View of Fasting in Islam and Hinduism: A comparative study

Fasting plays a key role in spiritual purity and self-discipline in both Islam and Hinduism. In Islam, Sawm follows strict rules, benefiting all followers physically and spiritually during Ramadan to boost God-consciousness and morals. Hinduism's Upavasa is more flexible, tied to lunar cycles, emphasizing detoxing and inner spiritual focus. Although both highlight honesty, self-restraint, and charity, their fasting rules and associated festivities differ quite significantly. This project dives into where these practices meet, looking at how different time, food, and behavior guidelines help people grow spiritually, improve their health, and strengthen social bonds. By mixing what scriptures say with today’s medical insights, the study shows how religious fasting in Islam and Hinduism pushes humans towards higher states of mind and body  in their unique ways. The results show that although there are considerable differences in ritual patterns, diet restrictions, and time frames, both religions use fasting as a multidimensional tool for moral improvement, self-discipline, social cohesion, and spiritual elevation. Moreover, there is medical evidence that fasting is beneficial to health in terms of such aspects as metabolism regulation, increased insulin sensitivity, and decreased inflammation response. Thus, it can be concluded that fasting serves as a holistic process which combines spirituality, ethics, mental stability, and physical condition.