Diet Detox – The Prophet’s Guide to Healthy Eating During Ramadan and Beyond

Smilla Rahmanir Rahim

Al hamdu Lillahi Rabbil Alameen wa Salatu was Salam ala Nabina Muhammad wa ala alihi wa sahbihi wa salam.

We begin by praising a lot of bull Alameen the Lord of all worlds the exalted the majestic, and we asked him to send his choices of blessings and salutations upon the final messenger, our beloved prophet muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa alayhi wa sallam, his family members, his companions, and every single person who embraces the Prophet ik path, the Prophetic teachings with a class with sincerity until the end of time.

My dear respected elders, Brothers and Sisters in Islam, we are in a noble month,

a blessed month, the month of Ramadan, Allah has blessed each and every one of us to attain this month.

It is indeed a blessing because we can all attest to the fact that last Ramadan

a lot of us existed. A lot of us from our loved ones, from our family, from our friends, may have existed, but they have passed away before attaining this Ramadan.

But Allah blessed each and every one of us here seated to attain this Ramadan. So we sincerely pray that Allah blesses us all to make the most out of this month of Ramadan and that he blesses us with long lives long, healthy and productive lives to attain many more Ramadan in the future. I mean, so the title for today's sermon is diet detox, healthy prophetic eating habits during the month of Ramadan.

Insha Allah Tala we are going to embark on a journey to rediscover the timeless teachings, the timeless wisdom embedded in the dietary habits of Mohammed Salah Quran Beavis Allah Muhammad Ali, we are navigating through the blessed month of Ramadan, and it is a perfect time to align our eating practices with the Sunnah of Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, his sunnah is a lighthouse for us, guiding us not only towards spiritual upliftment, but it also guides us towards physical well

being towards a healthy and holistic lifestyle. So, in the few minutes that I have with you all, I want to go into a few important areas from the teachings of Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam. Before I go into these areas, I want to point out something

you see, in today's world

and especially in certain parts of the world, obesity is on the rise, obesity is on the rise. Now if it is due to a sickness to a health issue, then it is from Allah subhanho wa taala. But if we are to be blamed for the obesity, then we are not fulfilling the Amana of our bodies. We're not fulfilling the Amana when it comes to our health. My dear brothers in Islam,

I personally have not come across

a single description

of a notable Companion of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam ever being described with a potbelly with a pot belly. No.

If you look at the description of Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam a beautiful description. When you go into the Shema il of Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam his outwardly characteristics, the outwardly description of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam so beautiful, so beautiful. And when it came to his upper body, it was a tapered body. In the sense his chest and his abdomen were tapered, he did not have a protruding belly. A lot of us today we have protruding bellies, and we

are not even motivated to do anything about it.

Once

there was a man

in the midst of Amara or the Allah one Ahmad Al Farooq, Ahmed Abdel hubub Radi Allahu I'm a wrestler, a worrier.

A very strong individual. Now this man had a protruding belly

protruding belly.

Rama Radi Allahu Anhu looks at the man and he asks him, you are a jewel Maha.

What is this? What is the meaning of this? What is this? Now the man he taps his belly, and he says, Has baraka to mean Allah. This is baraka from Allah. This is baraka from Allah blessings from Allah. Rama Radi Allahu Anhu looks at the man and he says Allah has I don't mean Allah. This is a punishment from Allah. This is a test from Allah atonement from Allah. Since you can see this was the mentality of the Sahaba very fit, very able, very lean individuals highly dependable rallied

around the Allah one, another warrior, he Subhanallah

him and many of the Sahaba they were individuals, archers, they would ride horses. Today, you know, when picturing it, it might seem easy, but but those of you who have actually ridden horses, not the ponies that golf is horses, you would know that horses are massive on either tiny ponies or small horses, the ones we get in oralia you get tall horses, alright. And not only the height, most of the time it is challenging for us to get on top of those horses. Why we have backaches and this ache and

that egg, we need someone to help us to get on top of the horse. And by the way, the horse has a saddle. The horse has still ups we put one leg game and then the other and we get on. They the Sahaba used to ride bareback. You know how challenging it is to ride a horse bareback. And that to an Arabian horse Subhan Allah talking about any any mixed breed here, Arabian fast steeds, their back, some of them could run with the horse and jump onto the horse Subhanallah this was the

stamina, endurance, and Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa alayhi wa sallam was right at the top in terms of fitness in terms of endurance in terms of stamina. So why I'm mentioning all of this is so that it serves as inspiration as to why we are going in we don't need this because his sunnah is enough, but to inspire us and motivate us today we have become very sluggish, very sluggish. Most of us are obese, unhealthy lifestyles. We eat unhealthy. Our dietary habits are unhealthy. No fitness

whatsoever in our lives, no movement whatsoever in our lives, sedentary lifestyles, this must change and the month of Ramadan. Yes, you do have a spiritual side. But you have this side as well.

A lot of us unfortunately we go into the month of Ramadan

on one end and come out the other end. Not a few pounds lighter. Not a few kilograms lighter, actually.

Many pounds heavier, many kilos heavier. Why? Because the of the unhealthy dietary habits during the month of Ramadan. More than it being a month of fasting. It is a month of feasting for many of us. So we need to change our mindset with regards to the month of Ramadan. Go into the Sunnah of Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, look at how he carried himself. Look at how he carried himself with food. Look at what an active lifestyle he led. And let us all change our lives My Dear Brothers

and Sisters in Islam. So number one, because I have only a few minutes. Let's start with mindful eating. This is a practice deeply rooted in the Sunnah of the Prophet salAllahu alayhi wasallam the Prophet sallahu alayhi salam is reported to have said that a human being does not feel any container worse than his own stomach. It is sufficient for a human to eat a few mouthfuls to keep his spine straight. But if he must fill it, if you need to eat more than a few mouthfuls, then go with

portions, divide your stomach 1/3 for food 1/3 for drink, and 1/3 for air. A lot of us are guilty of this we eat to the extent that we feel that the food is optimal here, whereas in reality the food cannot come up till here, but we feel like that we can't even move. We can't breathe. We just want to collapse into a food coma. This was not the Sunnah of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam mindful eating where you are mindful of every morsel, every amount of food that you put into your

mouth. You don't just mind Leslie your heedlessly eat your food.

And today Subhanallah science confirms that this practice when we eat mindfully, we actually give our body time to signal to our brain that we are full. And science as well as medicine tells us today that this can take up to 20 minutes for the signal to travel to the brain. So if you are heedlessly shoving food down stuffing yourself, the signal takes time for it to go to the brain and then comes back to the stomach to say that you're full. By the time the signal comes, you've gone

past 1/3 to third and you're almost at the at the brim of your stomach. But on the other hand, when you mindfully eat, you give your stomach time to process the food, your brain time to process all the signals and you are given the right signal the right cue that oh you know what it is enough. And then you stop just there at the right point at the right time. You do not over eat, you do not over indulge mindful eating, thinking of the food being grateful for the food.

This was the practice of Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa alayhi wa sallam, and part of mindful eating is to chew your food thoroughly. A lot of us today we just got the food down which is a very unhealthy practice. It is from the teachings of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam to chew your food thoroughly so that you break it down into smaller particles, making it easier for your body to process and extract the nutrients from that food.

Number two balanced meals. Our Beloved Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was known for his balanced diet in his life, we find a beautiful blueprint for what we now regard as a balanced diet. He consumed a healthy variety of foods. He incorporated dates, he incorporated barley, he incorporated honey, he incorporated olive oil, he incorporated milk, which are all super foods in today's standards, powerhouses of nutrition Subhanallah at that time, they didn't have processed

foods and even if they did, the profit would not have indulged very unhealthy today's processed food industry fast food

a lot of us for the sake of convenience returned to it, but wary unhealthy, protect yourself. Protect the generations after you indulging in it once in a while for the sake of convenience. May be okay. But for those of us who are indulging in it on a regular basis, it causes a lot of complications within your body. Talk to a nutritionist don't wait till disease hits you to go to the doctor and now listen to the doctor. Be proactive and take steps before avoid processed foods. Avoid

sausages these all these process types of meat try to stick to wholesome food halal and to Heba halal. Yes, you need to look at it being halal and tayyiba as well. That's what's the that's what's interesting in the ayah. Allah didn't say only eat halal, halal and kahibah. Good and wholesome foods, don't put things that are poisonous into your body, things that are going to cause you harm. Today, if you look at our diets, heavily carb carb based, heavily carb based, and on top of that, a

lot of processed stuff going into it. You need to be mindful of what you're putting into your body Subhanallah you are what you eat.

You get that you are what you eat. If you're putting in healthy things into your body, then you're going to be healthy. At times we eat processed food. And after eating, we don't feel good. You feel like oh, why did I even eat this? Why did I stop by this? You know street food this joint here joint there? Why did I eat it? But on the other hand, when you eat wholesome food, you feel good. You feel satiated. You feel light. Have you ever feel Have you ever felt bad after eating dates? Have you

ever felt bad after eating honey? Have you ever felt bad after eating good vegetables? Have you ever felt bad after eating healthy protein healthy meat now, whenever you eat processed food, whenever you eat food in high with high sugar, you crash you feel so bad, you don't feel productive, you feel lethargic, you don't feel motivated to do good things.

So all these foods that I just mentioned, time does not permit but each one science clearly highlights the benefits in them. Subhan Allah a lot of benefits. And this is what the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam did. He chose foods that were dense in nutrients that were healthy

So it is important that we have a we incorporate a balanced diet. The next area that I want to quickly focus on is hydration. Today, a lot of us don't hydrate ourselves properly. And this is why you feel zapped. You feel like you know you've got the splitting headache or we tend to hydrate ourselves again with the wrong things. Some of us are living on energy drinks and you fed money making

thing.

Very bad for your health. A lot of sugar in it. All these process drinks, fizzy drinks, you think Oh, the heat. It's so thirsty for photo for Iftar let me just go down fizzy drinks. It's bad for your health. extremely bad for your health, all these energy drinks packed with unhealthy ingredients. You think that oh, you know what I'm getting a kick out of it is going to help me do this. Help me do that. Once in a while. There's a dire need, maybe you're driving a long distance

you need to stay up. Then maybe a few sips just to keep you going. If there is no other choice, if you can have something like a coffee or a tea that is better. But if you have no choice, they may be drinking something like that a little bit is fine. But some people you know I visited unfortunately, university and I was told that some youngsters their first thing in the morning as they wake up, no tea, no coffee. They have cans, all these energy drinks, they start drinking energy drinks, empty

stomach, no breakfast, no tea, no coffee, energy drinks. Just imagine what it's going to do to their health SubhanAllah. So don't encourage this with the younger generation. I know the older generation has not really fallen prey to this, but the younger generation is falling prey to it. So all fathers in the crowd be weary. Be careful. Look after your children look after your offspring. They are an Amana from ALLAH SubhanA Horta, Anna, so hydrate yourself with water, hydrate yourself with natural

thirst crunches.

Opt for wholesome fruits like watermelon, King coconut coconut water Camberley, all these things are healthy. And this is you fulfilling your hack towards the Amana that Allah gave you this body is an Amana the health is an Amana do not abuse it may Allah subhanho wa Taala protect the soil

and then you have moderation. With that I conclude the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam obviously advised us against extravagance. So don't over indulge, don't waste food. Some of us we tend to we want our tables to be decked for our eyes to eat, and then we don't eat much we waste the food, nobody Subhanallah some of these quote unquote functions, quote unquote, quote Iftar functions, so much of food going in rain in hola hola. You hate bull moose? riffin Indeed, Allah does not love

those who waste. If you waste you're going to be questioned the tests of Allah coming your way. You may think I have enough money, but overnight, it can change overnight it can change in the twinkling of an eye, you could lose your wealth, Allah's test can come your way, may Allah protect us all. Allah hates those who waste. So do not waste even a single grain of food. Be intentional with it. If you buy something be intentional with it. Why am I buying it? Am I going to eat it? Am I am I going

to benefit from it, my children are they going to eat it, if it's going to go in vain, do not buy it. So be intentional with your food. Be careful with what Allah has given you. It is another blessing. If you have food over your table, it is a blessing. You and I most of us, we don't even think about the next meal. Why? Because Allah has blessed us with surplus and abundance where we don't have to worry for months on end. We don't have to worry for at times years on end, why we know

you know I will be able to get meat I can buy. I can buy kilos and kilos of rice if I want to. But you should know in our own country, there are families burdened with the worry of how I how are we or how am I to put food on the table for my children for the next meal next meal. They're wondering how to breakfast today. Because you and I don't have that body. Why? Because Allah has blessed us. So don't take that blessing for granted. Don't take that blessing for granted. Fulfill the right of

that blessing by using it carefully and intentionally. So I hope that these dietary tips were of benefit.

So in conclusion, as we reflect on these teachings, let us embrace this month of Ramadan as an opportunity to transform our dietary habits to transform

In our lifestyles, let us make healthy and active lifestyles. Choose a sport that is halal, that is permissible. And make yourself active. Go work out, lose the fat, go for a walk, go for a swim, go for a run, move. Don't be stationary. If you are stagnant, you're going to become murky and dirty water. Running water is active, pure full of energy. So get out my dear brothers get out and encourage the younger generation to they are glued in front of the screens in front of TVs and in

front of Playstations give them out make them active, get them involved in permissible sports.

And let us become an active community just as how the Sahaba with one Allah Allah Allah do you mind just as how Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was? May Allah subhanahu wa taala make this month a turning point for all of us. May He make it a catalyst a step towards a healthier life spiritually, physically and mentally. May Allah grant us the strength to implement these practices and make them a lasting habit. In this month, the month of Ramadan and beyond Ramadan May Allah subhanho wa Taala

accept our fast May he accept our prayers, many accept our donors, and may he help us to follow the beautiful sunnah of our beloved prophet muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa alayhi wa sallam I mean, I mean what will hamdulillah here have been isla? Me