This Saturday, Aug. 22, Muslims in the Northwest will begin fasting for the holy month of Ramadan. Its the forth pillar of the Islamic faith when Muslims are required to fast from pre-dawn to sunset for 30 days as a form of worship.

Its interesting how all of the Abrahamic tradition observe some form of fasting as it is mentioned in the Bible, Old and New Testament, Torah and the Qur'an. Fasting has practically been an institution within itself.

For Muslims in Western Washington, the Holy Month of Fasting (Ramadan) is a ritual they ALL look forward to every year as a community. O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may learn self restraint(2:183 The holy Quran)

During this month of fasting (Ramadan) Muslims abstain from food, drink and other sensual pleasures during the day. The fast of Ramadan is performed in order to learn discipline, self-restraint and generosity while obeying God's commandments.

Fasting (along with the declaration of faith, daily prayer, charity and pilgrimage to Mecca) is one of the five pillars of the Islamic faith. Those exempted from fasting include young children, the elderly, and travelers, the sick and pregnant or nursing women.

In an age of overeating and crash diets I feel that self-control is essential for all of us in these times. As a Muslim, I must fast as commanded by God and I know its benefits can also be an effective in curtailing selfishness, and its various, serious symptoms in the contemporary world.

Since the Muslim calendar is lunar Ramadan begins about 10 days earlier each year on the Gregorian calendar thus we move from fall to summer this year and in a few years we will fast during the middle of the summer, the hottest and longest days of the year.

During Ramadan Muslims are supposed to be more compassionate and show kindness towards everyone especially those in need. It is a time to be more charitable and perform extra prayer which provides inner strength of the soul. The verse in the Holy Quran enjoins fasting as it was prescribed to those who came before. Moses, peace be upon him, fasted. Jesus, peace be upon him, fasted. But as an institution, fasting has been overlooked and undermined.

Fasting is performed to learn discipline, self-restraint and generosity, while obeying Gods commandments. It is a time to focus on faith as well as brotherhood and sisterhood and many Muslim spend more time at the Mosque during this month in an effort to seek Gods forgivingness.

Perhaps the most important and significant aspect of Ramadan for me is the opportunity to start over, new and clean. It is a chance for those sincere individuals to repent and have a new go at being pious and at doing righteous work. The prophet Muhammad said; A person who fasts the month of Ramadan with faith, self scrutiny, and does it purely for the sake of God, will have his past sins forgiven.

When this opportunity is coupled with the fact that no one knows exactly when his or her time will come to meet his or her creator, it becomes very difficult to comprehend how one could pass up such an opportunity.