Do Christians fast? Why don't they do it the same way Muslims do?

from the old testament

• Joel 2:12–13 calls God’s people to return to Him with fasting, repentance, and prayer, showing fasting as a response to repentance and seeking God’s mercy.
• Ezra proclaims a fast to seek God’s protection and guidance on a difficult journey, illustrating fasting as a way to humble oneself and seek God’s help (Ezra 8:21–23).
• Nehemiah fasted and prayed when he heard about Jerusalem’s destruction, demonstrating fasting as a way to express grief and intercede for God’s people (Nehemiah 1:4).
• The psalmist describes fasting as a humble act of affliction in times of distress or injustice (Psalm 35:13).
• Queen Esther asks the Jews to fast for three days for God’s intervention before she approaches the king, showing fasting as preparation for urgent spiritual action (Esther 4:16). None of these times of fasting were prescriptive or had to do with earning God’s favor.

from the new testament

• Jesus once fasted from food for 40 days (Matthew 4). Although not all Christian fasting exclusively involves food, many Christians take after the example of Jesus and fast from food (or certain foods) for a set duration of time. This type of fasting can be done on any day—unlike Muslim fasting that is done during certain times of the day or on specific days of the week/month/year.
• Christians are taught to fast without drawing attention to themselves. Jesus said, "And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you" (Matthew 6:16–18). It is not wrong for a Christian to tell someone that he or she is fasting. However, it is important that this act of fasting is done in humility and deference for God, not for the attention of others. Since Christians are often quiet about fasting, some Muslims may question if they fast at all.
• Early Christians often fasted during special times of prayer (Acts 13:1–5; 14:23; 27:9), and some Christians today still follow this practice. Such reasoning behind fasting greatly differs from why Muslims fast. Islam promises exceptional rewards for Muslims who observe optional fasts on Monday and Thursday of each week, the three days each month when the moon is full, on the Day of Ashura and either the day before or the day after it, during Hajj (Sura 2:196), and other occasions.
• One of the core differences between Christian fasting and Muslim fasting is that Christians do not fast in order to earn their salvation. According to Muslim beliefs, not fasting during Ramadan can compromise a person's ability to be with Allah in Paradise, but in Christianity, fasting has nothing to do with whether we spend eternity with God. Salvation is based on faith alone in Jesus Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8–9).

implications for today

Fasting at daylight hours during the month of Ramadan is one of the Five Pillars of Islam and is considered to be of great importance. As such, some Muslims wonder why Christians don't seem to fast, or don’t fast in the same way. Though Christians occasionally fast in community, many fast on an individual basis. Additionally, rather than follow a set fasting schedule, many Christians fast in response to the prompting of the Holy Spirit or in conjunction with life circumstances. Jesus, the early church's leaders, early Christians, and Christians throughout the history of the church have fasted as a spiritual practice. Though there are some Christians that do not fast due to various reasons, it remains an important spiritual discipline for many Christians today.