Ramadan fasting is not the first fasting for humans. Because fasting is a form of worship that Allah Ta’ala has made obligatory for His servants since the cremation of man. Allah says in the Qur’an:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ
“O believers! Fasting is decreed upon you, as it was decreed upon those before you that may you become righteous.”
From this it can be understood that fasting was obligatory for all previous Ummahs. Of course, It is not known specifically how the people of religions before Islam, Christianity and Judaism used to fast.
It is found in a hadith of Bukhari that the Prophet (ﷺ) came to Medina and saw the Jews fasting on the day of Ashura. He asked them about that. They replied, “This is a good day, the day on which Allah rescued Bani Israel from their enemy. So, Moses fasted this day.” The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “We have more claim over Moses than you.” So, the Prophet fasted on that day and ordered (the Muslims) to fast (on that day).
One difference between the fast of the People of the Book (Judeo-Christian) and Muslims is that the People of the Book do not eat Sehri. But Muslims eat.
Similarly, the People of the Book delayed breaking the fast. On the other hand, Muslims break fast as soon as the sun sets.
In any case, there is comfort and reassurance for Muslims in this news. Because, not only on Ummah Muhammadi; Rather, fasting was obligatory on all previous Ummahs. And with that in mind, the burden of fasting becomes much lighter on Muslims. For, when the Muslim learns that the way of observing this fast is that of the earlier Ambiya and the pious people who followed them, then he is happy to follow this path and does not consider any of the hardships of fasting too heavy for himself.