Yasir Qadhi – Spiritual, Legal, Health & Practical tips for Ramadan
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The importance of fasting in Islam is emphasized, including the use of "leg Release" to describe the culture and community involvement. The transcript provides examples of embarrassment and embarrassing behavior related to eating and drinking, as well as the potential for dental work to affect the fasting process and romantic interactions. The speakers stress the risks of fasting and the benefits of healthy eating, including reducing health risks, improving productivity, and reducing risk of dementia. They suggest avoiding certain foods and drinking more fluid, avoiding certain foods and sugar foods, and taking a daily meal with healthy foods and sugar foods.
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Smilla Rahmanir Rahim Al hamdu Lillahi Rabbil Alameen wa salatu salam ala Sayidina Muhammad no other early he was a big marine about
we thank Allah subhana wa Tada for having blessed us to be so close to the month of Ramadan and we ask Allah Subhana Allah to Allah to give us life to not only catch this month but to finish it in the best of forms, and to continue to give us many, many more Ramadan after this. It is authentically narrated in the hadith of Ibn Marja that two people passed away, one after the other in a period of time around a year or so. And the one of them who passed away
earlier the one of them who passed away earlier. He died a death of a Shaheed and the one who passed away later, he died a regular death. And some of the people commented, oh, his brother died, Shahid, mashallah Tabata cola. That's a great thing. And our Prophet sallallahu alayhi salam commented, and how do you know which of the two is better, the other one, he has prayed an entire year more than him, and he has fasted a whole month of Ramadan more than him. So this hadith demonstrates that the fasting of the month of Ramadan is a very magnificent achievement and achievement that Subhanallah has the potential to lift our ranks infinitely higher than it was before the month. So in sha Allah,
huzzah, as a reminder to ourselves, because indeed, reminding benefits us today in sha Allah in our hour and 10 minutes roughly that we have in sha Allah Allah, we will try to cover quite a lot of bases. First and foremost, we will begin with the most important verses in the Quran about the month of Ramadan. Then we will move on to some legal rulings about the month of Ramadan, and then some spiritual advice. And then lastly, some practical advice as well seeing that it is indeed a hot summer's month, and it is not the easiest time of the year to fast. So we began by the verses of the Quran, realize my dear brothers and sisters that the primary commandment to fast in the Quran occurs
in Surah Al Baqarah, verses 183 Two verses 187. So these verses are really the primary verses that mentioned.
My apologies for my voice my throat has has a slight infection. So I'll be coughing unfortunately, throughout today's lecture, these are the primary verses that mention the fast of Ramadan. And it begins as follows. In fact, not the primary these are the only verses that mentioned the obligation of fasting, not the primary. These are the only verses that mentioned the obligation of fasting, other verses in the Quran that talk about fasting or for the cathedra for this or for the explanation for that, or for Miriam, you know, having fasted her her tongue from speaking when Asa was born of this nature, the only verses that commanded us to fast as an obligation or these verses
instrumental Bukhara and of course will tell Bukhara is an amazing Surah it came down it big, it's began its revelation immediately after the header of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and it continued to be revealed until the very end. The last idea that came down in the Quran was Hertzel Bacara what taco Yeoman Torah Jonah fie Illa Allah fear the day that you shall return to Allah so the last idea of the Quran isn't surah baqarah and the very beginning of the Madani Quran is also suited Baccarat. So Surah Al Baqarah is that comprehensive surah the bulk of it was revealed right after the hijra, and right after the Hijra ALLAH SubhanA wa Taala legislated the Qibla the the
obligation to pray had already come in Mecca as we know right before the hijra, but it is in Surah Al Baqarah, That the verses for Salah occur and it is the source of the Bukhara that Zeca occurs the first Jews we talk about Allah mentioned Zakat, and in Israel Bukhara that Allah mentions what is a believer Alladhina eunomia right, who is a non Muslim who is a hypocrite, the people are divided. And Susan Bukhara, the story of the Genesis Adam, and he believes Jana and Susan Baqarah the histories of Musa Issa A brief history of mankind. And then after all of these beautiful commandments and stories, then Allah subhana wa Tada says, Yeah, you have Latina Amma No Oh, you who
believe quotevalet como seyoum. So this is a
need that it's a call all you who believe the obligation of fasting is not just an individual obligation. It is an obligation for a group. It's not just an individual act. It's an act of a community. All you who believe fasting has been legislated. kuti by means Allah
has decreed clutter but as to write katiba It has been decreed. So there's nothing that is new Allah had decided this before the vs came down cortiva de como seyoum Siyam has been ordained for you. Then Allah says as it was ordained for those before you, meaning all Muslims, do not think that you are being burdened more than other nations do not think that fasting is unique to you. Rather, since the beginning of time fasting has been one of the primary ways that I have legislated worship upon all of my servants, as it was legislative for all those before you. And to this day, we have remnants of fasting and all of the divinely revealed religions, even though the legal technical fast
that they did was different than our fast. And to this day, some of the Orthodox Jews they fast, one full day, morning and evening for example, with just one day others have their own different types of fires that they do. Allah is not saying that dawn to dusk was legislated come out kuti but doesn't mean the same way you guys fasted the same way they know Allah is saying, as I have legislated upon us, similarly I legislated upon previous nations. However, our fast Alhamdulillah is the easiest fast,
the other nations had it more difficult. Now some say that they had more difficult but smaller quantities. And Allah blessed us with more quantity but easier, and Allah blessed us with the month of Ramadan. Some scholars say this and Allah knows the truth, we really don't know for sure, but some would say previous OMAS they had more difficult fasts in terms of each day length and whatnot requirements, but not as long as us is 30 days. And we are the OMA Allah has blessed with the month of Ramadan, a whole month of Riba and ritual and our actual fasts have been made easier. And we'll talk a little bit about this as well. So then Allah says, it has been legislated for you, as it was
legislated for those before you meaning. Now, when you find out somebody else also has the same responsibility as you how does that make you feel?
Better, like, it's not just us, other people have done this. And also it makes you feel competitive. I'm going to do it better than them. Right. And especially when it comes to work, reward of Allah, we should want to be competitive. So another benefit of mentioning the people before us is that we get into the spirit of competition. You know what this OMA will show who are the real worshipers of Allah and His healthy competition, were supposed to compete with one another.
In the eyes of Allah was sad. It was sad because Allah is saying race one another when the race. So by mentioning that other nations have also had fasts, not only do we feel a sense of comfort, it's not as if we're being burdened, but also we feel a sense of responsibility that I'm going to do a better job. And that's the point of saying, as it was legislative for those before you Lala Contacta con so that you can achieve Taqwa of Allah and Taqwa of course, the technical meaning is to protect yourself from the punishment of Allah. And the more generic meaning is through to achieve consciousness of Allah to realize Allah is there watching you, and that is the height of a son. What
is the definition of your son, that you worship Allah as though you see him for even if you do not see him? He sees you. Now, Allah is explicitly mentioning Siyam is for the purpose of Taqwa. And of course, taqwa is the ultimate comprehensive goal of the Sharia. Allah says in the Quran, what occurred there was slain Alladhina aiuto Kitab in public and what your company Takala there will see that I'm telling you will see your means the concise legacy that I'm telling you. And the people before you that Ali Kitab is that they should have the Taqwa of Allah. This is Allah as we'll see you and the evidences and verses for Taqwa are way too numerous to mention. But Taqwa is the essence
of Islam. It is the pinnacle of Islam. It is the backbone of Islam, because you're conscious of Allah. And Allah is saying the purpose of Siam is to get to Taqwa. So, let us see what happens when we fast in the month of Ramadan. There is no other deed that brings about a sense of consciousness of Allah, like Siyam look at how
prayer affects us. The fact of the matter is that unfortunately, prayer has become a routine. Not that it should be but it is the case. Prayer has become monotonous ritual, we look at the watch we say Oh, time for Lord, let me just go pray. And even as our heads go up and down, our hearts and minds are attached to the work, the job pressures, assignments, children. The fact of the matter is unfortunately for most of us, Salah has
is not brought about the reality that it should as well for the cats. I'm not saying it's correct I'm saying just think that's the reality as well as the cat, the cat what is the cat for us these days, we take out a pen write a check, and we think are the cat is done and technically it might be done. But rarely does the cat bring out the type of consciousness that it should. Once upon a time, the cat would mean you would go to the poor family you would find them you would physically hand them you would see the effect this is going to affect you. You will see the team the four karada Misaki and you will go to 510 1520 houses you're going to be come back affected like I thank Allah
but these days, the charity organization on call us air conditioned room fundraiser going on to pull out your nice fancy $500 pen, write your check as they call us. I've done my Zika technically you have where's the whole shirt that comes from that? Now let us look at the cat. Sorry, let's look at cm what happens in the month of Ramadan? Every one of us what happens? We genuinely feel
spiritual. We begin to monitor
our tongues, our hands, our eyes. We began to consciously think, oh, I shouldn't be standing here this haram going on on fasting. People are backbiting slandering. I can't I can't be in this company. Literally we become conscious of Allah during the month of Ramadan, during cm, even that which is halal. If somebody slanders or fights against us, we're technically allowed to fight back. But what did our process and I'm saying when one of you is fasting, and then somebody comes in just begins the tirade, verbal tirade or tries to fight with him, you just remind yourself you're fasting, and you remind him in the sign in the sign so that you yourself control those legitimate
emotions, it's helpful to return what the person has done to you. But in slam we reached that height. So quietly, clearly we see Lila comfort zone is in fact, we notice that taco is achieved through the fasting, then Allah says a Yemen might do that. It's just a limited number of days. And a yam. Technically, a yam is as the in Arabic is called General tuxie, which is a small quantity of days, ie typically a yam is used from three to nine. You wouldn't use a yam for 30 days. Typically, a yam is used for small quantity, but Allah uses a yam even though typically it wouldn't be used for 30, to show you that those 30 days will go by like their three, four days, they'll go by very
quickly, a yum and then to emphasize Mary do that limited. So a limited number of few days is how we will translate these verses, a yam and Mary do that. And all of us realize and Insha Allah we will all see if Allah gives us life and we hope Allah gives us life to the end of this month, we will all see when the Ramadan comes to an end. It will literally be SubhanAllah 30 days, 29 days went by a young man might do that, within twinkling of an eye 10 days gone by 50 And then the last time began then click on the layout and then what next to you know to read and that's it another ramadaan to put into our storage and memory. So a yam and Mark do that. A limited number of a few days from an
CanAm income Maria Vaughn Oh ALLAH suffering for it the atonement, a Yama, aha. Now, when these verses came down, this was the first year of the hijra, and the Profit System had migrated in which month? Which month did he enter Medina?
Which month did he enter Medina
robiola where he entered Medina and rubeola where he entered Medina, and, of course, Ramadan is coming up. According to the majority opinion there's a bit of a controversy here. According to the majority opinion, Allah revealed these verses before the first Ramadan of the first year, and he made the fast of that month optional.
He made the fast of the first year Ramadan optional, because we know the Shetty I was revealed gradually. So Allah says, if you are sick or traveling you can make up another day. Why the lady in your corner who Videotron to his skin. Now, this verse one of the amazing beauties of the Quran, it has two meanings that are actually somewhat contradictory. When the verse came down, it applied implied meaning a
the next year Ramadan, meaning a was abrogated, and we will move on to meaning B. Is that clear? Before I talk about meaning a meaning beard on repeat. Is that clear? The verse has to say
separate and distinct meanings. When the verse came down, the first meaning that came to mind was, and those who are able to afford it may exempt themselves from fasting by feeding a poor person for every day, they don't fast, ie, you don't need to have a sick reason or old age. Anybody who can feed one person a day
is able to not fast and the bulk of the middle class lower middle class can feed one person a day, right? So basically anybody who can give you know one little bit of you know, bread and condiments, then Hollis you don't have to face that day. This was which Ramadan?
First Ramadan while Alladhina ut Hakuna? Who? Those who can afford it those who have the means to do so. And they don't want to fast feed yet when they give the video of time Miskin this was meaning a meaning a was abrogated, cut off. But the verse is still valid, because the term up Hakuna hood I don't wanna get too, lexicographical hear but it has two different meanings. The first of them is those who can basically able to those who can afford to the second meaning those who don't have the energy to
those who are exhausted ie from old age or permanent sickness. While hola Xena ut Hakuna, who those who are unable to fast fifth year turn to Abu Miskin. You see what just happened here?
You guys.
Yes. So the first meeting was abrogated in the next year. And the second meaning became the default which is still valid to this day. So Allah is saying, so those who are traveling or sick make up another time. And those who are have no energy left, who has no energy left, permanently sick, permanently old. Those people they cannot make up on another day. What should they do? Fifth year to amo Mysskin. Okay, so this is what happened in the second year of the Hijra. And then Allah says for mental Tawaraya for Hua highroller, if you give more than one time of miskeen it is better and this ruling still applies, if you so the minimum is thymuskin for Vidya and for I'm Miskin. Every year we
debate about this but in reality is probably seven $8 Okay, is a meal that you average meal that you give for an average person. And if you want to give $10 Let's say $10 Allah is saying if you want to give more than 10 that is good for you. Okay, well until sumo highroller come, but if you fast, it is better for you. If you only knew. Now this verse was for the first year of Ramadan, you're allowed to give the Vidya
but if you fast it is better. Okay? Now, technically the verse has not been abrogated at all because if you fast it is still better for you. Right? So technically no actual linguistic abrogation has occurred. But the meanings and the implied derivations have been modified. And this is the beauty of the Quran. Then Allah subhana wa Tada says, shahada Ramadan, this verse came down second year.
Okay, as of yet we talked about the first year's verse, and it was optional. And our Prophet system explained this is optional, if you're able to fast fast if you're not given the fifth year, okay? Then in the second year of hijra, Allah revealed before Ramadan, shahada, Ramadan Allah, the own Zillow fee Hill Quran, the month of Ramadan and this is the only verse in the whole Quran that mentions any of the months of the Islamic year by name. No other verse is mentioned by name and to emphasize the name of Ramadan Allah says the month of Ramadan SHA Ramadan and by the way the just a quick footnote here some people tried to derive some type of mystical meaning to Ramadan know the
names of the Arabic calendar were named in some unknown time in pre Islam we don't know when 50 years 100 years before the coming of Islam one year the Arabs just decided to name all the months and it's so happened that Ramadan fell in the hot summer months I eat as is going to come now. So they said the month of the burning pebbles Rumba is the pebbles that are burning hot in the mid day
so this is the month of the burning pebbles and so for example Revere was the spring right so we have revere is the spring in though in that year, the year that they named the months but a beer was at this time of spring and so on they have all of these various meanings for all of the names there's really nothing mystical some people have tried to say I'm hold on is called Ramadan because it will protect you from the hot fire of *. Allah who I loved
doesn't seem to have any basis for this. It just appears that the names of the month are names that pre Islamic Arabs had. But the point being It was named because it fell basically in the month of June, July. And arambagh was how hot the pebbles became in that month. So number one was called Ramadan and in pre Islam Ramadan was not considered a month of fasting Allah revealed it right so it's not something that they were thinking about in this regard. So to believe that seems to be a little bit far fetched nonetheless, the month of Ramadan, so this is when the commandment came too fast a month but notice one thing before the commandment is mentioned too fast the month Allah links
Ramadan to something else. And this is a reality that many of us ignore. Fasting will be mentioned but it will come number two in this paragraph before the commandment to fast Allah links Ramadan with another reality show Hello Ramadan Allah the goon Zilla V Hill Quran so Allah links Ramadan with the Quran and the revelation of the Quran and the recitation of the Quran and reviving the whole belief in the Quran. So before Allah links Ramadan with Siyam Allah mentions that Ramadan is the month of the Quran. So for us, we should take benefit from this, that Ramadan is the month of the Quran. And Allah mentions this before he tells us that Ramadan is the month of so yeah, and in
fact, the Sunnah of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam clarifies this as well, that our Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would read the Quran in its entirety in this whole month, and he would in fact listen to the Quran as well in this month, he would read the Quran and he would listen to the Quran. So there are two Sooners to read and to listen. Now who is the Prophet Muhammad says I'm going to read to him who's going to come and recite to him when the Quran came down to him in order to establish the Sunnah ALLAH SubhanA wa Tada chose the best of all angels to come down every single night to read and then to listen to, because who else is going to listen to our Prophet so seven? So
our Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam the best of all humans was paired up with the best of all angels, and the two of them would go back and forth, reading the Quran to each other and listening to it from one another. How do we know this? Because our prophets Allah Islam said so.
In the famous Hadith in Bukhari and Muslim, he said to his wife, Aisha, he confided to Aisha in the 10th year of the Hijra in the 10th year of the hedgerow, so our process and I'm fascinated basically, as an obligation nine Ramadan's as an obligation nine Ramadan's in the 10th year of the hijra, he said to his wife, our Isha that every year to breed would come to me in every night of Ramadan, and he would recite to me a Quran and listen, so he had to Doris means back and forth, we would go to Davos means back and forth, we would study and the study here is the recitation. So every night of Ramadan for the last nine years Gibreel has been coming and we will go over back and
forth the whole Quran. Pause here footnote from this, the Muslim ummah has extrapolated the Sunnah of finishing Brahma Quran in the salata tarawih from this we get this notion, it in and of itself is not sunnah, ie the Prophet SACEM did not recite Quran and Tarawa because they only let three throw it anyway. But from the fact that every night he recited Quran 138 of the Quran. So we kind of you know, one plus one we added a little bit was a cos salata Tara, we we should do this and it is something good, it is great. And it is my suggestion and opinion that every community should have multiple varieties of Tarawa those that are able to stand for the whole Jews there should be the
whole Jews and those that are not able to there should be shorter Tarawera it should cater to multiple segments of the community because not everybody can stand two hours every night and so those who are not able to do that at least there should be some alternative that is more reasonable and some Turabian should be very short. So that those who are because people are different Eman different and different responsibilities not just imagine sometimes there are people that literally they have a surgery the next morning and you don't want them to spend the whole night awake because then that surgery is going to be you know when he's performing the surgery he's gonna you know mess
up the patient or something so and all the doctors are smoking right now. This is an excuse when you have surgery. Not every single night you just like take it as an excuse that for those who are in such a situation. Definitely it makes sense that look they have a shorter that already the point being
I Isha was told by the process and God will come to me every night we go back and forth the Quran this year, however,
he requested. We go over the Quran back and forth, double twice
rather than once or twice it doubled the amount and I have no explanation for this other than that my death is near and this is my last Ramadan. And that is exactly what happened. That that was his last Ramadan. So the Allahu alayhi wa sallam So, and of course, the Sahaba and Tabby rune, the early SLF of this OMA, it is well known that Ramadan was the month of Quran for them, so much so that famous ruler mountain scholars of Hadith, Imam Malik Ibn Anas the the the scholar of Hadith of his time, when Ramadan came, he would take his Hadith scrolls, wrap them up, put them aside and open up the most if not even Hadith to be recited or read in the month of Ramadan, just oran and the same
goes for so many other Roma and scholars as well they would finish dozens of of recitations or every week or every three days, some of them even more than this. So for them, Ramadan was all about the Quran, before it was about Sam and this is exactly what Allah azza wa jal himself mentioned in the Quran. And therefore my advice to myself and to all of you is to try to revive this soon as well. That make Ramadan the month of the Quran and try to finish the whole Quran in this month. And it is not that impossible. Every 30th is 20 pages 20 pages, you can sit down and finish 20 pages in most of us in sha Allah to Allah in half an hour or less we can finish that 20 pages and even if we want
to do lesser than this, if we cannot spend 40 minutes 20 minutes 30 minutes consecutively after every Salah if you even pull out your iPad or iPhone, turn on the Quran app read five pages. In fact four pages after five Salah if you read four pages after every single Salah you will finish one Jews every single day. Just four pages and four pages will take you how much Three minutes. Three minutes, four minutes. Just read four pages after every Salah and by the time you finish Ramadan you would have finished the whole Quran and by the way, this is one Sunnah the other sunnah is to listen to the Quran. So that's two different Sooners to recite and then to listen and to listen to the
Quran. That's why one of the reasons we have salata Tarawa with the Quran being recited so that we can listen to the Quran being recited. So Allah mentions that the month of Ramadan is the month of the Quran that Allah revealed the Quran. And we know that the Quran came down to the lower heavens in the month of Ramadan, that the angel Jibreel began ikura in the month of Ramadan, a lot of us are not aware of this but the story of if Quran and the squeezing and audit Hara it took place on the day after the night of labor to the other. So the latest will other night, whatever it was, whether it's 25 or 27, or whatever the next day was when it was revealed.
The next morning was when the Quran was revealed. So the Quranic revelation began in the month of Ramadan. So Ramadan and the Quran have been linked together since the beginning. And that should be the continual realisation Alhamdulillah the Ummah by and large has done this, then Allah says after talking about the Quran, so whoever amongst you witnesses the month, then let him fast it. This is the command, no exceptional clauses if you're healthy.
And this came down in the second year, whoever is witnessing the month, finally your son who then he must fast it and then Allah still allows the exception because somebody will say, Okay, this means the exceptions have also been abrogated know the same phrase. And the first idea is then repeated again, whoever is sick, or is traveling can make up on another day. So the same exceptional clause that Allah mentioned in the first verse, he then repeated Why did he repeat so that people understand, I didn't abrogate the exception. The exception is still standing. Then Allah says and this is an amazing verse in the context of the slam of Ramadan.
You read Allahu ecoman usara wala, you need to be Kumala Rasul.
Allah wants to make things easy for you. And he does not want to make things difficult for you. Now this phrase, Allah wants to make things easy, Allah does not want to make these difficult. This phrase we have heard it so many times and hot buzz and gurus and, and Halaqaat very few of us realize that this phrase occurs right after the command to to what?
To fast.
Allah did not say pray. And by the way, I want to make things easy for you. Give Zeca and by the way, everything is easy for you. But when it comes to CRM, what does Allah say?
I want to make things easy. And then
and to emphasize, and I don't want to make things difficult. Now, these two sentences,
one could say if one were to use them, they're somewhat redundant. But of course, they're not over here in the Quran. There's a beautiful wisdom, and that is that Allah subhana wa Taala is emphasizing that the CRM, which is the most difficult aspect of worship for all of us,
the thought of not eating and drinking in the summer months, we're already terrified. There's still 10 days left, and we're wondering how are we going to manage
as we feel the summer heat, as we come in and out of our cars as we jump between one air conditioner to the next that middle 10 seconds that we're rushing in between? We're like, how are we going to manage without drinking, right? Already, we're feeling this way. And Allah azza wa jal is consoling us, don't worry, the purpose of Ramadan is not to torture you.
I want to make things easy, and I am guaranteeing you it will not be difficult. So this phrase is a promise from Allah. That the fast of Ramadan will not be difficult for us beyond what we can withstand. And without even understanding this verse, reading this verse, knowing the verse and context, all of us who have fasted previous Ramadan's, we can testify to the validity of this verse in our own personal lives. Is it not the case that even last year and the year before and every single year coming Ramadan, and we begin to think, how are we going to do it? If today, today, if you were to skip lunch, if you were to have no water throughout your office hours, what's going to
happen, your throat will start feeling parched, you will not be able to concentrate, you're going to start feeling dizzy. You don't just want to get home and not do anything. Come the first day of Ramadan. And nobody's going to say it's exactly the same of course you feel a little bit of thirst. Of course you feel a little bit of, you know, trouble and whatnot, but nothing compared to what you would feel if it was today or yesterday or tomorrow. And the day zooms by and when you sit down for a thought you're like, that wasn't that bad. And after you're done, you're like that was a piece of cake. The next day even easier. The third day, you're thinking to yourself, why don't I fast every
single day of the year this is so easy.
And by the time Ramadan finishes, you're like Hamdulillah I didn't even have to worry about lunch lunch becomes a nuisance after Ramadan.
Like I didn't have to worry about lunch now I have to think about lunch after that. Right Subhanallah any other day of the year it would not work it wouldn't happen. But in Ramadan something miraculous happens. Why does it happen because Allah has promised is going to happen. UD to Allah who become will use Surah wala you to be common Rasul Allah is guaranteeing us I promise you give it a try. Put your trust in me, it won't be difficult. And isn't that what has happened? Even if we didn't know of this verse? Isn't that the Promise of Allah that all of us have experienced? So Allah is promising us, don't worry. And subhanAllah I was just in far northern city of Canada, one of
those high places up north. And they were telling me that their fast is going to be 20 hours, 20 hours. And last year, all of you are aware, I went to Norway, and I visited the northernmost city. That is the closest city in the world. No sorry, the closest Masjid in the world to the North Pole. I visited the small city called Tromso. And it is the northernmost Masjid in the whole world closest to the closest to the North Pole. Forget about 20 hours don't even have the sun setting over there. They have to have special fake rulings for them. Okay, as for Oslo, and other of those far Scandinavian countries 21 and a half to 22 hours is there fast, because the sun does rise and set.
And according to the vast majority of aroma, if the sun actually rises and sets, then you cannot have a concession, then you have to follow the sunrise and sunset. And of course what this means, by the way, for those people, the level of if you'd like physical strength required will obviously be dropped for those people. So you know, children that are even people that are just by level, let's say or people that are slightly sick, maybe in middle climates, they will be able to fast over there. They're exempt from fasting in those tight climates. So the bar rate lowers for them obviously, right? Because the faster so difficult, but imagine for them. The Iftar and suhoor is one
meal
which is the same meal and they have to squeeze in taraweeh as well.
Imagine that. And that's what they do. And I said to them, how do you even do that?
I asked them How do you do that? And you
Word, Allah makes it easy. Allah makes it easy. I mean, you we cannot even imagine, by the way, now it's 22 hours, give them 1015 years. And their, their CEM is going to be 8am to like three to 30 PM, you know, like that. So literally by the time if Starbucks I'm not hungry, no, don't worry about it now. So that you know, as you give you take, right, so it's difficult now, but then it will be very easy for them for many other years as well. So the point is, this is the hikma of Allah, it is the hikma of Allah, that is difficult now, he will make it easy for them now. So then so the point is for us in these somewhat more middle climates, if you like. So our fast actually are very reasonable
compared to people, you know, more north, or very, very south and Hamdulillah. We thank Allah for that. But whoever wherever you are, Allah promises you read the labia como nuestra wala to become closer. And then Allah says, while he took me on data, and so that you may finish the prescribed number of days. So once again, Allah mentions is a limited number of days. While he took me down, you may finish the prescribed number of days on Ramadan is not forever, small opportunity benefit from it. What did you cut bid Allah Allah maha.com And so that you may praise Allah for having guided you while Allah competition Quran and so that you may thank him and then the next verse, And
when My servants ask you about me then tell them I am very close, I respond to the dua of the one who makes two when he makes dua. So let them make dua to me, and let them respond to my call and believe in me so that they may be rightly guided now before I move on to the final verse very quickly. Notice in these series of verses Allah mentions a number of important rituals of fasting that we overlook. Number one of Ramadan is
Quran, Quran
number two is slam. Number three is vicar.
Wali to cut bill Allah Allah Maha Darko. So thicker should be increased in Ramadan.
Number four is dua.
The most famous verse of DUA and the whole Quran is this one, and it occurs smack in the middle in the context of Ramadan,
da, da, da,
and da have the whole month of Ramadan. And dua especially on later to Qatar, which is the most powerful dua that we can make throughout the year is related to Qatar, there is no more powerful dua, the drive letter to Qatar, and also the opportunity afforded to us every single day, every single day, the opportunity afforded to us before the breaking of the fast before the breaking of the fast. Our Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said that the the dua of the one who is fasting when he is breaking his fast is never rejected. The DUA of the one who is fasting when he is fasting is never rejected. And therefore
when we sit down to break our fast, though those last few minutes of our thought, it is extremely important that we set time aside and we make dua to Allah at that time.
We have spent the whole day toiling, struggling being patient. Those last few minutes, let us put in that extra effort. You know, when the Sprinter is seeing the finish line, that's when he speeds up. Unfortunately, in our case, when the samosa smell comes wafting in,
that's when we just call us sit and the story No, that's when we should concentrate the most on
da and zikr seclusion and my advice to myself in all of you, when you are in gatherings when you're at the Iftar parties and events and Ramadan is good to do that, that you have people over it's one of the spirit of Ramadan and everything. Just the last few minutes remind the people around you. If they don't listen, that's their business but you definitely should remind and then cut off from them. Cut off from them. Raise your hands up to Allah subhana wa Tada and concentrate on what you want from him right before breaking your fast. This verse of dua comes right in the context of Ramadan. When My servants ask you about Me, then tell them I am hidden sorry, Allah doesn't say then
tell them Allah answers directly. When My servants ask you about Me. I am close to them for in Nicodemus, remember this verse when you raise your hands at the time of thought. Allah is saying this for India Corrib in the context of Ramadan in the context of Sam, I will answer your DUA when you make dua so make dua to me with G without a doubt either Danny failures that God will do that
alone, y'all shouldn't. And then the verses go on that mentioned that during the nights you may be intimate with your spouse and eat and drink. Because when the first commandment came down, the understanding was that you are not allowed to eat and drink or be intimate. As soon as you go to sleep, which would have been right after the show. Right after issue if you go to sleep then that says you have to then no Soho, no SOHO and no intimacy. Then Allah azza wa jal made it easy for Anna Hoffa, Allah made it easy for you. Allah has made it easy for you go ahead and eat and drink kulula shareable Go ahead and eat and drink had yet available. It'll be illuminated. So the winner for June
until the white thread separates from the black thread in the threads of dawn
and Ebola narrated in the famous hadith of Simon some and others that he said O Messenger of Allah. When he heard this verse he wanted to impress the process was that a messenger of Allah, I took out a white thread, and I took out a black thread, and after which I didn't go to sleep. And I kept on waiting, waiting, waiting until I could tell the difference between the white thread and the black thread. And our process and M said indeed your pillow must be vast because Allah is referencing the white streaks of Dawn from the black streaks of the night. So the horizon, not the threat on your pillow. Okay. So the point being that the exact timing right is basically at the crack of actual
Fajr Dawn, which is one fractured begins. Okay, the horizontal dawn that comes that is the beginning of Fudger. When the Fajr time comes in, that is when we stop our eating and drinking Fukuda Chabot had a medical photo, we looked at that as well the manufacture and then it goes on talks about your take off as well. So these are the verses about Ramadan and I wanted to mention them very quickly, as I said, this is going to be in sha Allah somewhat of a comprehensive lecture, after we do this very quickly some of the fifth issues that we should all be aware of, and then some spiritual advice, and then some physical advice, Inshallah, who to either and then some time for q&a.
As for the fifth, I've given a very detailed lecture about the fifth of fasting, it is online, it is delivered from here MICU will find it online. So I will not repeat all of that. But just a quick reminder to myself and all of you that first and foremost when it comes to the beginning and ending of the month of Ramadan, then the correct opinion is the majority opinion. Ie what your community is doing, stick with it. This is the correct opinion that if you are not in charge, do not break away from the drama of the Muslims. And if you are in charge, then sit and discuss your companions until you decide which one you want to follow. But the individual Muslim does not break away from the
community of Muslims. Whatever the community is doing. That is what you should be doing because the Hand of Allah is upon the committee and Allah Allah Gemma, the Hand of Allah is upon the community and our Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam told us that a Soma Yamato Simone will fit through your Alma to follow on the day of Psalm is the day when you start fasting. And the day of filter is when you celebrate either fitter meaning regardless of what's actually happening in the sky and what not, Allah azza wa jal will count your fast as the day you guys started fasting, and this is the reality my dear brothers and sisters of the entire majority Muslim world other than Muslim minorities. We
know for a fact every single country of the Muslim world has its basically announced its own program for Ramadan to Muslim countries side by side will disagree with with one another. The Muslims of one country don't care about what the Muslims or the other country have done. Correct. The Muslims of one country are not going to take into account what the neighboring country has done. Their government their ministry has announced read is on this day the whole country is celebrating Eid, right? Right next door, another country for whatever reasons will follow another ruling. And guess what? Both are valid in the eyes of Allah?
This has always been the case since the beginning of time. We have authentic hadith in Sahih Muslim that the Muslims of Damascus and the Muslims of Medina began Ramadan on different days.
And they found out about it before the end of Ramadan because people are coming back. And neither of them said to the other Oh, you have to change your date. This isn't the time of the Sahaba so we should not be so arrogant or so hardcore or so nitpicky, let every community do what it is doing. If you are in charge, then yes, sit down with the books are filled with their own ama with the scholars find out which position you want to follow, and then have the community follow that but if you're not in charge, stick with the majority. It's not possible that 10,000 people are celebrating and you will you and your house say no. I'm not going to celebrate. I'm going to read on my own with my own
wife and kids. This is not eat. This is not Ramadan.
Follow the community and the community in sha Allah, Allah Allah, that will be what will be your mercy. And we do not have the government to tell us Muslim countries have their governments they follow it. We don't say we follow the majority of our particular provinces or our cities even and Al Hamdulillah. In the city of Memphis, the bulk of the community hamdulillah has agreed to beginning and end so whatever their filthy position is, that's a separate subject and topic for us, we simply follow and that will be the Mercy of Allah in that with regards to the NIA of fasting as well, of course we all understand that Nia is a necessary requirement for any action of worship. And then he
basically means you know, you are fasting and all of us in Sharla, in the month of Ramadan, we have this Nia so it's not as if you know, we have to make a verbal intention or think about it every single night, we make a generic Nia, we all know we're fasting pretty much every single day unless we are sick or the sisters have their monthly cycle. Otherwise we know we're fasting. And so that is the generic Nia we make it and if we have Maconie every single night, not a problem, but if we don't make the NIA the night before, but we know we're fasting the month that is the NIA that is the NIA so if suppose one day you woke up after fajr and you forgot to wake up and you're like, Oh my God, I
didn't make the NEA well, when the month began. Did you think you'd be fasting on this day? Yes, so that is your new year. That is your new year, your new year is already there that you want to fast the entire month. What breaks the fast breaks the fast by unanimous consensus. A number of things breaks too fast without any Atilla without any filthy controversy. First and foremost, the need to break the fast you make up your mind I'm gonna break the fast and you're just looking for water or food or whatnot. Now suppose you don't get to the water and food you have made up your mind I'm gonna break the faster your NIA has broken the fast secondly to eat and drink intentionally This is
breaking the fast now you might be excused medically you might be excused suppose there's a medical emergency suppose you are fainting, you need some some something sweet something water, Allah is going to excuse you, but obviously by eating and drinking intentionally what has happened you have broken the fast okay. So, intentionally eating and drinking breaks the fast
being intimate with one spouse, which basically means the actual act of intimacy also breaks deep fast. Also climaxing in a sexual manner either male or female. In the state of wakefulness breaks the fast, whether it is something that was self induced or spouse induced or whatever, however, if it occurs during sleep than anything that occurs during sleep is of course, forgiven and overlooked. So anything that happens in the sleep is forgiven or overlooked. The controversial things, the gray areas, that there's controversy of opinion, I will just give you my opinion, and then it's up to you to either take it or follow your call or whatever, that's fine. The controversial issues. Number
one,
oh, by the way, by pretty much unanimous consensus, accidental eating and drinking is forgiven. So very common, you're passing by the office and the water canisters there, you just forget you drink some water. This is a gift from Allah. And thank Allah for the gift don't have to feel guilty. But don't continue drinking once you remember, okay? It's a gift from Allah don't have to worry about it, leave it go. And if you see somebody eating or drinking, that's a Muslim, then it is your obligation. Brother is number one because your obligation is to see her. Okay, so you should also remind the person and suppose they might have medical issues or whatever, but it's not something
some people say I shouldn't remind them because Allah is gifting them. Well, Allah is gifting them that's directly but your obligation is to advise one another and help one another in this regard. So the gray area of fixed issues about what breaks and what doesn't break number one vomiting bit of an anti laugh bit of a controversy, unintentional vomiting, intentional vomiting, and inshallah the correct opinion the correct opinion insha Allah is that accidental unintentional vomiting, does not to break the fast. Now, it's another thing if you have vomited a lot, and you're going to faint and you want to break the VAT, perhaps you're forgiven. That's not it. But I'm saying if you vomit and
you feel fine, and you can continue, the fast is not broken. So accidental, unintentional, you feel nauseous and it's overcome, then it does not break the fast. Okay, that's in Charlotte, the correct opinion. The other controversial issue is blood donation, for example, large quantities of blood. And again, insha Allah, the correct opinion, there doesn't seem to be any explicit evidence to break the fast when you take blood out. Of course, whether you want to donate a pint of blood when you're fasting, that's a separate issue, and perhaps is not the wisest thing to do. But it does not ensure a low to either break the fast as well.
controversial big discussion amongst modern odema injections. And pretty much the bulk of modern folk ah, this is a modern issue, you're not going to fight in classical books. The bulk of modern folk aha, this is the majority of modern scholars have said that all injections do not break the fast other than injections that are specifically meant to give you energy ie glucose. So injections meant to numb an area injections meant for any type of medication, any type of flu vaccine, anything does not break the fast other than an injection that is meant to give you energy, which is primarily glucose or there might be other things as well. But otherwise, the injection that you would get at
any regular doctor's office visit, which is basically some type of you know, medication or some type of numbing of the area or anesthetic or something, this does not break the fast because again, this is all modern. This is nothing classical because what has happened to break the fast what has happened to break the fast nothing has happened you haven't taken any energy eaten or drank anything. This is something that comes into the the bloodstream, and it does not affect your fast and the physical pangs of fasting nothing has is affected by this. So this is another area of controversy. And I gave you the majority opinion. Another big area of controversy, big area of
controversy, the former dive have their various positions on this is accidentally eating and drinking.
Thinking it is Muslim, which is different than accent of eating and drinking in the daytime.
That's a difference because when you eat and drink thinking it's Muslim, you want to break the fast.
So this has led to some bit of controversy. And frankly, both sides have some strong evidences to them. And therefore just be extra careful at that particular point in time. Even though I mean insha Allah insha Allah in Nova, Amma Lavinia and your Nia was not to break the fast before it's time.
So Eve So here, I don't want to go into too much detail. We don't have time, but there's a technicality. You intend to break the fast, then it turns out, you shouldn't have broken the fast. So there is an intention. And the intention breaks. Correct. Suppose you intended a three o'clock to break the fast is broken. Suppose Maghrib is that? What is it a 20? Right? Suppose just suppose you looked at the watch, it was 720. But your mind registered a 20. Suppose and you're like, Oh, let me break the fast and you broke your knee or was to break? So a number of muda hips say that knee? Yeah, your sin less because it was an accident, but you still have to make it up. That's the
controversy. Right? In any case, this is indeed a gray area. And I don't have in my humble opinion, my own opinion is not something hardcore about this. It is a dangerous thing. And perhaps the safest thing to do is to make it up even though you're saying less we're doing it. But in sha Allah insha Allah in the manera vignette and we can let it slide.
So, these are the main issues of controversy. X that do not break the fast Inshallah, without any doubt is
the own regurgitation of your own saliva. It is natural, your own saliva, Allah azza wa jal created it to lubricate your throat. So, the notion of having to spit out everything in your mouth, that is unreal, unfeasible, it doesn't work that way. Okay, your own saliva, it is meant to lubricate your throat. It is produced by your own body, it's not coming in from the outside and every human being continuously regurgitates and his cycle with his own saliva that does not break the fast as well. Small amounts of liquid
that might be ingested in the eyes or the ears, this does not, generally speaking lead to the throat generally speaking, and that is why if you do will do and you splash water on your eyes or ears, it doesn't, you jump into the pool, it doesn't break the fast if your water goes into the eyes, or the ears, any type of dental work, obviously as well that doesn't reach the throat. Now the problem comes in dental work is that sometimes they put all of that fluid and it's swashing through your mouth. It's almost impossible that it doesn't go in that's the problem. But technically, any dental work does not go into effect you're fasting the brushing of the teeth. So realize what breaks the
fast is that which goes into the Haluk not what goes into the mouth because even in will do our processing them said when you're fasting then do the mod model a little bit less vigorously. The instant shaft and mod MOBA toned it down he didn't say cut it off.
So when we're doing we'll do we actually gurgle and we blow water in but little bit gentle. Just take it easy, which means what? The water of the nose and the mouth does not break the fast one
Do they break the fast the HELOC when it goes into the HELOC. So, the brushing of the teeth technically does not break the fast but you are skirting down the very narrow line over here of breaking the fast so, if you must do it and some of our job occupations require us to do it, then be extra extra extra careful and realize the sooner alternative of miswak is much safer in this regard as well what does not break the fast is any type of romance or foreplay between the couples that does not actually lead to actual act of intimacy. So any type of romance or foreplay it is authentically narrated in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim Aisha is narrating that the Prophet says
and would kiss us and hug us while he was fasting. Or the eighth is in Bukhari and Muslim Aisha himself herself is narrating so kissing and hugging while you are fasting. But then she herself said, but Who amongst you is able to control himself like our Prophet sallallahu Sallam so our scholars say that the one who is the ticket typically see the one who is young but then it shall all of us are younger at heart. Mashallah, right? So, but they say the one who is young, it is mcru for him to kiss or to hug, and the one who is old, no problem for that person to do that. Okay, but the elders are going to object and say, No, I still feel like this. Okay. hamdulillah good for you then
make it mcru for yourself no problem in sha Allah. But technically speaking, technically speaking, any type of romance is does not at all affect the so it's not even as if it's like macro in and of itself. It's only macro, because it's leading to the potential of breaking the fast, right. So as long as it's not going to break the fast, then any type of foreplay, that is not actual intimacy is not going to break the fast as well. Something that is halal. And not a problem is for someone to taste food for a legitimate reason and then spit it out. So
the examples given in the books of the mother, in those days would chew the food for the toddler. They didn't have Gerber Baby Food. So I'm sorry girls are in guys, but that's what Gerber was back then. It was chewed food. That's how they will do it. Okay. All mothers, your own grandmothers did it in my own grandmother must have done it as well. So they will chew the food and then put it in the mouth of the baby. This is what toddlers would eat. So that is halal. Because why is it halal because it doesn't go down the Halak, the throat, okay. And the same goes for somebody who is cooking and there is a requirement to taste the food. A legitimate reason and a legitimate reason
basically means you're cooking for a 500 people or even you're cooking for, even if you're cooking for the family, whatever. And there's a reason you're not sure you don't want to have too salty or whatnot. It's halal. Technically, taste buds do not break the fast swallowing the food breaks too fast. Okay, so if you're tasting too much salt or whatever, and then you just wash your mouth with water and then the food is gotten rid of then you're fast is valid, as well being in the state of Genova and not taking a whistle when the Adana Fajr comes in, completely had no problem whatsoever, has nothing. Your state of Geneva does not have anything to do with the beginning of the fast. It
only has to do with solids and Fajr. So you had better take a shower before praying Fajr. But you don't need to take a shower before before the beginning of the fast itself. And pretty much these are the main issues. There is a huge controversy over inhalants in our times. And insha Allah the position of most of my teachers, and what I also believe is that inhalants take the verdict of air and not the verdict of water, because the afterlife comes inhalants. If you were to take a glass and do that you see drops coming.
Correct. So many of the scholars say that's water.
And the other position is that but it is so fine, that it takes the verdict of air and they show that that is the correct position. That is such a fine mist that even you can have, you know,
high concentration of water vapor in the air that's not going to break your fast. Okay, so Allah knows best but most of our scholars in our times in the and the committee for fear of the Robitaille alum as well has given this fatwa that inhalants do not break the fast very quickly some etiquettes of spiritual etiquettes of fasting and then some health issues as well. The spiritual issues of fasting Oh sorry, I forgot forgot to mention who cannot fast. Obviously women in menses and postpartum bleeding, they cannot fast they are haram for them too fast. Those who have minor sickness or try
Travelers it is up to them, minor sickness or travelers it is up to them and they should choose whatever they want to do. If they want to fast that is fine. If they don't want to fast they can make up another day. And the better thing to do is the easier thing to do ie one should not put an undue hardship
for fast, a reasonable hardship is good, no problem all of us have reasonable hardship and fasting an undue hardship No, because our process and am said lay seminal bill of scialfa suffer it is not a righteousness that you fast while traveling. But this hadith applies when you're walking 50 miles a day in our times if some of us is taking a quick flight 30 minutes 15 minutes. Many of us think it's easier for me just to continue to Milan rather than make it up on another day. So they find it easy and others say no is difficult whatever it is, it's permissible for you both is permissible minor sickness and what is minor sickness you are the better judge of that very slight fever very slight,
you know issue minor second you can get by basically that is permissible either way. And if you don't think you can get by them break the fast as for major sickness obviously, or difficult travel, then for sure. The Sunnah and the encouraged thing to do is to not fast and to make it up on a later day by text of the Quran. Okay, so definitely high fever. It is perhaps even sinful for you to think you will get every word fasting. When you have a high fever, you need your fluids you need to drink difficult travel you should not fast and make it up on another day. And then those who are permanently sick, those who are aged and permanently sick the elderly for them. There is no makeup
as Allah clue says in the Quran, they have to do the video video to thrombo Miskin and the video amount. Every year we announce it in sha Allah is really, if you can give $10 a day that's good if you want to give even $7 inshallah that is permissible. Now some spiritual advice about Ramadan. One of our biggest problems in Ramadan is that we enter the month with such a spurt of enthusiasm. That within the first 10 days it all dies down. And then by the time we hit the 10th day 15th day, we start getting lethargic. And we see this in our Masjid attendance as well every Masjid not just ours every Masjid first few days of Ramadan Masha Allah jam packed, then the middle 10 It says if it's
not even Ramadan sometimes and then the last 10 Still hamdullah people come back in. But this should not be the case because every 10 days, every stretch of 10 days is more blessed than the previous one. So the middle 10 is more blessed than the first time. This is not to say you skip the first time then you come thick and thin. But be prepared as you walk into the month. Be prepared and pace yourself. Pace yourself set up a daily routine. What am I going to do with comes to the Quran when it comes to my sleep habits, start those routines as much as you can from now from now if you can start putting in a little bit of those routines, because you can't just go cold turkey in one day is
difficult to do that little bit you begin
along the way and think as well about if you're able to take a nap when you come home because those naps are very beneficial in tahajjud and pm in Tara where they come a lot handy. And even modern science has shown even a 20 minute nap a 30 minute nap can give you revitalization of two or three hours and this is well known studies have done this as well. Try your best to minimize waste useless social interactions, especially on Facebook and whatnot complete waste of time generally speaking, our social interactions minimize this and just try to concentrate on rebar dots on Quran on drop and thicker as well. Masjid attendance one of the easiest and best things to do make it your routine I'm
going to come to the masjid every single day for Torah we set that and of course here at MIT you know we have our regular family routine. One hour 15 minutes set in stone, you come and you leave one hour 15 minutes we wanted to be family friendly and that's the goal we have that as I said is good Wallahi it is good for some massages to have two hours two and a half hours it's very healthy and it's very healthy. I wish some massage it had 20 minutes that are way it's very healthy so that people can choose which one is convenient for them. And we have decided to go to family friendly routine where we do at least half of us three quarters of videos we get into the spirit of Ramadan,
you know we feel a little bit but still we can get back home in time to go to sleep get some hours before school and then you know have another two after so this is our goal to make it family friendly. So we have an hour 15 minutes as we know that will be our standard as well advice particularly when it comes to social gatherings that Subhanallah throughout the day. It's really amazing amongst people that are not Muslim. We managed to maintain our Islamic identity very well. Then when we hit the Iftar party scene, when the night is still young, and we started going to other moves
slums houses, or even the masjid, then the politics and the backbiting and this and Subhan Allah, we managed to keep it clean when we're around people who didn't believe in Allah and His Messenger, then when we get around fellow believers stuff with Allah, all of it comes back. No, we should make an extra effort and you know, in this month, advise one another, don't feel shy, be tell people look, you know, I'm not the best person, but let's in this month, let's not talk about this, this more than something else and then you change the topic. So that Insha Allah, some type of community spirit can be done. And then the final points Inshallah, before we open the floor for some q&a, and
then as well, we have a group project Inshallah, to talk to you about
is that, and this is not my field, I feel very embarrassed talking about this one, there are so many doctors here, but nonetheless, inshallah some benefit to all of us. And perhaps the doctors can correct and add things as well. But we should all remind ourselves that fasting actually has many, many health benefits, and also some concerns we should have when in the summer months. You know, in the last few years, a number of interesting studies have been done, about the health benefits of fasting. There's a British journalist and author, Dr. Michael Mosley, who actually presents a show on BBC he has a very famous show on BBC the British television. And he, in the course of his own
self study, he decided to monitor himself. Now this guy has access to hospitals, machines, I mean, he's the host of the show, a medical show, okay, he decided to monitor himself. What happens if I start fasting, not the Islamic fast, his version of fasting, which was a slightly different version, like 24 hours, no food, and then, you know, eat whatever he wants, he had his own version of fasting. And he wrote a book about this is called Eat fast and live longer, eat fast and live longer. And the reason why he wanted to begin this was because his doctors told him, he's borderline diabetic, and his cholesterol is too high. And his doctors wanted to give him medication. And he had
been reading some Eastern type of literature. And he decided, let me try one fast that concluded that fasting give us
in the grand scale of humanity. Most human beings did not eat three meals a day, and will live from the Sunnah. Wallahi this is true. From the Sunnah, this is absolutely true. Our process, um, did not eat three meals a day, the Sahaba, most of them, if they had food, they will eat two meals a day, by the way, if they had, at times, they would eat one meal and one snack and that's it. Okay. And they concluded that, in fact, the diet of people in previous generations, which was generally speaking, you eke out an existence for three, four or five days, then a big surplus comes you eat quite a lot. So when you sacrifice an animal, for example, you have two days of meat eating the no more meat for
weeks, for example, right. So that type of diet, they said, is very healthy. And during those days of eating, you can eat as much as you want and one effect you and then on the days of fasting, you will get back to your regular routine. These surveys they showed and there are others as well, that fasting normalizes your insulin level, your leptin sensitivity, it boosts your mitochondrial energy, it the intermittent fasting in particular, which was and this was really amazing, and I'm not making this up Wallahi This they did this themselves. Intermittent fasting, they said is the ideal is to fast two days of the week,
rings a bell.
The ideal is to fast two days of the week with a gap of two days in the middle.
And what is this Monday and Thursday. This is the ideal and they call this intermittent fasting. I call it sunnah fasting, okay, so they call it intermittent fasting. They said intermittent fasting helps reset the body to its proper fat usage. And that there's mounting evidence that when the body becomes adapted to burning fat instead of sugar as his primary food fuel, so we are burning sugar when we eat three meals a day, if we don't eat those meals in that matter, so then our fat reserves become the primary source of our food, our fuel, then you dramatically reduce your risk of chronic disease. It lowers your triglyceride levels, it reduces the exit oxidative stress. And they said and
this was unique to me all the rest I knew but this was new to me. Intermittent fasting has been identified as a potent ally for the prevention and the treatment of dementia.
Your brain works better if you fast and it will work better towards the end of your life if you fast so Subhanallah some amazing benefits for fasting as well that are now being medically proven. And of course some quick tips which are easy to say difficult to do that we all know that we should eat nutritious meals and we should eat the Soho This is from the Sunnah of the Prophet system. He commanded us to eat Soho, and it's not YG but he commanded us decide how to eat
Just record meal and many of us especially in the summer months when we don't feel like waking up for Serota, we just want to skip it. But this is very, very, very unhealthy from a medical perspective from a sunnah perspective, even if it's a small meal, our process and I'm said eat pseudocode because in pseudocode there is baraka and what is baraka? Baraka means that small quantity of food will last us the whole day. This is what Baraka means. And
Muslim doctors have written a number of good articles about medicinal issues about fasting and about food and whatnot. And they have all said, and there's something common sense we all know that, eat a moderate sized meal, don't stuff yourself at school, stuffing yourself is not going to help. In fact, it will be bad if you stop yourself as true eat what you typically would eat for breakfast, not more and not less, and also eat high fiber foods and complex type of carbohydrates such as grains such as pulses, high fiber cereals is good. Anything that is basically like porridge or something of this nature, that will or even wheat grain, this would be good for sure. And of course
avoid fatty foods. The more natural the better. The more greens, the more fruits more vegetables, this is better at night especially drink as much fluids as you can our body Allah created in an amazing manner we absorb water, and will last mashallah 16 1718 hours without water, but we need to absorb it back, rehydrate ourselves throughout the night. And try to minimize the caffeinated beverages because we all know that coffee and other such beverages they actually act as a water sponge, they take the water out of our body. So try to minimize and those of us that are addicted to coffee, I'm one of them. Make sure that you start weaning yourself off from coffee. Now otherwise
you're gonna get the coffee migraines, which are very painful. So from now, start weaning yourself off or if you must start pushing the coffee time back to after maghrib so that your brain gets accustomed to drinking after maghrib and of course, as usual, it's far better to eat fresh fruits, dried fruits vegetables than to eat samosas I say this May Allah protect me from being a hypocrite I ask Allah is forgiveness. But the the what is the saying The soul is strong but the flesh is weak, right? So the fitna of the summer says Wallahi I don't understand why our culture's invented the samosa for Iftar because it is such a fitna, the pakoras and the samosas are the worst food
imaginable to eat after 16 hours of not eating, yet for some devious reason. Can we say this is a plot of shaytaan? I don't know. But for some devious reason, our culture's have invented the worst imaginable foods, you really should not be stuffing yourself with fried cholesterol products after your stomach has cleansed itself, you know, for 16 hours. So may Allah protect me from hypocrisy and all of us as well.
We should ban it. No, no, please don't say this.
Don't say this, please. There's only so much I can take. Let's just be reasonable. One samosa a day is that good doctors. Just cut back okay. Once there was one pecota He wants Okay, so once it was over and pecota Okay. What about the meat Shala the meat is, what can we say? May Allah azza wa jal, the point being Okay, seriously, we all understand it's not in our best interest. So make sure that we at least make it up put some healthy food as well. And of course the most important throughout all of this is to have that connection with Allah subhanho wa taala. And to ask Allah to bless us to finish the month of Ramadan upon our highest and our best, Iman and Taqwa May Allah subhanho wa
taala. Grant us this Ramadan and many many more Ramadan's to come