"Oh you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed upon those before you so that you may become Al-Muttaqun (the pious)" - Qur'an (02:183)
Fasting, however, is not merely a physical act but is also a spiritual act of worship where one should refrain from gossiping, lying, slandering and all traits of bad character.All obscene and irreligious sights and sounds are also to be avoided. Fasting is highly rewarded by God (Allah s.w.t) as it was narrated by Abu Salamah that Abu Hurayrah said:
The prophet (s.a.w) said: "Whoever fasts the month of Ramadan out of faith and seeking reward, his previous sins will be forgiven" (Bukhari).
It is advisable that a person who is fasting should still be mindful of what they eat during the non-fasting period. Fill your stomach with correct portions as taught by the Prophet (s.a.w) himself.
"The son of Adam does not fill any vessel worse than his stomach; for the son of Adam a few mouthfuls are sufficient to keep his back straight. If you must fill it, then one-third is for food, one-third for drink and one-third for air." (Tirmidhi, 2380; Ibn Maajah, 3349).
From this, we can learn the lesson that Islam even teaches us to observe moderation when we eat and drink. During Ramadan, your daily intake is limited to 2 main meals a day - at suhoor (before dawn) and iftaar (after dusk). Therefore, it is important to try and incorporate all of the five major food groups into your meals (breads and cereals; vegetables and legumes; fruits; dairy; meats and poultry), in order to acquire adequate energy and nutrition
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| The Five Food Groups |
Suhoor (Pre-dawn meal)
This meal should be a healthy and balanced meal that can fill you for longer and provide long lasting energy for the day. Include complex carbohydrates during this meal as they are absorbed and digested slower in your body and have a longer satiety effect. (Refer back to my post "For the Love of Carbs" if you need to refresh your memory on carbs). Technically, this meal should be like a big breakfast - so also try to include a source of dairy (like milk, yoghurt, or cheese), a protein source such as lean meat, fish, chicken, eggs, legumes/beans, chickpeas or tofu and a piece of fruit. I know some people do not have a big appetite this early in the morning, so perhaps have smaller portions but try to include most of these food groups. Having a pre-dawn meal is highly recommended as it will provide you with the required energy to sustain you throughout the day as well as to help provide your body with adequate nutrients. It is also a practice of the beloved Prophet (s.a.w).Reported by Anas (RA): The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said, "Eat Suhur (predawn meal) for verily there is a blessing in it'' (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
Iftaar (Breaking of Fast)
Upon breaking the fast, it is the Prophet's (s.a.w) tradition to break his fast with dates. If dates is not available, then break with a glass of water. This practice of breaking the fast with a couple of dates and water can provide you with the much needed hydration and quick source of energy.
Dinner: This is usually consumed after the maghrib salah. For this meal, again try to incorporate the foods from the five major food groups. It might be easier to try and follow the healthy plate meal which consists of one-quarter from the breads and cereals group, one-quarter from the meats and poultry group and one-half vegetables. You can end your meal with a piece of fruit and if you are experiences cravings for sweets, then have 1 small serve of a sweet of your choice. Remember that night time doe not mean and should not be a time of feast; over-eating at iftaar can make you feel heavy and tired which will make it harder to perform acts of worship at night.
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| What to Do |
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| What Not to Do |
Other healthy tips
- Try to avoid or limit foods which are high in saturated fats - such as junk/processed foods and fried foods (yes, this also means limiting those samosas at iftaar).
- Try to limit the consumption of high sugar-containing foods such as sweets, cakes, biscuits and chocolates at suhoor. These simple carbs are rapidly absorbed and only give a short-lasting burst of energy,and you are more likely to feel fatigue and dehydrated later in the day
- Drink plenty of water during the non-fasting period to keep your body hydrated.
- Avoid having too much tea, coffee or energy drinks - these are diuretics which means that it increases your water loss through urination.
- Try not to sleep immediately after a meal, wait at least half an hour or an hour to help your body digest your food first. Remember, Ramadan should be a time for less sleep and more worship.
- Eat your food in moderation - remember the rule (your stomach should be 1/3 for food, 1/3 for water, and 1/3 for air).
- If you are feeling snack-ish, try and opt for healthier snack alternatives (You can re-read my last blog post "Snacking: is it good or bad?" for snack ideas)
Last words
Most importantly, your intention for fasting should not be mixed with the intention to lose weight. It is an act of worship, therefore, our intention to fast should be to fulfil our Islamic obligation and please our creator Allah s.w.t. If you do lose weight unintentionally, then Alhamdulillah - thank Allah s.w.t for the added benefit, but that should not be your mere intention. Fasting should help to increase our awareness/consciousness of Allah, and help bring us closer towards Him. It should increase our appreciation for food as we experience the feeling of those less fortunate who has no food or drink every other day of the year. It should help us to realise the value of the food we have been blessed with, thus increasing our appreciation of Allah's blessings upon us.
Ramadan Mubarak to all my muslim brothers and sisters. May Allah s.w.t keep us on the right path and may He accept our ibadah and duas in this blessed month, inshaAllah.
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