ABU TAREEF, QADIAN
We all desire to change—for the better. We wish to grow, refine, and let go of what weighs us down. Often, we are aware of the shortcomings that keep us from becoming better versions of ourselves. Yet when it comes to actual change, we frequently fail.
Research on New Year’s resolutions reveals that while many people set resolutions, only about 8 percent succeed in maintaining them over the long-term,[1] owing to several factors: unrealistic goals, lack of structural support, insufficient self-control, and failure to build consistent routines.
In other words, to break free from the shackles of entrenched routines requires sustained motivation, environmental support, and daily consistency—a combination that is difficult, if not impossible, to muster.
But what if many of these prerequisites were fulfilled without extraordinary effort? What if, for an entire month, your environment changed with you—socially, spiritually, psychologically, even biologically?
Fortunately for us Muslims, the month of Ramadan sets the stage for such a transformation.
The Ramadan reset
Research shows that people view life not as a seamless continuum of time, but as divided into distinct chapters or episodes, with the onset of each new phase offering a renewed sense of possibility.
Psychologists describe what is known as the “fresh start effect”—temporal landmarks such as a new year, a birthday, or the start of a new season—that psychologically distance us from our past failures and shortcomings, granting us a clean slate to start anew. This psychological reset makes our goals feel more attainable, as if we are beginning again with clarity rather than carrying the weight of previous missteps.
In a Muslim’s life, Ramadan serves as the most powerful fresh start, marking a spiritual and moral renewal point in the year. The Holy Prophetsa states:
“The five daily prayers, and from one Friday prayer to the next Friday prayer, and from Ramadan to Ramadan are expiations for the sins committed in between them, provided one shuns the major sins.”[2]
Ramadan thus becomes a turning point—a divinely granted opportunity to reset, to reflect on life’s ultimate purpose, and to reform ourselves instead of remaining absorbed in vain pursuits.
The neuroscience of self-control
There is another neurological dimension to why Ramadan resolutions are more likely to last compared to others. Beyond being a mere exercise in abstinence, self-regulation has measurable effects on how our brains respond to impulses and rewards.
Our brains are naturally wired to seek comfort and tend to gravitate towards habits that provide immediate pleasure. However, repeatedly resisting our urges for short-term gratification and deliberately practising self-control gradually condition our minds to tolerate discomfort. Over time, this increases our capacity to override impulses and break free from ingrained habits.
Ramadan embodies this very principle. A month of temporary abstinence from permissible things builds the inner discipline needed to resist impermissible or harmful pleasures. But more importantly, fasting is not confined to abstaining from food and drink; rather, it extends to refraining from lying, gossip, anger, and other indulgent distractions.
This deliberate inhibition enhances our strength to override impulses, thereby laying a foundation for lasting transformation.
When the environment itself changes
Another major difficulty in maintaining resolutions is that we are not only battling our internal habits but are also resisting within environments that often encourage the very behaviours we are trying to abandon.
Take the example of someone attempting to adopt a healthier diet. They are not merely resisting their own cravings, but are doing so while surrounded by friends and family freely indulging. This dual resistance—against both inner impulses and external cues—demands extraordinary resolve. Most people struggle to sustain such effort, and even if they manage temporarily, the determination soon wavers.
With Ramadan, however, the case is entirely different.
As the month approaches, Muslims collectively prepare for spiritual rejuvenation, with an increased attention towards populating mosques, reciting the Holy Quran, giving in charity, and observing other good deeds. There is a shared consciousness about abstaining from wrongdoing, alongside which the social atmosphere itself shifts.
When an entire community participates in the same discipline, transformation becomes natural rather than forced. In this way, Ramadan transforms our willpower from a solitary struggle into a communal rhythm, making consistency far more attainable.
Moreover, unlike personal resolutions that survive only as long as individual motivation stays alive, Ramadan offers a fixed, protected environment for a full month. That structured duration provides sufficient repetition and stability for new behaviours to take root—increasing the likelihood that they outlast the month itself.
In fact, the true essence of Ramadan requires that its spirit be kept alive even after the month ends. In other words, the month, by its very definition, is not an isolated phase in which we are asked to temporarily change our behaviours. Rather, it is a training period, the blessings of which should be employed to bring about a permanent revolution in ourselves.
End a bad habit this Ramadan
With all of the essential ingredients for change already in place, Ramadan becomes a powerful opportunity for reform, if only we choose to seize it.
Research on habit formation suggests that, on average, it takes around two months for a new behaviour to become automatic.[3] However, some experts indicate that meaningful neurological shifts can begin much sooner.
Psychiatrist Dr Anna Lembke, an addiction specialist and author of the bestselling book Dopamine Nation, recommends—based on her clinical experience—a 30-day period of complete abstinence from an addictive substance or behaviour.[4] She explains that this duration can allow the brain’s reward pathways to recalibrate, helping reduce compulsive cravings and restoring sensitivity to healthier sources of pleasure.
Even if deeper habit formation may take longer, Ramadan offers a profound jump start. A full month of structured restraint can interrupt destructive cycles, weaken dependency, and most importantly, build the conviction that change is possible.
So, this Ramadan, all we have to do is identify one harmful habit and make a sincere commitment to leave it behind, seeking the help of Allah in the process. Hence, let’s not only fast from food and drink, but also from the habits that hold us back, and emerge as more disciplined versions of ourselves.
Necessary caution: Certain addictions, particularly to highly addictive substances such as some drugs or alcohol, can involve serious withdrawal symptoms. In such cases, sudden complete abstinence may pose health risks and should be attempted under professional medical supervision.
END NOTES
[1] Why Your New Year’s Resolutions Often Fail, 26 December 2016, BBC
[2] Sahih Muslim, Kitab at-Taharah (Book on Purification)
[3] Time to Form a Habit: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Health Behaviour Habit Formation and Its Determinants, Ben Singh et al. (2024), Healthcare
[4] Why Our Brains Are Wired for Addiction: What the Science Says, 5 August 2025, Stanford Medicine
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