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The holy month of Ramadaan is a time of restraint, reflection, and
renewal. Muslims make every effort to better themselves and to be
drawn closer to their Creator. They guard their tongues, engage in
long hours of worship, exercise patience, and open up their hearts
and pockets to charitable causes. However, when it comes to
consuming food during the evening hours, some believers fall short
of following the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessing be
upon him (pbuh).
In order to compare the eating habits of Muslims today, during the
month of Ramadaan, with that of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) an informal
survey was conducted. Over 270 participants from around the world
were asked about their consumption habits during this sacred month.
Sixty percent of participants were from the US, 20% from the Middle
East, 10% from South Asia (Indian Subcontinent) and 10% were from
other countries.[1]
Breaking the Fast
Regarding the iftar meal, it is encouraged to break your fast as
soon as it is permissible to do so. The Prophet (pbuh) would hasten
to break his fast. Sahl ibn Sa`d reported that the Prophet (pbuh)
said: "The people will not cease to be upon good as long as they
hasten in breaking the fast." (Bukhari and Muslim).
It is reported that the Prophet (pbuh) would also break his fasts
with dates as do 86.5% of the survey participants; this is a Sunnah
that is well followed by Muslims today. Anas Ibn Maalik said: "The
Prophet (pbuh) used to break his fast with fresh dates before he
prayed. If he did not find fresh dates then with dried dates. If
there were no dried dates then with a few sips of water." (Abu
Dawood)
Imam Ibn Qayyim Al Jauziyah states in his book "Healing With the
Medicine of the Prophet" that breaking the fast with dates "is a
wise decision, because fasting empties the stomach of food. Thus the
liver would not find any sufficient energy that it could transfer to
the various organs. Sweets are the fastest foods to reach the liver,
when one eats ripe dates the liver accepts it, benefits from it and
then transfers the benefit to the rest of the organs of the body."
After this process the body is ready to accept and digest additional
food. Thus ideally, one should break their fast with a date and
after praying the Maghrib prayer, they should continue with their
meal. This gives the body ample time to prepare itself for the
sudden increase in food intake. Fifty eight percent of respondents
to the survey stated that they eat their meal after the Maghrib
prayer. |
Overeating
Thirty four percent of respondents include desserts in their iftar
meal.
It is during the Iftar meal that we consume the most and often
overindulge ourselves. Forty percent of participants admitted that
they eat at least twice as much for Iftar than they eat for a
regular dinner in any other month. Fifty percent of respondents to
the survey admitted that they over eat during Ramadaan and 62% felt
that they eat heavier and richer foods during this blessed month.
Thus, it is a cause for concern that especially in this holy month
of Ramadaan, when the nafs (self) should be kept in check, some
choose to overindulge and eat in extravagance.
Fasting during the daylight hours has several health benefits; it
cleanses the system and removes harmful toxins from the body. When
the body is fasting and not occupied with the process of digestion,
its organs are given an opportunity to rejuvenate and restore
themselves, in turn allowing the one who fasts to recover from
various ailments.
However, if a person overeats in the evening and indulges in heavy,
fatty foods, this offsets the physical benefits of fasting. It is
generally presumed that since one is restraining from food and drink
during the daylights hours, the body needs increased input during
the non-fasting hours. This is not the case, however, as the body
regulates itself when it is in fasting mode and has the opportunity
to utilize its storage of body fat.
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To remain healthy and active during
Ramadaan, the amount of food intake is not as important as the
variety of foods we eat. The Prophet (pbuh) was known to eat an
assortment of foods including meat, fruit, bread, and dates,
according to Imam Ibn Qayyiim.
Thus to maximize the physical benefits of fasting it is desirable to
eat less but have a balanced diet which taps into the major food
groups. As for the types of foods eaten during Ramadaan, 67% of
respondents said they eat 3 or more different types of dishes, with
the over 30 year olds eating more of a variety of foods than the 18
- 30 year olds.
Fifty seven percent of the participants stated that they eat fried
food for iftar and 34% of them said that the majority of their meal
consists of this type of food. Thirty four percent of respondents
include desserts in their iftar meal.
Suhoor, the Blessed Meal
The Prophet (pbuh) strongly recommended eating Suhoor. Abu Sa'eed
al-Khudree reported that the Messenger (pbuh) said: "Eating the
Suhoor is blessed. Do not neglect it even if you take a gulp of
water, because Allah and His angels invoke blessings upon those who
partake in the pre-dawn meal." (Ahmad)
It is encouraged by the Sunnah to delay the Suhoor as much as
possible and eat until the last permissible minute. Seventy percent
of the respondents claim that they delay their suhoor till the last
moment. According to 'Amr ibn Maimun: "The companions of Muhammad (pbuh)
would be the first to break the fast and the last to eat their
Suhoor." (Al-Baihaqi, Abdur-Razzaq and Al-Haithami; Sahih)
For Suhoor it is recommended to have high fiber, slow digesting
foods that satisfy hunger for longer; oats and fiber rich fruit are
good options to have. The Prophet used to eat dates for Suhoor and
it is recorded that he said "The best Suhoor for the believer is
dates." (Abu Dawood, Al-Baihaqee and Ibn Hibbaan)
Dates are a power house of nutrients and an instant source of
energy; they are high in sugar, fiber, iron, potassium and
magnesium. Consuming dates allows one to feel satiated for an
extended period of time, making it a perfect food to start your fast
with.
Forty nine percent of the respondents said they have tea or coffee
for Suhoor, this is not a wise option as caffeine is a diuretic
which does not provide us with sufficient hydration and causes us to
lose liquids along with essential minerals from our body.
Sixty one percent of respondents who are over 30 drink tea or coffee
in the morning and 42% of respondents younger than 30 drink tea or
coffee. Ramadaan is an excellent opportunity to rid ourselves of
addictions to caffeinated drinks. One should drink plenty of water
and pure fruit juices instead.
Moderation is Key
Allah says in the Qur'an "Eat of the good things We have
provided for your sustenance, but commit no excess therein." (Taha
20:81)
The body mankind has been blessed with is an Amanah ( trust) from
Allah. It is an obligation to take care of it and fuel it with that
which is good. The Prophet (pbuh) is reported to have said, "The
stomach is the tank of the body and the veins go down to it. When
the stomach is healthy the veins come back in a healthy condition,
but when it is in a bad condition, they return diseased."
Islam emphasizes moderation in every aspect of life and it is
essential that this concept be applied to food intake as well. Imam
Ash-Shafi’ said: "I have not filled myself in sixteen years because
filling oneself makes the body heavy, removes clear understanding,
induces sleep and makes one weak for worship."
Temperance in eating leads to a healthy body, a sound intellect, and
a gentle disposition. It curbs our desires and positively affects
the physical as well as the spiritual being of the heart. This point
is further explained by Imam Ibn al-Qayyim when he said: "From the
Mercy of the Mighty and Most Merciful is that He has prescribed for
them fasting, which will cut off the excesses of eating and
drinking, and empties the heart of its desires that divert it in its
journey towards Allah the Most High."
The Prophet (pbuh) warned against submitting to our desires when he
said, "My greatest fear for you is the appetites of transgression
with regard to your stomachs and your privates and the inclinations
which lead astray."(Ahmad) Thus we should eat only that which is
beneficial and only enough to sustain us and give us the strength to
carry out acts of worship and obedience.
A well known hadith reported by al-Tirmidhi relates that the Prophet
(pbuh) said: "Man fills no vessel worse than his stomach. A few
morsels should be enough for him to preserve his strength. If he
must fill it, then he should allow a third for his food, a third for
his drink and leave a third empty for easy breathing." This concept
is emphasized in the Quran where Allah says, "Eat and drink: but
waste not by excess, for Allah loves not the wasters." (Al Araf: 31)
Ramadaan is an opportunity to reevaluate one's relationship with
food. It allows one to realize that they can get by without eating
for several hours and that their bodies are capable of functioning
on a moderate amount of consumption.
Ramadaan is fast approaching so instead of spending the coming weeks
stocking the pantry and freezer with delights to feast on when the
sun sets, let us focus our attention on perfecting our ibadah
(worship) so that we may savor the bountiful treats of Jannah
(Heaven) without having to worry about clogged arteries or
accumulating extra pounds! |
Sources:
El Ati, J., C. Beji and J. Danguir. "Increased Fat Oxidation during
Ramadaan Fasting in Healthy Women: an Adaptive Mechanism for
Body-weight Maintenance." American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
62: 302-307, 1995. |
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