Hunger, which most people in today’s world regard as a sign of weakness, suffering, and emptiness, is in reality one of the greatest hidden gifts of Allah, for within it lies a miraculous secret that modern science now calls autophagy, a process through which the body cleans itself, heals from within, and rejuvenates its very cells, a system that becomes most active during fasting, something that Islam prescribed more than fourteen hundred years ago as both a spiritual obligation and a physical mercy. When a human being fasts, when food and drink are withheld for a period of time, the body does not collapse into decay, as many might assume, but instead it turns inward, breaking down damaged parts of cells, dissolving toxic build-ups, clearing away precancerous and cancerous cells, and recycling what is no longer useful into new and healthy structures, thus not only preventing disease but also restoring youth and vitality, strengthening the immune system, stabilizing blood sugar, and enhancing mental clarity.
Scientists have discovered that during autophagy, unique proteins are produced which gather like an army around harmful cells, breaking them apart, dissolving their toxic power, and restoring balance, which means that hunger is not merely emptiness but a biological purification designed by the Creator. Yet what science celebrates today as a new discovery was already embedded in the divine guidance of the Qur’an, where Allah (SAW) says: “O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed upon you as it was prescribed upon those before you, that you may attain taqwa” (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:183), making it clear that fasting is a means not only of worship but of purification, a path to both spiritual refinement and physical cleansing. The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) declared with divine simplicity: “Fast and you will be healthy” (Ibn Majah), a statement that lay as timeless truth for centuries before science could give it the name autophagy, showing that every act of worship in Islam carries within it a wisdom that benefits both body and soul.
“Islamic fasting and the scientific process of autophagy demonstrate that Islam and science are in harmony. Fasting, a command from Allah, isn’t a burden but a mercy that promotes human flourishing. Through this sacred act, we draw closer to Allah and activate our body’s natural healing systems. This process, known as autophagy, helps keep the body young and the mind clear. True nourishment comes from purifying the body, not just filling it. Thus, healing through hunger reveals Allah’s wisdom and mercy.”
In Ramadan, as the believer abstains from food, drink, and desire from dawn to dusk, the stomach may feel hunger, but the body experiences healing and the soul experiences closeness to Allah, for as the belly empties, the heart fills with light and remembrance, while within the very cells of the body, toxins and sickness are dissolved. In voluntary fasts outside Ramadan, such as Mondays and Thursdays or the white days of each month, this cycle continues, aligning man’s natural biology with divine law, keeping him healthier, stronger, and more conscious of his Lord.
Today’s society, addicted to consumption, obsessed with endless eating, drinking, and indulgence, suffers from diseases of excess—obesity, diabetes, hypertension, depression—yet the cure lies not in new drugs alone but in returning to this timeless Sunnah of fasting, which balances body and mind, purifies the inner self, and activates the hidden healing army that Allah has placed in each of us. Autophagy, in the language of science, and fasting, in the language of faith, describe the same miraculous truth: that hunger heals, emptiness renews, and restraint restores both health and taqwa, proving that Islam and science are not in conflict but in harmony, and that the commands of Allah are not burdens but mercies designed for human flourishing. In this way, Islamic fasting and modern autophagy together reveal a profound reality—that through the sacred act of hunger, man not only draws closer to Allah but also unlocks the miraculous healing systems that keep his body young, his mind clear, and his soul humble, showing that true nourishment comes not from filling the stomach but from purifying it, and that healing through hunger is one of the greatest signs of Allah’s wisdom and mercy.
(The author is a freelancer. The views, opinions and conclusions expressed in this article are those of the author and aren’t necessarily in accord with the views of “Kashmir Horizon”)
Dr Aftab Jan
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