The Effect of Fasting on Students' Mental Health

Abstract

The objective of this study is to examine the effect of fasting on the mental health of students. The issue underlying this research is the presence of signs of poor mental well-being among students in schools, which encourages students to engage in the practice of observing voluntary fasting on Mondays and Thursdays, as prescribed in the Islamic tradition. The research was carried out at the Aṣḥābul Korān Islamic Boarding School in Payakumbuh. Signs of compromised mental well-being encompass students experiencing academic stress, lacking enthusiasm for Quranic memorization, and expressing a desire to change schools. The author finds this intriguing because the actuality diverges from the prevailing theory. This study aims to determine the motivation of students at the Aṣḥābul Korān Islamic boarding school in Payakumbuh to practice Monday-Thursday sunnah fasting, as well as the impact of this fasting practice on the mental health of female students at the boarding school. This study used a qualitative methodology. Primary data sources are derived from interviews, and secondary data sources are acquired through observation, documentation, and other pertinent library sources. Data validity can be ensured by the use of triangulating data sources and using technical triangulation. Data analysis procedures encompass data reduction, presentation, verification, and conclusion. The findings indicate that the students of the Aṣḥābul Korān Islamic boarding school engage in Monday-Thursday sunnah fasting for several reasons. These include adhering to the teachings and practices of the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم, abstaining from desires, seeking greater rewards, preparing themselves for fasting during the month of Ramaḍan, promoting good health, conserving food resources, honoring parental and familial traditions, and empathizing with the hardships faced by the less fortunate. The impact of fasting on students' mental well-being includes regulating emotions and enhancing patience, heightening apprehension of noncompliance and fostering a sense of spiritual proximity to Allah, intensifying concentration on learning, and alleviating sensations of worry and terror. According to this research, fasting has the ability to effectively regulate students' mental health, alleviating excessive worry and dread, and preventing them from leaving Islamic boarding school.