According to the Gospels, Jesus fasted for forty days. Matthew 4:2 "And he fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterward he was hungry."21 This was in accordance with the practice of the earlier prophets. Moses is also recorded in Exodus 34:28,to have fasted: "And he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he neither ate bread nor drank water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments." The purpose of fasting is clearly defined in Qur'an (2: 183) as being for the development of God-consciousness. Only God knows who is actually fasting and who is not. Consequently, one who is fasting refrains from eating and drinking based on an awareness of God. Regular fasting heightens that awareness, which subsequently leads to a greater inclination towards righteousness. The believers are required to fast from dawn until dusk for the whole month of Ramadan (the ninth month of the lunar calendar). Prophet Muhammad ( ) also said, "The best fast [outside of Ramadan] is that of my brother [Prophet] David who used to fast every other day."22
"Jesus (peace be upon him) fasted, though not specifically for Ramadan, as that was ordained later through Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The Bible says he fasted for forty days in the wilderness (Matthew 4:2), seeking Allah's strength and guidance—a practice of devotion and discipline. The Qur'an honors him as a righteous prophet: ‘And [mention] when Jesus, the son of Mary, said, "O Children of Israel, indeed I am the messenger of Allah to you"' (Surah As-Saff, 61:6). His fasting reflects the way of prophets, drawing near to Allah through sacrifice.
In Islam, fasting in Ramadan is a pillar: ‘O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you' (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:183). Jesus' forty-day fast aligns with this spirit—prophets before Muhammad (peace be upon them) fasted to please Allah. It shows he was a human servant, not God, submitting to the Creator's will. His example supports Islam's call: fasting, like his, is worship of Allah alone."
Muslim dawah often claims that Jesus' forty-day fast in the wilderness was equivalent to Islamic fasting, suggesting He followed the same prophetic tradition as Muhammad and submitted to Allah. This argument attempts to portray Jesus as a human prophet rather than the divine Son of God.
Jesus' fast occurred in a 1st-century Jewish context, centuries before Islam existed.
The Gospel (Matthew 4:2) shows He fasted before His ministry, not as part of a ritual month.
Biblical fasting emphasises dependence on God, preparation for ministry, and overcoming temptation, unlike Islamic fasting which emphasises ritual obedience and merit.
Jesus' fast demonstrates His incarnation and sinless humanity, not mere submission.
Unlike any prophet, He confronted and defeated Satan after fasting (Matthew 4:10-11), showing divine authority.
Claiming Jesus fasted "for Allah" retroactively projects Islamic theology onto a first-century Jewish practice.
Fasting in Christianity flows from redemption through Christ, not earning God's favor through ritual.
Jesus' forty-day fast was a Messianic act of preparation, dependence on God, and victory over temptation, not an Islamic ritual. While fasting is a spiritual discipline in both religions, the purpose, context, and theological meaning are fundamentally different. Muslim claims that Jesus' fasting aligns with Ramadan misrepresent His divine identity and the redemptive purpose of His ministry.