Bilal Philips – Ramadan 2019 Reminders 04 – Fasting Like the Prophet

			Salam Alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh
		

			in our previous episode,
		

			regarding the first level of the fast,
		

			which was the physical level, we dealt with the rituals of the physical level
		

			that is not eating and drinking between dawn and sunset.
		

			Right, that's the basic parameters that govern the fast on the physical level.
		

			However, the way we eat
		

			in this month
		

			should change, if we are to experience a change on all levels of the fast
		

			because normally, our practices to eat until we're full, to eat our fill.
		

			This is a normal phrase that we use, you eat until you can't eat anymore.
		

			But in fact, that is not the way of the believer or should not be the way of the believer because
the prophet SAW Selim had said the worst thing that a human being
		

			can feel his his or her stomach, as the worst container that we could possibly fulfill.
		

			what is required of us really is only to eat what is sufficient
		

			to keep us functioning.
		

			Normally,
		

			as the last element said, that, we should just eat a few portions of food,
		

			which can be calculated to be around nine tablespoons of food, four tablespoons, because the
terminology used implied less than 10.
		

			So the closest to 10, which is less than 10 is nine. So we eat nine tablespoons of food, we drink a
glass and a half of liquid water, juice, whatever. And then we leave.
		

			room to breathe.
		

			This is the recommendation of the prophets wasallam, a third for eating a third for drinking, and a
third for breathing. This is the best way.
		

			That's enough to keep us
		

			functional. And we don't spend so much time eating, we don't waste
		

			our resources in food.
		

			We put it to better use.
		

			So
		

			eating in this way, the prophet SAW Salam in Ramadan, particular. I mean, that's outside of Ramadan,
in Ramadan, his practice, his Sunnah was to start. So you're not by a three course meal that I spoke
about earlier, as we do today,
		

			but with three dates.
		

			He used to do just a few days three or five days
		

			water that was or
		

			are you ready to change? Are you ready for a change?
		

			Then let's try that this Ramadan.
		

			Only three dates
		

			for support.
		

			And when we end the fast,
		

			three dates for Iftar.
		

			I'm not saying you don't eat again after that. You can eat something moderately. We talked about the
thirds. We do that after but four star three days is enough. If we do that, then we will experience
what was required of us on the physical level of the fast.
		

			We will experience hunger because that's what you're going to say if you only have three days we're
gonna get hungry. That's the idea. That's what the fasting is supposed to be about. We're supposed
to feel hunger so that we can empathize with those who are hungry not because they've chosen to fat
		

			But because they don't have any food to eat,
		

			that is supposed to touch us. make us want to be charitable, understanding other people around the
world who don't have
		

			a means to eat a decent meal in the day.
		

			For us to feel that, for it to impact on us, we have to be hungry.
		

			So fasting is about hunger.
		

			But not purely hunger because obviously we're allowed to eat after.
		

			But at least half of our day should be in the realm
		

			of hunger.
		

			It will clear our minds and we will see clearly what we couldn't see before.
		

			That's guaranteed.
		

			Let's try that.
		

			Let's plan for that.
		

			Let's make this Ramadan different from all of our previous Ramadan.
		

			So now why they come rahmatullah wa barakato