According to Verse 183 of Surah Al-Baqarah, fasting was also (Wajib) obligatory for those living before the advent of Islam.
Thoughtfulness can be considered as the criterion for assessing a society’s progress or backwardness.
Fasting is a religious practice not only in Islam but also in other faiths as followers of prophets Yahya (AS) as well as Christians and Jews also fast.