The Benefits Of Fasting
Date:
Channel: Riyadul Haqq
File Size: 29.40MB
Episode Notes
The Benefits of Fasting – Delivered by Shaykh Riyadh ul Haq on 19th May 2017 at Al Kawthar Academy, Leicester (UK)
Allah has prescribed fasting for Muslims around the world in order for them to attain Taqwa (God consciousness), but how are fasting and Taqwa related? Many examples have been brought of people fasting in this lecture as well as the health benefits it can lead to.
Did you know Pythagoras would instruct his students to observe a 40-day fast before he would teach them? Many believe that fasting sharpens the mind and it is a practice used even today by modern day athletes and professionals.
This lecture perfectly combines some of the spiritual aspects of fasting as well as its practical uses to help us achieve the best in the month of Ramadan and outside of it.
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AI Generated Summary ©
The benefits of fasting, including physical and mental health, are discussed, including the belief that it is a source of spiritual health. The practical and rewarding entry of fasting is a way to avoid addiction and bring together people to achieve goals. The importance of fasting for reducing health risk and the use of prophets in the law is also emphasized. The speakers emphasize the need for individuals to practice fasting to achieve health and well-being, including cancer treatments and the ability to achieve spiritual and mental benefits.AI Generated Transcript ©
Bismillah
Alhamdulillah
wa salatu salam ala l mursaleen ohata Meena been promoting while he was here
my back to him in a shape long of regime smilla rahmanir rahim in the law woman equateur who you saw lunarlon Libya, Latina de
la ciudad en prima de the Wada Casa Lita, Ebrahim
Allah
improvement come about Allah Ibrahim
Ibrahim
specter Spectre listeners salaam aleikum right Allahu la carta.
Very soon we will begin the fasts of the month of Ramadan.
We are all aware of the
religious rewards and the virtues of both the month of Ramadan and the pillar of fasting.
The last panel who would rather say isn't the sort of the Baccarat here, Latina hamanako de ballet coo coo coo
publikum
are believers fasting has been prescribed for you as it was ordained for those who came before we
land.
Perhaps you may attain
the relevance of this verse to today's discussion
about the benefits of fasting
is
twofold. One last panel with data tells us that fasting has been prescribed for you, but you are not unique.
Fasting has a tradition
which stretches back to the very beginning.
And
all cultures or religions, all peoples
have fast.
So this isn't anything new. The details may vary. But throughout history, people have always fast.
And in fact, their fasts were
often far longer
and far more difficult than the flasks that we are accustomed to.
What that tells us is that fasting is not alien to the human body.
And it's not impossible, it's not even very difficult.
Yes, for us, since we are so accustomed to eating all the time and grazing eating all day long.
We may
find the thought of fasting,
unbearable, initially at least.
And we may find the whole task to be very daunting, fasting every single day for the whole month of Ramadan, especially in the summer months in Northern Europe, where we are
because of the
late sunsets and early sunrise and early dawn.
But a last panel with that I'll also say
just a short while after this verse, you need to laugh will become more useful whether you need to become a nurse. Allah wishes ease for you a lot does not wish difficulty for you.
And although Allah mentions that in the context of concessions, so the previous where the previous sentence is about
concessions for those who are ill or who are traveling, so the obligation of fasting on that particular day of Ramadan is waived.
And
the fasting or the ill person can postpone the fast
and keep it at a later date when they aren't traveling or for the ill person and they are fit and healthy enough to do so.
So in this context, Allah mentions that Allah has granted you this concession, because ultimately Allah does not wish difficult for you allow wishes easily. What that verse also tells us
is that if Allah gives us concessions for the ill person for the traveler, because Allah does not wish, difficulty, and alarm merely wishes, ease and comfort, then what's of the original obligation of fasting? Is there difficulty in there?
Isn't that extremely difficult, whereas the ease and the comfort and the simplicity in the original obligation of fasting,
if Allah has granted as a concession for the ill, and for the traveler,
in view of providing in view of making and create, in view of creating ease and comfort, then where's the ease and comfort in the original obligation of fasting? For those who aren't Hill and for those who aren't traveling?
So what that verse tells us that no, in reality, of last panel, horadada, wishes ease and comfort spirits, and that's in both the original obligation and the concession.
So how are we to understand the simplicity, the ease and the comfort in fasting itself?
Well, this verse tells us that fasting has been prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those who came before you.
So there's been a tradition throughout history in all religions, all faiths, all cultures, all P
of fasting.
The other thing that this verse tells us is learning looking at the own, perhaps you may attain that.
Now, fasting has rewards in the Hereafter, and he has religious virtues, but I won't speak of them today. Today, inshallah, I will focus on just the benefits of fasting. And there are many benefits, they are spiritual benefits.
There are emotional benefits, mental benefits,
physical benefits, especially in terms of health, and also practical benefits.
So one of the
spiritual benefits is the own in the hope that you may attain.
The acquisition of the creation and development of taqwa through fasting, is not actually a reward per se, in the hereafter. It's a practical acquired spiritual benefit, which results from fasting. So what exactly is dukkha? In short, the quad is the consciousness and the awareness of the last panel.
In various degrees, and the greater person's taqwa, the greater person's consciousness, and awareness of the last panel with
the more a person is aware of Allah, conscious of Allah, the more pious, the more discipline, the more patient, the more self composed, the more self aware
a person becomes,
the more spiritually elevated a person becomes.
And especially in this day and age when we have
such an interest in mindfulness, in self development, and self awareness, in higher consciousness, in spirituality without religion,
in tapping into the spiritual world, well, fasting actually achieves or
it creates self awareness, that consciousness of Allah subhanho wa Taala, it achieves so much spiritually. So looking at the home, the primary benefits of fasting is
and taqwa isn't a reward in the hereafter. It's not just an agenda or thrower, or a virtue related to the hereafter. It's a practical spiritual benefit, which results from fasting, especially higher consciousness.
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam in the Hadees describes fasting as a shield, or CRM or gym. He says, These lay paths are hobbies created by Mr. Muslim and others that will CRM or gym
First thing is a sheet. Again, this ties into looking at the home, perhaps you may attain the
first thing as a shield it. It's a shield in that protects a person from the displeasure of Allah.
From the disobedience of a law.
First thing is a shield in so many ways that actually prevents a person from sinning.
It makes the person too patient, it makes them much more composed and control.
And like I said, Today, I wish to focus on the practical benefits rather than the religious rewards. So we can see the practical benefits of fasting in the month of Ramadan. And that reveals so much there are many people who are addicted to smoke.
And yet, in normal days out of Ramadan,
those who are addicted to smoking,
find it very difficult to stay away from cigarettes.
To the extent that they will abstain from food, there won't be too worried if they can get food at a given time. But regularly, they will light up a cigarette throughout the day. And some people who are addicted smoke 220 14 a day
at regular intervals.
But the same people when it comes to the month of Ramadan, and normally, they convince themselves or they justify their behavior to others, with the words that I'm addicted, I can't help it. It helps me
relieve myself of stress and of worries, I'm anxious. And this alleviates my anxiety.
So those who are addicted to smoking, or think they are addicted to smoking, they justify their addiction and their habits by saying that it's almost recessed. Yet the same people as soon as the month of Ramadan arrives. And they're actually fasting, aware that
smoking is forbidden during the fast, they are able to function normally throughout the day.
For so many hours, just as they abstain from food and drink. They're also abstain from smoke
and all the fears. But they normally have
all the anxiety,
the anxieties, the fears, the supposedly withdrawal symptoms. None of these
appear throughout the day. Yes, initially, maybe for the first few hours.
One has withdrawal symptoms. But that's the same with food and drink. But then afterwards, as soon as a person gets into the routine, it's extremely. So one of the practical benefits of the words of our sort of loss of love our legal system, a CRM agenda, that fasting is a shield in that it's it's a it's a mechanism for preventing so many things. It's a mechanism for protection, a person can protect oneself. And that means being able to kick habits and supposedly addictions whilst fasting, especially in the month of Ramadan.
And a person just has to develop that.
Mental rigor,
resolve and determination to dispense with this habits once and for all. Because we can see for ourselves that it's achievable. It's attainable, it's doable, if you can spend the whole month
during daylight hours for up to 1618 in some cases, even 2021 hours during the fast without smoking once then, and without suffering the supposedly withdrawal symptoms, then surely, it can be done out of Ramadan as well. And we're not fasting. So assioma Jin
fasting is a shield.
And it's a shield not only from the disobedience of a law against the disobedience for law.
It's a protection from the pleasure of Allah from the obedience of Allah and also from undesirable things
regardless of whether they are
Wrong, or lawful and reprehensible as long as they are undesirable and they're not good for the person's mind and bodily and health.
Yet a person keeps on repeating these behaviors, fasting, through some amazing mechanism helps a person develop a resistance to these undesirable habits.
As long as that person has that resolve and determination, they can dispense with the habits and kick it all together. So, this is one of the practical benefits of looking at the moon or fasting or looking at the moon. Perhaps you may attain taqwa. And in the same lights, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam says, we'll see Arjuna and fasting is a shield. It helps protect a person from all of these things.
Furthermore, speaking about
when Allah subhanho wa Taala, Allah says that you read a lot of the common use or whether you need to become a nurse, fasting, last panel with Allah which is easy for you, Allah does not wish difficulty for you.
And as I've just explained that this is originally to do with the concession for the ill, and for the ill people and for those who are traveling, if Allah wishes ease and comfort for us, and He gives us concessions as a result. I mean, surely there must be ease and comfort and simplicity in the original obligation of fasting itself. And there is we find it so difficult because
we are so accustomed to eating, gorging on food, grazing all day long.
And traditionally, even a century ago, this wasn't the case.
People didn't have refrigerators, and pantries as we know,
people would eat at
fixed times.
In fact, during the time of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, one only has to look at his example. How about the law.
They narrate many studies, about the prophets of the law while he was still in his eating habits.
One of them shall be allowed to say is that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam never ever
filled himself with barley. He never ate to his fill from barley for two days in a row, till the day he passed away.
So if he ever had its body, he would eat it once in two days.
And even then he would never eat it.
From another generation, we learned from the Sahaba of the last one, that he never ate to his fill
from barley meat in one meal.
So even if he had barley, bread, and meat, he would not eat to his fill. In another generation. We learned that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam never at to his fill
from wheat,
three days in a row.
And there are many other prophets in the law, Heidi who seldom would eat very little, and one of his most beautiful words of advice, which undoubtedly he practiced himself and which he has prescribed for them.
And before I explain, what's the relevance to fasting, see, ultimately, fasting is not to eat.
And we need to, throughout history, poets, philosophers, maybe not so much poets, but philosophers,
doctors,
and most importantly, the prophets of Allah and even Salatu was Salam have always encouraged
reduction in consumption of food,
prolonging the time between meals. So that one is in a fasted state and not in a Fed state.
And regular fasting, fasting as much as possible. The Prophet though
he used to fast one day,
and then not fast the second day, and then fast again, and then not fasting. So one day fasting, one day feeding, and even during the feeding days, it would eat very little, just like the profits of the larvae. So
Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam says in this hadith recorded related by Imam,
Imam Timothy, and others, very beautiful Hadees that the employer relate the Hadees let me relate the story to you I heard from one of the alumna of the Arab called Emma story, and it may have it must have been to do with the
60s or 70s. Because this and in my head, the recording, and he
has passed away in LA. And he relayed that, if I recall, the speech was in the 70s or early 80s. So it was quite some time ago.
And he says that he was told by an Arab medical student who traveled from the Middle East, to Germany.
And
watch training.
The there was a famous surgeon who took him to his theater.
And this was the first time this medical student was accompanying this famous surgeon to the theater.
And right above the double doors at the entrance of the theater, there was this saying,
and the Arab students recognized it immediately.
So he said, What's this? And where did you get this from?
So the German surgeon said to him, that I've put this over the doors of the theater.
Because I tell everyone, that if someone practices this, they will never have to go into a surgical theater.
Never.
So where did you get this from? She said, I found it's a beautiful saying all medicine is in here. She said Do you know this is a saying of our Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu sallam, and this is the heady. So it's related by my ramblings Muslim demand pyramid, even imagine there's some Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam says, Man has never filled a container worse than his stomach.
Man has never filled a container worse than his stomach. It's just sufficient for men to eat a few morsels your muscles, which straighten his back. But if he insists on eating more, then for filiform later on, he will fill up the sharabi he will often enough, then at least he should have one third for his food, one third for water, and one third for air.
So Pamela, man has never filled the container worse than his stomach.
It's a sufficient for him to eat just a few morsels that straightened his back.
And the meaning of straighten his back. Is that traditional?
Those who start
and not starve,
how we feel when our after breakfast.
But those who would genuinely starve and be deprived of food in voluntarily,
many of them would
develop physical deformities in the long term. But even in the short term, the Arabs would actually notice this, that that they would become they would hunched forward, and their backs would be bent. And this is why you may have heard that the Arabs would tie stump stones to their stomachs. Why would they tie stones to their stomachs? If they were hungry? We've heard about the profits and the love it who sell them during the time of the hospital 100 and others how about or the alarm? Why would they tie stones or rocks to their stomachs? This would be to straighten themselves.
It wouldn't be to
relieve hunger per se.
It wouldn't be to press their stomachs in rather well it would be in order to straighten themselves. So the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam says that if a man in if it is sufficient for them, to eat a few morsels that are enough for him to straighten his back so that he doesn't become hunched out of severe hunger. That's all but if he must eat and if he insists on eating more, then the most he should do is one third of his stomach one third of that container for food.
So he
He shouldn't eat till he's about to burst. He shouldn't eat his fill.
He shouldn't eat,
to 80% of his fill,
or even 50% for food, only 33%, one third, then one third for water,
water.
And one third and
this is what he should do. So it's a beautiful Hadith Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is what he is prescribed for his oma. And undoubtedly he practiced himself. So on the day is when he would eat. This is how he would eat less when food was available.
And on the days when he would fast it was a some novel sort of loss of the Lord. He was too fast regularly. But he used to fast in such a way as quite miraculous. So how about the loved one who say that apart from my mom, whenever you would see the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam,
those who wanted to see him fast, we would never wish that he is fasting, except that he would be fasting.
And we would never want to find him not fasting, except that we would discover that he isn't fasting. So he would fast for days, then he would break his fast and not fast. For days, then he would fast again for days, he would stop fasting again for days. So this was the routine of the Prophet sallallahu. It was similar. And
indeed, this was a case with the prophets of Allah. He said that was Salaam. Now, we also because I was saying earlier on that, we find the idea of fasting so difficult, especially in the summer months, we were always moaning and complaining and counting the hours. And looking for fatwas to
possibly reduce the number of hours.
That's because we are so accustomed to eating and grazing all the time. And this was never the case before.
People wouldn't eat 656 times a day, nor would they three times a day, the Arabs and this is why I began explaining the hadith of Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, the Arabs in general, they only had, they wouldn't normally have what we call breakfast, football.
In fact,
you may recall when I explained
the how these resumes come from, say,
some time ago, that the range This is even before Islam, the people of Makkah, they would have breakfast, you know what their breakfast was someone that used to come to the well of Zamzam. And these are drinks.
This is even before it slammed Quraysh, the Arabs of Mecca would drink the water of Zamzam to their fill as a first thing in the morning, that was their breakfast. So they never really had what we call breakfast. They had two main meals of other and Russia.
And
Strictly speaking,
is any meal before midday, and Russia is any meal after me.
So it's not necessarily that you would be at night.
So any meal after midday would be known as supper Asha. And any meal before midday would be known as that. And these are the two meals they would eat.
So and again, this was on good days. Otherwise normally they'd suffice with one or the other.
And this is when the when fasting when the word fasting, then and out even then they wouldn't just switch their timing. Unfortunately, what do we do in the month of Ramadan?
out of Ramadan, we have three square meals during the day.
And out of Ramadan, we have three square meals at night during the night. So all we're doing is just flipping data nights and
the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and that's how a lot of the alarm, some of them they would actually fast
and active bar is to have dates and water and nothing else.
You wouldn't eat anything all night long for several dates and wat and that's it.
And this is another thing we always believe that dates are good. Of course dates are good and absolutely being isolation.
prophets Allah love it Muslim use the dates that are out of the love and use the dates, indeed. But we have to realize that they would eat dates not much else. When we need to add a shadow the loved one has a is that in the party for two whole months, the fire in the health of the home of Rasulullah sallallahu Sallam would not be lit because there was nothing to cook.
We used to survive on dates and water for two whole months. And only occasionally if one of the neighbors gave milk as a gift. We would have milk occasionally. So every day
dates and wat watering dates, occasionally milk, no other food and also to home.
So
dates, yes, they good but again in moderation. And this How about all the alarm used to eat them even if they did excessively in isolation? So without the other foods Mashallah we have all that we have. And then we grab a few dates and say some
Eman Muslim Rahmatullah here. He later told him that he was so focused on searching for a Hadith, that he was studying Hadith all night long and absent mindedly eating from basket of dates. And by morning, he passed away. And many say that he died as a result of, of course, I mean, it's the father of Allah, but as a suburb as a cause. It was the overconsumption of dates.
So even on the days of fasting, for many, you wouldn't be a square meal at a bar, and then food again and again throughout the night. And then several, it would be dates and water for flour and dates and water.
There would not eat much.
And the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam practice this, he prescribed this to the Sahaba of the law.
And this is what he has prescribed for this mat.
It's because many of the ills come from eating. And this is why we find these fasts so difficult, because we're so accustomed to eating and grazing all day long. Otherwise, once a person gets into the routine, it's it's not that difficult. And further proof of that is that in the past few years,
fasting has become a craze
and
a real trend, especially amongst health conscious people.
And it's not just another diet.
And this is one of the practical benefits of fasting.
Anyone who's looked into
dieting, tried to lose weight,
try to eat healthily.
The amount of information out there is utterly confused.
And even the experts are divided.
So you find all kinds of diets.
high carb, low fat, low protein, low fat,
low carb, high protein, low carb, low protein, high fat. You have the grapefruit diet, where people used to have nothing but great fruits that tomato soup diet soups all there are million on one diets, and you have experts advocating this diet that died. The best diet is no food.
Simple, no confusion whatsoever. Should I This shouldn't die this, how much of this no calorie counting or measuring the waiting no tables, no apps, nothing.
You save yourselves a few hours cooking, researching, buying, purchasing, searching
and eating instead, no food. And it's extremely easy. Once a person gets into the habit, and as I was saying it's become a real trend, and people are really reaping the benefits. It's because fasting has a tradition people have always fasted. It's the best medicine. It really is the best medicine, anyone who's had pets, and if a pet becomes ill. Normally these pets are voracious eaters.
But when they become ill, even when the pet owners insist on feeding them, they refuse to eat.
They refuse to eat.
One of the reasons is that even animals even cats and dogs instinctively begin fasting, as soon as their body goes out of balance.
When when a when a pet feels ill or even animals in the wilderness, they have no national health services
in the wilderness,
they live healthily till
as long as they are destined, they are not artificially sustained, where they are living corpses.
Once the time has expired, they depart prior to that, they live healthily. And even when they do fall, Ill, they instinctively fast, they won't eat. They actually undergo days of fasting.
And that's by instinct, because that last panel with Allah has placed chifa insia. Allah has placed cure in fasting, it's good for the body, it's good for the mind, it's good for the spirit.
As I was saying, part of this trend of fasting, you have lots of people now who fast
and they do so for the practical physical benefits, even though they aren't even Muslim.
bodybuilders do it, they actually, now bodybuilders have started fasting, right before competitions,
athletes have started doing
so they many athletes have now dispense with the old idea of feeding themselves before the endurance exercises. Rather, they fast and then they train whilst fasting. And they actually perform whilst fasting.
In fact, there was something quite interesting that happened. When in the football tournament World Football tournament's stretching back many decades now.
Others noted that many of the Muslim teams, even during the month of Ramadan, they will be fasting, they will play once fasting.
And this raises the question amongst many of the researchers and scientists that is their performance impacted in any way whilst fasting. So they did many, many tests, including on footballers and Muslim athletes who were fasting during the month of Ramadan.
And ultimately, they discovered it's not a question about winning or losing that's dependent on other skills and other things. But was their performance affected negatively? Once fasting? What they discovered is that there was absolutely no difference whatsoever in terms of negative performance between those who are fasting, and those who were,
if anything.
Now the trend is that people have started performing and training and exercising once fasting, and it's doable. We have this mental block. That's difficult. It's difficult, but not so
I've mentioned quite a few times that one of the first times I learned about this was I was listening to an interview as a podcast between two individuals.
They both old
meaning they're very young, but I'm sure one of them is in his 50s now. And the other interview, they were both asking each other how their week had gone.
And one of them said to the other. So how's your week been? So you said yes. Because this person who at that time, I think was 50. And this was some time ago in his 50s. Now
he was extremely overweight.
He was suffering from
diabetes, full blown diabetes and his own words. He had other health conditions. And most of his health markers when they were
in the red.
So he had high cholesterol. He had high blood pressure. He was suffering from full blown diabetes was actually on diabetic medication.
And he suffered from a number of other health conditions.
But he started fasting
and
so the is the end
You asked him that how was your past week?
And he said, he said it's fine. He said yesterday, I finished my 11 day fast.
So he had fasted for 11 days, water only all he would have is just water, no solid food. In fact, no other food, no soups, nothing, just water and no other food for 11 days. And he lives in a hot country. And he says, To finish off my fast yesterday afternoon, I went out for 100 kilometer bike ride. And then I came home and broke my fast.
So He fasted for 11 days. And then he went for 100 kilometer that 60 miles bike ride. And then he came home did how does it fly.
And it definitely wasn't some water.
So it's doable. And he's been doing this for some time.
And the result,
even though he was on
diabetic medication, he had all these health conditions. He's reversed his diabetes.
All his health markers, which were in the red with warning signs are all healthy. All his health markers are good, no blood pressure, no heart condition, no cholesterol, no blood sugar, no diabetes. And he's just one I'm just giving the example one person. And now lots of doctors across the world are prescribing fasting, those who are bold enough to do so those who are willing to break with convention, they are bold enough. They are prescribing fasting, of course under monitoring for their patients. No other medication, just fasting, fasting reverses diabetes.
And it has so many health benefits, it lowers insulin. It's
it's real cure. It's real preventive measure.
And traditionally, this is what people believe. Many earlier mine in the past Muslim man when they would when people would go to them just seeking religious advice or maybe
because they were suffering from a health condition. And they'd been to doctors, they've been to hospitals. And the problem was never solved, solved. Many women in the past would tell them fast.
And as a result of fasting, many people their medical problems just disappear.
Or that particular medical condition. So Allah has played Shiva in Sudan last place schiefer in fasting, but if it's done properly, which is as little either the proper shutter effect between
dawn till sunset, and then during the night hours eating sensibly
and responsibly, or a non sugary fast means meaning where a person fasts without any intention of fasting, and just abstain from food, but has wat and that can be done for many days, many, many days. So this fear of fasting that we have, it's, it's all placed. It's irrational.
And it's not just about Muslims should in fact, and until this fasting became a fashion and a trend.
Others would frown upon the concept of fasting in Ramadan.
And we would hear comments, read comments such as, why does a God wants his people to starve as an act of worship and devotion to him? What benefits is there in remaining hungry and thirsty? It's risky, it's dangerous. It's not dangerous at all.
In 1965, in Scotland, there was someone who was extremely overweight.
And
you find something like 480 pounds was his weight 480 pounds. It was younger as well in his 20s
he went to hospital
and one of the doctors made an off the cuff remark
because he saw his condition.
And
he said to him, maybe you should just fast. So it was actually an off the cuff remark. So maybe you should just fast because I've seen Look how serious your condition is.
He took it quite personally. But he took it on board.
And he agreed not to eat or drink anything.
And he agreed to come to the hospital to be monitored.
And he actually did it. And you know how long he managed to go without food. Every day, all he would have is water. And vitamins. The doctors at least gave him some vitamins. But without food, any food whatsoever, just water and vitamins. And this is someone who weighed close to 500 pounds.
He went without food, and survived just on water for 13 months,
382 days.
And he had no
no problems whatsoever. In fact, many of his illnesses disappeared.
And undoubtedly, he looked a different person altogether.
So it's possible it's doable. People now fast for days on end, for no religious reason, just for help for mental clarity for spiritual benefits, non religious, spiritual benefits, but emotional benefits for practical benefits. And even to sharpen their minds. As I was mentioning recently, in Silicon Valley in California.
There's a new craze now amongst programmers, and these new tech startups, where there's a lot of competition.
Everyone wants an edge over their competitors. So to gain that edge, they learned that fasting sharpens the mind.
So they started fast, not for 16 hours, but for days on end. And now they actually compete with each other. Let's see who's faster, the longest seven days, 10 days, 11 days, 15 days without any solid food whatsoever, just water.
And indeed, we feel that this is discussion. And look, I'm not prescribing anything medically. Got make sure you consult your doctors and your health professionals. This is just I'm just sharing my thoughts.
But there's this whole discussion about exams.
What happens with exams in the month of Ramadan?
Pythagoras, the famous Greek mathematician, philosopher.
He
wanted to take an exam
in the University of Alexandria.
And He fasted for that exam. Do you know for how long 40 days, so for the exam, He fasted for 40 days.
Socrates, Plato, and many of the others, they had a regular routine of fasting for 10 days, not for health benefits, because they were very cautious when it came to food anyway.
Because there were philosophers and poets who would never indulge in food, or gluttony. So they were healthy, physically anyway, but merely to the already sharp, but to sharpen their minds even further.
And to gain even more clarity. They would fast regularly for 10 days, Pythagoras did it to enter an exam. And later when he started having a large growing body of students, he had a condition. Nobody could study with him, unless they fasted for 40 days first. So to enroll in his classes.
If we had that you wouldn't be here, I wouldn't be here.
But to enroll in his classes, people had to study for 40 days, students have to complete a 40 day fast, not steady. They have to complete a 40 day fast, then they weren't allowed to study with him.
So fasting sharpens the mind. It creates clarity. Why are we them so dope. During the fast a lot of it is mental. It's all in the mind. We've programmed ourselves we've conditioned ourselves to feel that if I fast, I'm going to be lethargic, I'm going to be sleepy, I'm going to be drowsy, dull, my mental faculties are going to suffer. I'm going to be weak Subhanallah as Muslims, we fast and we are drowsy and dreary and non Muslims are fasting without any
intention of religion or reward, and they're going for 160 mile 100 mile bike rides, whilst fasting, no food, no drink.
So it's possible. We've conditioned and programmed ourselves to believe otherwise.
Allah has placed preventive medicine in fasting, a cure and schiefer in fasting.
It creates spiritual benefits, physical benefits, clarity of mind, clarity of spirits, it actually elevates a person's emotions.
When a person fasts for some time,
and two things are released in the brain, and a person actually begins to feel better.
This is as long as we allow fasting to take its course. And believe in it, rather than programming ourselves beforehand. 16 hours, 18 hours. It's impossible. I can't do it.
It's hard. I'm going to feel sleepy. I need my coffee. I need my tea. I need my caffeine.
The truth is we don't need any of this as a proxy of the law, I think some of them show through practice.
In fact,
we know that coffee was
first it was discovered in Ethiopia. That wasn't
not during the town. So how about the law, or the prophets of the law it was one of the many centuries later was discovered in Ethiopia. But it actually came into popular use, it was discovered accidentally in Ethiopia, because the farmers, these shepherds,
they noticed their sheep were quite high.
So
they followed them to these bushes that they would always go to. And they realized that they were eating the coffee beans. But it became popular in Yemen, which is just across the street.
And it became popular amongst Yemeni
worshippers, who used to have coffee and staying awake all night long.
But that's that. But Pamela, have you ever wondered during the day before, then,
how did most of the world wake up in the morning and spend their whole day without tea without coffee without caffeine?
Little fully in it, we don't actually need it's good. We don't need it. We've programmed and conditioned ourselves to believe that we need caffeine to wake up in the morning to remain awake during the day. We need food regularly to keep us going otherwise, we will be dull and dim. And lacking alertness and consciousness will be half asleep and drowsy. We will be hungry and we will be weak, we won't be able to do anything. All of this is in the mind.
And this is why we think a law says you need a law we can use law What are you ready to become owners? law wishes ease for you a lot does not wish difficulty for you. And we think that fasting is hard. And it's actually taken others who don't believe in the virtues and the rewards of fasting to demonstrate us now that it's not difficult at all. In fact, we are doing it others are saying that we do it to such an extent that we fast and be bodybuilder bodybuild we fast and we train, we fast and we run marathons, we fast and we cycle for hundreds of miles.
We fast and we train and we fast for days on end.
Great able to continue with our normal daily work. So that just shows that when Allah says you either love it, or use it or whatever you read the law which is easy. Allah does not wish difficulty for you. That's ease in both the concession from fasting as well as the original obligation of fasting. There are so many non religious non
meaning worldly benefits, practical, spiritual, emotional, mental, most,
of course, physical. And there's lots of recent research about all of this. In fact, I'm not going to say much about it, but even regarding cancer, one of the
It's an area of research, although they're still researching it, that cancer cells
when cancer cells are deprived of glucose and advantage,
and that's through fasting, they they done.
And so fasting has been practiced successfully by certain cancer patients of their own volition. And they've been able to beat and defeat their cancer. But doctors still won't prescribe it yet. But those who've done it of their own nickel, they've actually recovered.
And those who are undergoing chemotherapy,
fasting, once undergoing chemotherapy, actually makes the chemotherapy extremely easy and bearable for them. So the last panel who with Allah has played chifa, in CR, in fasting, and that's just these are just some of the health, worldly and practical benefits of fasting. But as Muslims, for those who believe in Allah is the source of the love, it was seldom, of course, one has to remember that these are secondary tertiary benefits, the primary purpose of fasting and the intention should only be initially for the sake of a loss.
And if someone wants to do it for health reasons, then you can actually do that as a non shutter IE fast as I said, where you don't crash from dawn till sunset, rather, you can actually just abstain from food and have a go on a water fast that will achieve the same benefits, even if it's just water without the risk of
doing a shutter IE religious fast, but for other motives and other intentions.
I end with just two verses of the Koran as I mentioned earlier last panel with Allah says yeah, are you under the name and we'll put the value equals C and we'll come up with the violin to the public mallacoota Oh believers, fasting has been prescribed for you as it was ordained for those who came before you. So that shows as the whole history fasting has been part of human history, everyone has done it in varying ways
to whom perhaps you may attain
and that's just the first spiritual benefits of fasting and then there are all these other benefits last parameter with the adults are usually the love of a common user What are you willing to
allow wishes ease for you a lot does not wish difficulty for you. And that ease and comfort and simplicity is in the concession
of not fasting for the ill and traveler or traveling people. But if allow wishes, ease and comfort, of course alarm must have placed that simplicity and that ease and comfort in the original obligation of fasting itself. We believe otherwise, it's hard it's difficult. It's not easy. lol says in the Quran, what could overshadow What are
in the hula,
eat and drink and do not be extravagant.
Do not go to extremes. Allah does not like those who are extravagant. And that means eat in moderation, drink in moderation, and don't go to excess.
And that's actually in eating and drinking. Don't do a Seraph in eating and drinking don't go to extremes. Don't be guilty of excess in eating and drinking. Undoubtedly, in this day and age with all the food we have at our disposal. We are often guilty of ISAF, and that's contrary to the verse of the quarter. We are guilty of itself if we go to access we indulge. And finally that same beautiful ladies
led by my ramblings Muslim, and even a manager dealing with in their son and others saw the loss of a lot of money or some disease. Man has never filled a container worse than his stomach.
It's a sufficient for man to have just a few morsels of straights in his back. And if he must, then one third for his food, one third for his water, and one third for his air his breathing. I pray that last panel with Allah enablers to understand the wisdom and the benefits of fasting. We are lawmakers amongst those who follow in the summer of the sort of loss of Allied equal some of them. Fasting actually regenerates the immune system and it's a year long
program for optimum health for those who follow it according to the Sunnah, the whole month of Ramadan.
Most of them
not all but most prophets in the love it was a shadow the alarm and the others relate that he would never fast for the full month of any month except Ramadan. And the only month other than Ramadan when he would fast for almost the whole month would be Shabbat. So, the month of Ramadan, if possible, much of the month of Siobhan in preparation for the coming month of Ramadan And beyond that, the nephal fasts of the three
middle Luna days 1314 and 15 of the lunar days of each month, every Monday every Thursday. In fact, many of you may have heard of the five two diet, which was popularized and ultimately written by Michael Mosley. And he first presented it in that PVC doc program.
Trust me on the doctor. So, in the separate interview, he then developed this into the five two diet which became very popular.
And he then in a separate interview, he actually explained he was asked that
this five two died, which means five days eating two days suppose that fasting
he recommended Monday and Thursday. So they said Why did you choose Monday and Thursday and he his words are I took my inspiration from the Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam. So
the whole month of Ramadan much of the month of Siobhan three central lunar days of each lunar month 1314 and 15, Monday and Thursday, the first 10 days, the first nine days of the hedger
that's around Ashura, the ninth and 10th of Muharram.
If someone just does these,
they will enjoy optimum health as it is.
And then there's also that alternate day fasting and as I mentioned earlier, the best of all fasts are as a prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said siyam without the fasting although they said how would How would that will delay histogram fast? It eats one day fast one day eat one day fast one day.
I pray the last panel with data enable us to appreciate the wisdom and the benefits of fasting male lawmakers amongst those who are regular in their federal and their muffle fasts. And regardless of the religious reward of virtue, we are lawmakers amongst those who are healthy as a Muslim should be. And may Allah enable us to exercise moderation in food and drink and consumption in spending in wealth. May Allah protect us from itself? May Allah enable us to act on that beautiful sort of loss in the law might equal seldom, which as that German surgeon said, anyone who acts on this will never ever have to enter a surgical theater
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