Sawm (Fasting): Difference between revisions

The [[Adverse Effects of Islamic Fasting|adverse effects of Islamic fasting]] are vast and encompass such issues as; [[health]], national economy and productivity, crime rates, public safety and social behavior. In practice, Islamic fasting is unlike medical fasting. It is more accurately described as delayed eating; Muslims simply turn their eating habits upside down and gorge at dusk and at dawn.

Binge eating is a common habit during Ramadan.<ref>[http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.khaleejtimes.com%2FDisplayArticleNew.asp%3Fcol%3D%26section%3Dtheuae%26xfile%3Ddata%2Ftheuae%2F2008%2FSeptember%2Ftheuae_September167.xml&date=2011-07-12 <!-- http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?col=&section=theuae&xfile=data/theuae/2008/September/theuae_September167.xml -->Dietitian Advises Selective Eating Habits During Ramadan] - Khaleej Times Online, September 7, 2008</ref> For example, in Egypt, national statistics point to a substantial increase in consumption of food, electricity, and medications related to digestive disorders during the month of Ramadan as compared with the monthly average in the rest of the year.<ref>Abdel-Moneim Said - [{{Reference archive|1=http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2009/963/op11.htm|2=2011-08-28}} Wasting Ramadan] - Al-Ahram Weekly, September 3, 2009</ref> Similarly in Doha, [[Qatar]], almost 8,000 cases of indigestion were recorded at the Hamad Medical Hospital emergency room solely in the first week of Ramadan 2011, due to "most of the population sleeping during the day" and eating "large feasts".<ref name="ANSMarch132012Ram">[{{Reference archive|1=http://www.ansamed.info/ansamed/en/news/sections/generalnews/2012/03/13/visualizza_new.html_131156617.html|2=2012-03-15}} Qatar: surge in diabetes/obesity, unhealthy Arab habits] - ANSAmed, March 13, 2012</ref>