Waseem Afzal, chairperson of the Muslim Association of Riverina, is one of many Muslims around the world who began fasting on Monday to mark the start of the holy month of Ramadan.

This means waking up before dawn to eat, hydrate and pray. Once the sun rises, they abstain from food and drink, including water, until sunset. They repeat the routine every day for a month.

"If you look at any religious tradition, including Christianity and Judaism, fasting has been one of the tenants of these traditions for centuries," Mr Afzal said.

"In Islam, the calendar is Lunar so you might be fasting for 29 or 30 days.

"There are exemptions from fasting, such as if a person is unwell, travelling or pregnant."

Mr Afzal said there are many purposes when it comes to fasting, including a reset for the mind, body and soul.

"The second is to have a deep-seated understanding and sensitivity to the plight and suffering of other people," he said.

"If I am not eating and drinking then I can feel the hunger of those who cannot afford to eat or who are living in war-torn areas."

Mr Afzal said on a personal note, he believes that fasting makes him appreciate the taste of food so much more.

"I drink lots of tea and because I can't during the day when I have one at the end of the day it tastes really good," he said.

"Fasting is very personal because no one can tell so you develop a subtle sense of love with God.

"Nobody is watching over you and during the day when you are not eating, you develop a sense of patience even though the first couple of days can be demanding."

While reflecting during Ramadan, Mr Afzal said now is the time to urge politicians to act on climate change.

"A very important thing that we need to start seriously thinking about is taking care of our environment," he said.

"Either side of politics, need to start seriously thinking about what we are going to leave for our future generations.

"It's a pretty important issue." Mr Afzal said.