In the name of Allah, the Most-Merciful, the All-Compassionate

 

"May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon You"

 

Bismillah Walhamdulillah Was Salaatu Was Salaam 'ala Rasulillah

As-Salaam Alaykum Wa-Rahmatullahi Wa-Barakaatuh

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1) PREPARING FOR THE RETURN OF THE BIG FAST

IT'S COMING FASTER than we think. Ramadan will be starting, Insha'Allah, in less than couple of weeks and many of us are already apprehensive about the fasting ahead.

Not only will be be fasting for a longer period of time---it'll be August in the solar year—most of us will have to do so in hot, dehydrating, and reenergizing weather. There are some things you can do, nutritionally and spiritually, which will help you prepare and strengthen your body to obey Allah's command and gain the Ramadan fast's specific goal: " O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become God-Fearing" (2:183).

Start Fasting Early:

In the first days of Ramadan, the physical burden on your body to function without food and water seems great. But this difficulty gradually decreases because your body becomes accustomed to fasting. The hunger and thirst doesn't affect you on the 20^th of Ramadan as it did on the 2^nd.

It is an issue of mind over matter. When your brain senses a change in the routine of things, you don't feel so hungry and don't constantly think about food. I am not saying that the feeling of hunger and thirst is completely absent, especially when the time approaches Iftaar. However, the duration and intensity of these feelings are reduced when your mind has accepted your duty to forsake food and drink for Allah.

So in the next month or two before Ramadan, try to fast one or two days per week. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), encouraged Muslims to fast three days every month. You can also take advantage of fasting on Mondays and Thursdays, two other days that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) encouraged us to fast. Become aware of what is expected before your duty actually comes due.

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH), said: "Deeds are shown (to Allah) on Mondays and Thursdays, and I like my deeds to be shown when I am fasting" (Al-Tirmidhi).

Start Having Breakfast

Many people forgo breakfast in the morning, citing a lack of time or even a lack of appetite. Similarly, many people forgo Suhoor during Ramadan, citing exhaustion and, yet, a lack of appetite. Suhoor is a tradition of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), and it is a key element of a more fulfilling fast.

For one, you are less prone to feel famished at 10 o'clock in the morning because there is food in your stomach. To make Suhoor a necessity instead of an option, get used to getting up in the morning and eating breakfast. The morning meal has long been linked to better student test scores and, in general, to more alert and focused minds.

The positive results of partaking after waking can be extended to eating Suhoor, as it is really an early breakfast. Why would we not want to eat Suhoor and be more attentive and aware in our worship of Allah? The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: "Partake of the Suhoor meal, for there is blessing in it" (Bukhari, Muslim).

Cut Down on the Caffeine

I have to admit, the reason I shy away from voluntary fasting is because I don’t want to give up my morning tea. Before you label me a pariah, know that a major complaint among Muslims who fast during Ramadan is headaches, which are a result of a lack of caffeine. Caffeine helps us truly wake up in the morning and stay awake and alert (and maybe even a little happy) during the day. It is a stimulant that energizes our nafs, or lower soul.

In Ramadan, a purpose of fasting is to rein in our Nafs and sacrifice its needs so that we can find true energy and satisfaction by praying and serving Allah. In these days before the actual start of Ramadan, gradually reduce your dependence on that cup of tea or three cups of coffee you have every day. By gradual, I mean reduce your total amount of caffeine by one cup or serving (e.g. one can of Diet Coke) every few days or even once a week. Hopefully, your chances of caffeine withdrawal will be significantly minimized or even eliminated by the beginning of Ramadan.

Out with the Old, in with the New

The way you eat affects the way you feel. Before Ramadan, take a look at your diet. Does every meal consist mostly of lethargy-inducing refined carbohydrates (i.e white pasta and cookies)? How many meals have at least one serving of a good quality, lean protein, such as fish or chicken? How many servings of nutritionally dense whole-grains, such as whole wheat bread or oatmeal, are in your meal?

Refined grains and sugars give you instant satisfaction but are also instantly digested and can leave you feeling hungry and low on energy within an hour of your meal. These foods, including sugary cereals, white rice, and sodas are what people crave and consume the most at Suhoor and Iftaar.

A little sugar is fine, but controls its absorption into your bloodstream by pairing it with a food high in fiber or protein. For example, if you can't live without white rice at dinner, add some lean chicken and fresh vegetable salad on the side. If you can't live without the sugary cereal at Suhoor, make sure you have a boiled egg with that cereal.

The purpose of Suhoor is to provide you enough energy to get through your fast. The point of Iftar is to re-energize you after a long day without food or drink. Substitute energy-sapping food for energy-inducing foods, especially at breakfast and dinner. And let's not forget, kick out the soda and punch, and strive to drink water, which will curb drastic dehydration and fatigue.

Of course, Ramadan is not simply about hunger or thirst. Why do Muslims look forward to Ramadan every year? It is to receive the blessings of Allah and give their souls a sense of the special peace that is exclusive to this month. It is to experience the unity o family and community in starting the fast, breaking the fast, and praying throughout the night. By conditioning your body and your appetite before Ramadan, you will be more attuned to Ramadan's blessings and less focused on how hungry you feel an hour after Suhoor.

"It was the month of Ramadan in which the Quran was first sent down as guidance for all people, having in it clear proofs of divine guidance and the criterion for right and wrong. So whoever among you bears witness to the month shall then fast it……" (2:185).

Your nutritional preparation for Ramadan's rigors in the coming weeks will ready you to bear more complete witness to the wonders of the Book and the gracious Lord it celebrates—and with the divine intent. He meant for us to experience in our fast. For "----God intends for you ease, and does not intend for you hardship. Rather, He wills for you to complete the number of prescribed days, and that you shall extol God for the blessing of faith to which He has guided you, so that you give thanks to Him (alone for easing its way and establishing you therein) (2:185).

(Courtesy: Al Jumuah Magazine ) Sehba Khan, MS, RD