(See the arabic version)
We can never talk about negative and positive things
in Islam like politic or phylosophy or science but only positive things.
Only nice things and good things. All the Islam principles and
practices are beneficial for the humanity since it is from God, Allah the
Almighty subhanah Wa Taala (SBW). Our God Cannot make right and wrong
things but only right things, He SWT saves us from any hostility in our
life through the obedience to him and through worshipping which is the best
relationship between God the creator and man the creature, so better
worship the creator not the creature. Many people mistakenly believe that
Ramadan is a hard practice and Islam is a hard religion. But if they
really think of what fasting can do for saving people from both
psychological and physical diseases, they then get convinced about fasting.
Fasting is an obedience to Allah the almighty, who
said in the holy Quran:
O believers,
prescribed for you is the fast, even as it was prescribed for those that
were before you haply you will be Allah fearing.
يا أيها
الذين آمنوا كتب عليكم الصيام كما كتب على الذين من قبلكم لعلكم تتقون
البقرة
Fasting is a prescribed duty and a private
relation between man and his Lord Allah, and which Allah has guaranteed
to reward for it. It was na in the Qudsi Hadith that Allah says:
Every act of the son of Adam is for
him, except fasting. It is meant exclusively for me and I reward for it.
Sure all the people when they talk about Ramadan they may ask why
fasting one month? Which seems too long… And why fasting is so
important that it was prescribed by the almighty Allah subhanah Wa Taala
as one of the five pillars of Islam? Yes theses questions are
objectively logic, but they may require strong and convincing answers
and arguments. Reasons are to be given to prove the high level the
muslim may reach in the life. It is not easy to respond to these
questions which may appear simple. These questions arise from a peculiar
state of disease within the imagination due to a large lack of knowledge.
This unfounded fear about fasting is what makes the difference between
Muslims and non Muslims, and makes also the difference between fasting
and starvation, the former is well defined but the later is not defined.
There is a clear difference between fasting which is a strict
designation of
Islam and starvation or diet which is a scientific definition. Yet the role of
fasting is first an endeavor to God SWT. It the most
important way to obey and to pray Allah the Almighty. People do not fast
for health care or for losing weight but they fast because it is an
obligation and an Ibada to reach a higher level. People may seek the
forgiveness and rewarding from Allah first, and as a reward from Allah,
He gives
us a healthy body and a wise state (psychologic).
Non Muslim people can never understand what really Fasting means, they
only think, with an unfounded fear, about eating and drinking and they are
afraid from not eating and not drinking as without them one should dye
immediately. But they
do not know that God could never recommend wrong things and could never
do bad things. God the Almighty had sure not prescribed Fasting for
torturing the people. He prescribes Fasting for its
medical benefits, social education and economic advantages for the
society. Ramadan is like a milestone in the year we should stop by and
review our acts, it is an appointment with God to check everything and
to see if the way we are following is right or wrong.
Fasting is different from starvation. Starvation is not only
physical but also psychologic. This can be argued by Annyah
which is an important condition for a correct and acceptable fasting.
Annyah is when you decide definitely to do something with a strong well,
so it is associated to an extreme concentration which is an update of
reprogramming the body to do something. Suppose that you are ajumping athlete, you can never reach a high performance without an extreme
concentration. This means that the body is well prepared to undergo any
situation and to face any unfavorable condition. Fasting without annyah
is very hard and people can never face a complete abstinence from all
substances drinking and eating also from sexual activities without any
psychologic preparation.
God Allah the Almighty teaches us how to face hard situations and how to
undergo unfavorable conditions. This what makes Muslim people strong in
decisions and strong in hard situations Ramadan may learn us the
endurance in life and this point is a high sign of fasting and is among
the renewable miracles in Quran and Sunnah.
Annyah is also a strong factor for a self control of the personality,
one can never stop eating and drinking constantly from dawn to sunset
during one month by himself. Muslims by their faith and trust in God do
that easily since they know that they are controlled by God. So morally
they can never cheat with god and they can never feel any weakness
during fasting.
When individuals try to fast or to make dietary changes without
experience, they often get frustrated. Fasting for the first time will
make you feel sick. Symptoms such as fatigue, nausea, abdominal pain and
bloating, joint pain, headaches, skin rashes, irritability, depression,
etc… are just a few of the common problems that can arises as the body
starts eliminating toxins and metabolic byproducts. It is difficult to
get people to practice new healthful living habits for long unless they
have a strong well to do so.
Up to now and even in developed countries, no practice or training can
learn to people how to be strong in mind and how to be wise in decisions
and how to face hard situations.
Medical benefits of Fasting
Fasting would sure allow the body to reveal the baseline status and is
also a natural mean used by all living creators to relieve the body from
discomfort and diseases. Temporary omission of food leads to a well
restoration of health and wholeness. So all the functions inside the
body is repaired and restored as it was before the abnormal state of the
body.
Most of diseases came from the digestive system especially metabolic
ones, the nature and the amount of food administered to the body may
sure have an effect, there is no way to control or to monitor the food
intake other than fasting, God the Almighty who had created the body
knows what is right and what is wrong so The Muslim life is well
organized and protected if he can follow what his Lord wants him to do
and how his Lord wants him to live. This is the most important point to
know and to understand by Muslims since our religion is not only for
faith but also for proof and nothing is let to people even some scholars
try to make the lifestyle problems to man everything is set by God and
indicated as good or bad by God, but the way things should be done in a
context of Jamaa are let to people who may organize them so they could
not bother each other.
Hypertension, cardiovascular, obesity, stomach and intestine disorders,
kidneys, bladder, prostate, thyroid, dermatitis, hair fall, Sexual
problems, menstruation cycles disorder and depression, insomnia, asthma,
allergies, Triglycerides, liver, cancers etc… All these diseases are now
occurring most frequently and more than before. Two decades ago there
was only microbial borne diseases such typhoid fever, malaria,
tuberculosis, anthracnose, dysentery which were eradicated by the
antibiotics. Now we are facing food borne diseases or too much eating
diseases which must result in non treated diseases or hard to treat or
to alleviate. The healing process could not be chemical or drug based
medicines.
Atherosclerosis is a slow, complex disease in which fatty substances,
cholesterol, cellular waste products, calcium, and other substances
build up in the inner lining of an artery. Atherosclerosis is derived
from the Greek words athero (meaning gruel or paste) and sclerosis (meaning
hardness). Atherosclerosis is a slow complex disease caused by an
accumulation of fatty substances, cholesterol, calcium and some other
compounds which build up in the inner lining of an artery. The borne
clog inside the artery may narrow it. This may also may differ depending
upon which arteries in the body narrow and become clogged. For example,
plaque buildup in the vessels that supply the heart with oxygen-rich
blood may cause chest pain and lead to a heart attack while plaque
buildup in the arteries that supply blood to the brain may result in a
stroke.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, heart disease is the
leading cause of illness and death in the United States and most other
Western countries. Close to one million deaths per year in the United
States alone are attributable to heart disease, double the number of
deaths from cancer. Because atherosclerosis is highly preventable and
the risk factors are well-documented, preventive measures such as
lowering blood pressure and LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels, smoking
cessation, losing weight, and increasing physical activity should be
followed.
Because many people do not have the classic risk factors of
atherosclerosis (such as cigarette smoking and high blood pressure), it
is possible that there may be other contributing factors or causes of
atherosclerosis. The most probable factor is the life style change, so
the consumption of animal products such meat, eggs and cheese increased
significantly when the physical efforts or exercising is reduced because
of the comfortable means for transportation such as cars buses and
underground tube etc….
Atherosclerosis shows no symptoms until a complication (such as chest
pain or a heart attack) occurs. For this reason, lifestyle choices such
as achieving and maintaining a normal weight, lowering blood pressure
and cholesterol, exercising regularly, quitting smoking, and reducing
stress, are all important steps in preventing atherosclerosis. Nutrition
and dietary supplements, such as vitamin E, omega-3 fatty acids, and
folate (vitamin B9) may be effective when used in addition to certain
medications
The risk factors are: Lowered levels of the
hormone estrogen following menopause High blood pressure High LDL ("bad")
cholesterol and/or high triglycerides, Elevated homocysteine levels,
Diabetes mellitus, Insulin resistance, Obesity, particularly in the
abdominal region, Sedentary lifestyle, Diets high in saturated fat and
trans fatty acids. All these could be monitored by a simple
prevention approach based on the diet. The amount
of food is as important as the nature of food. Non animal foods are
recommended and Fasting is the most relevant preventive approach for
people suffering from these diseases.
The accumulations of food and energy in the body such as an excess of
nutrients may lead to some dysfunctions in the body. Physiologically any
excess may disturb the balance inside the body, A high fat intake
associated to comfort is related to high cholesterol content in blood
and obesity which may lead to diabete and or hypertension. Vegetable
oils other than olive oil may lead to thyroid disorders. Cancers and
asthma are also related to food intake in nature and in amount.
Fasting is the best healing process for the hypertension. Several people
could feel that their tension is well established during Ramadan. When
fasting is well performed it may help people suffering a high tension to
reduce it. These people should not eat too much during Ramadan so they
could omit ;eats and dairy products except churned fermented milk or
laban and they may also reduce sugar consumption and no fear about
fasting. Hypertension is a very dangerous disease and it is most
frequently associated to diabete or high cholesterol content in blood.
In These cases, the situation is very worrying about.
There is no sophisticated process for alleviating the cardiovascular
problems other than fasting. Some doctors recommend that fasting is very
dangerous for these people because they are afraid about heart attack or
stoke or any other urgent attack. Fasting is very beneficial for these
people and their diseases could be healed if the fasting is well
performed with a non meat diet during Ramadan.
Ramadan is the
rest period for the digestive system including
stomach, intestines, liver etc… Disturbance of the gastrointestinal
system including esophagitis, gastritis, colitis, constipation, bloating,
and symptoms associated with so-called candidiasis are all alleviated by
fasting. Some severe colitis with bleeding through the rectum could be
stopped by fasting. After two weeks fasting the pain is resolved and the
bowel movements can be blood-free but long fasting periods are required
for a complete healing of the colitis.
Uterine fibroids tumors are also a very bothering problem for physicians,
There is no healing procedure for reducing the size of the uterine
fibroids other than fasting. Fibroids contributing to pain and excess
bleeding are usually removed with the uterus (hysterectomy) but in most
cases and even pain bleeding are severe, a healing procedure other than
hysterectomy should be first applied for attempting to avoid the
surgery. The hysterectomy is not recommended for many reasons and it is
also not proved. A proper fast will often dramatically reduce the size
of these uterine fibroids which are now frequent throughout the world
especially in ladies having more than 3 babies.
Ovarian cysts and cervical dysplasia also often respond to fast. It
should be assumed that these diseases are hormonal and since fast is
the best regulator of the hormonal system, one will see that hormones
related to the ovaries, uterus, prostate, kidneys, and thyroid will be
adjusted to their normal values.
How to take advantages from your fast and how to reach all these
benefits from Ramadan. This question is very relevant and it should be
really respected for a succeeded fast for both faith and health. The
change of eating from the day to the night is not a proper fast. One
should avoid the increase of the food amount intake during the evening
and the rich foods supply during Ramadan such as meats, eggs, fish, and
dairy products except milk and fermented milk.
Ramadan had been prescribed by our God Allah SWT the Almighty but how to
fast was explained to the Ummah by the Prophet Muhamed Peace be on Him
and his companions He is our teacher of Aakida and Chariaa.
How to fast
?
Muslims should adhere to the Sunnah for better and proper doing in
Islam. Sunah is a bright glass that reflects the meaning of the Ahkams
and obligations toward our God SWT. If we follow our prophet PBH we will
sure win the of Allah SWT. The first rule is to abstain from having
too much food in the breakfast. Only simple and easy to digest foods are
allowed. Our Prophet used to break the fast with dates or when he could
not find dates some water. He went to the Maghrib prayer first this
could take at least half hour and then he could eat but not heavy meals
for he can pray too long since Ramadan is for Ibada not for eating and
laying cards. The second rule in Sunnah is the omission of the diner
meal. There was only Fotour Breakfast and Suhour a last light meal
before starting the fast -before the Fajr prayer- the dawn. The third
rule is when eating one should not eat too much until a complete
stuffing of the stomach. There is a level to which we should stop eating
and this level is indicated by the Hadith. The prophet PBH said The son
Adam never fills a bowl worse than his belly. Some bites are enough for
man to prop his physique. Had he wished otherwise, then one third for
his food, and one third for his drink and one third for his breath.
Let us study these three rules to see if we can talk about them with
scientific people. The first rule is recommending dates for breakfast or
water instead of and to wait a moment and then eat. It is well assumed
that the stomach starts synthesizing chemotrypsine as soon as an object
is introduced in it, anything can reach stomach it stimulates the
release of chemotrypsine which is the most important enzyme for the
digestion of proteins. So we need to stimulate the stomach with an inert
object which does not make the stomach irritated so disorders can occur.
Dates does not contain protein nor fat but only simple sugars easy to
absorb and to take up by the circulating system to increase the glucose
level in blood and to supply the cells with energy so the body is saved
from fatigue and stress. The dates contain also vitamins such as B6 and
B12 which are very important for controlling the nerves and the
connecting tissues. Dates contain also the highest quality of the
dietary fiber so they go directly to the intestine for preventing
constipation which can occur because of the low food intake during
Ramadan. Breaking the fast with dates means stimulating the stomach
without irritating it and giving nutrients immediately to the body for
restoring the loss during the fasting hours.
Scientifically no doctor, no professor no searcher could recommend
breaking the fast with the dates without studying for years and without
checking with other specialists. Prophet Muhamed PBH could not do
anything by himself but only when told by God.
This is very tangible and can be accepted scientifically since it seem
logic and well founded, but what about water. Better stimulate the
stomach with no digestible compounds that introducing any other product,
and water is the most suitable instead of dates in case one cannot find
them. Water may pass directly to the intestine after it is heated in the
stomach so it would at least drive the acid gastric secretion making a
mechanic washing of the digestive system.
The Hadith about dividing the stomach into three parts namely one for
solid or food one for liquid or drinks and one for air. This hypothesis
could never be introduced by a scientist at the time the Quran was
revealed. There was no scientific research in the field of nutrition or
at least physiology. It should be assumed that all the container when
filled with liquids count not be agitated, and to allow the stomach
movement for digestion, a portion should be let for food mixing with the
enzymes in the stomach for a best performance in the molecules breakdown.
The agitating operations in food engineering are defined by the number
of Reynolds which is a coefficient that indicates the efficiency of the
operation. The apparent density may depends on the ratio mass/volume.
The mass is constant so when the volume increases the ratio becomes
higher and the agitation is higher. So when you let one third in the
stomach, the total volume when agitating will be augmented by one third
and the density of food inside will decreases so the mixture will be
light and the movement is accelerated so no gas or bad fermentation in
the stomach can occur and the body will be healthy.
Having only two meals is among the strong principles of modern
dietarotherapy which is a new science to help healing some metabolic
diseases, this theory is called Spacing the meals.
Anything by chance but by a god's
order wahii God revelation and wahii is not science it is ore than that
since it is from God the creator of the world.
Obviously when you pray your God and when you seek his forgiveness and
rewarding he sure gives you a good health and among his gifts a very
balanced health. The Almighty Allah had created us and had supplied us
with everything in the life. All the sustenance is given to man
everything in the universe is created for man.
Although such good teachings of Islam are not confined to the month of
Ramadan alone, yet they are best observed in this month. Hence, one can
notice a great fall in the crime rate, violence, loss of working days
due to offensive injuries and a great reduction in the cost of
medico-legal expenditure which has a pronounced effect on the health
budget of a given community.
There is no doubt in saying that the number of offensive injuries and
trauma cases reported to the emergency rooms in a Muslim country is far
less in the month of Ramadan than in any other month. Ramadan, in other
words, is a training period for the Muslims in which the foundations of
a subtle character are laid whose gains can also be seen round the year
and this has a positive effect on the morale of the whole society.
Pr
Mohamed Faid
drfaid@yahoo.fr