan is the perfect time to begin. It is a month of mercy, purification, and transformation open to every human being on earth. Whether you are Muslim or simply curious about the fastest-growing faith in the world, the benefits of Ramadan fasting and the wisdom of Islam are waiting for anyone sincere enough to seek them.
