From the present s c r i p tures, we can understand that the Jews as well as the Christians were also commanded to fast. Of course this does not mean that Muslim FAST is exactly like the other fasts previously observed, in the number of days, time or manner of fasting. But the s c r i p tures signify that the previous nations when encountered with a sorrow and or a misfortune, they vowed a fasting. It is written in the s c r i p tures that Moses and Jesus (AS), both of them fasted for a periods of forty days.