THE month of Ramadan is here again. With the beginning of the first of Ramadan, Muslims all around the world begin fasting. Fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam, and hence it is a must for all Muslims to observe this act of worship.
Most of the time, Muslims look at fasting only from its spiritual dimension. Volumes of books have been written on this subject especially with regards to the spiritual benefits of fasting. While it is true that fasting is beneficial spiritually, it also holds many advantages physically and healthwise.
It is therefore interesting when a colleague forwarded an e-mail from a non-Muslim inquiring about the relationship between fasting, health, nutritional balance and proper diet. From the writer’s own observation, not many Muslims give this matter any serious thought.
Firstly, it is important to remember that fasting for Muslims is only during the day. In countries like Malaysia where the length of day and night is almost equal, the duration for fasting is around 12 hours daily. This is quite long for the body to go without eating and drinking. As such, it is recommended that those observing this act of worship consume food that is digested slowly by the body which can last for up to eight hours. In other words, food that is consumed during Ramadan must be high in its fibre content.
Examples of such food include green vegetables, dried fruits (apricots and prunes) and bran-containing food. Slow-digesting food also include complex carbohydrates such as unpolished rice, barely, wheat and oat.
What many Muslims often ignore when fasting is that the daily diet during Ramadan must not differ substantially from the normal diet. It is important that during the fasting month, a person should maintain his normal weight. However, Ramadan is also ideal for those with weight problems to normalise his body weight.
Just like normal days outside the fasting month, it is imperative to ensure that the food consumed during Ramadan is well-balanced and contain all the necessary nutritions from all the food groups. Dieticians have also pointed out that it is good to avoid spicy and fried food as they can cause indigestion and heart-burn.
All these tips are actually not new. If Muslims carefully study the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad vis-a-vis Ramadan, then it is clear that there are health benefits behind each of them.
The Prophet enjoined Muslims to break fast with dates. Dates are in actual fact an excellent source for sugar, fibre, carbohydrate, potassium and magnesium. This will ensure that the body gets recharged during iftar (breaking of fast). The Prophet also encouraged Muslims to proceed with the Maghrib prayers after breaking fast (with dates) before continuing with the proper meal.
Interestingly enough, this health tip has many benefits to the body. It is actually not healthy to suddenly fill the stomach with so much food in a short time as this will cause indigestion, constipation, headaches, muscle cramps, sore joints and dietary disorders. The body will be in a state of shock if food is consumed hurriedly.
By starting with something light like dates then proceeding with prayers, the body will have time to prepare itself for food after a period of 12 hours without food. One should not rush to consume as much food as possible upon sunset.On top of this, Muslims should observe moderation in particular during the breaking of fast. This is in fact another tradition from the Prophet. Over indulgence should be avoided. Eat only what is necessary and excessiveness should not be a habit.
Another tradition of the Prophet is waking up in the wee hours of the morning to eat before dawn breaks. This act which is known as sahur helps supply the body with the necessary energy and stamina to go through the day. Again, as with the breaking of fast, moderation should be the keyword when eating during sahur.
It is wrong to say the Ramadan is a month for Muslims to take things lightly. Going through the day without any food or drink is not an excuse to sit languidly doing nothing. Fasting is also not an excuse for productivity to suffer especially at the workplace.
Au contraire, productivity during the month of Ramadan should increase. The amount of time spent on eating breakfast and lunch as well as tea breaks can be used for other productive purpose.
Of course the body needs some rest but there is a difference between ample rest and excessive rest. Tendency to over-sleep during the day in Ramadan is there, but a catnap during lunch hour is more than sufficient.The beauty of Ramadan is that it provides many opportunities for a Muslim to exercise. Even those who shudder at the thought of breaking into sweat would somehow find that all throughout the month of Ramadan, exercising is not a burden.
This can be seen from the masses that fill the mosques and musallas to perform the nightly terawih and wittir prayers. These prayers are unique only to Ramadan–and Muslims would race to perform these prayers as many rewards are promised by God to those who perform them.
The prayers (with a total maximum number of 23 rakaat as generally practised in the country) are additional acts of worship that are actually not obligatory. However, most Muslims choose to perform them on top of the prescribed compulsory daily prayers.
It has been observed that the physical movements of the act of praying as performed by Muslims have many benefits to the body. In short, it is a form of exercise.
Perhaps the wisdom in having these optional prayers during the fasting month is to give Muslims the chance to exercise after going through a day without any food or drink.
This nightly routine in the long run can indeed result in a healthier and fitter body. It helps Muslims to stay fit even when fasting during the day. It also helps in digesting the food consumed during the breaking of fast.
All in all, fasting can bring forth a healthy body to a person. The body’s digestive system is given a month’s holiday after working hard during the rest of the year. However, it is also worth watching our spending habits during the month of Ramadan.
In Malaysia, where food is abundant and choices aplenty, a person who is fasting will have the tendency to be tempted to buy all things that smell and look good. This temptation of the eyes and nose will often lead to a person buying more than is needed.
This bad habit should be avoided as it can lead to wastage. Not only that, this tendency to go overboard when buying foodstuff can defeat the purpose of fasting.
Oft-times, food sold during Ramadan contain too much sugar, oil or fat. Therefore, they are not healthy to be consumed. It is also worth noting that the month of Ramadan is the best time for a person who smokes to quit the habit. Ever wondered how a heavy smoker can survive 12 hours without a cigarette, when on normal days he does not seem to be able to do so?
If the same kind of discipline can be instilled in the compulsive smoker during the nights in Ramadan, he can at least cut down on the number of cigarettes and subsequently quit the habit once and for all.
In actuality, what is required in quitting this bad habit is discipline and inner strength. Ramadan can in fact bring out the best in a person.
Ramadan brings forth so many rewards, bounties and advantages to Muslims in all aspects. It helps to revive the spirit, invigorate the mind, build the character and fortify the body.
The benefits are plentiful. Hence it is only logical that Muslims truly observe fasting in the true sense of the word.