Being a Muslim, Allah has asked us certain things to fulfill during our lives. There are five major practices every Muslim is bound to perform. One of them is fasting which is specified in the month of Ramadhaan. Allah has blessed us enough to create us as Muslims.
We are ought to complete some of the basic necessities that our religion asks us for. Ramadhaan is the month of gathering Allah’s blessings and strengthen our relationship with our creator, Allah. We shall utilize this holy month in spending most of our time with Allah and pray for our maghfirah.
What is the Purpose of Ramadhan?
This opportunity is given just one time in a year therefore; we should not let this month go without availing any benefits that could save us from the hardships of graves and of the day of Judgment. In order to gain maximum advantage, one must spend his time craving for Allah’s mercy and asking him for forgiveness. Messenger of Allah said:
“When the month of Ramadhan arrives, the doors of mercy are opened.”
[Sahih Muslim 2496]
Allah has kept this month for us to realize for the blessings he has blessed us with. This month, along with fasting, we are ought to perform many other things like avoiding indulging yourself in the world’s activities, spend your time in reciting Quran, help the poor and most importantly, serve aftaar for the needy ones who are unable to afford it.
How Do We Spend It?
Most of the people spend the month of Ramadhan in eating festive foods like chickpeas, pakoras, samosas, jalebis, and many more unhealthy dishes. Our Muslim sisters fast more while preparing these meals than reciting Quran and performing Sunnah.
Mostly people face health issues like high cholesterol, obesity and other problems that directly relates to their improper food consumption. Our Islam has told us to spend our Ramadhaan in keeping a balance in our diets because this is the main purpose. The motive is to feel the urge of a poor who spends his day being hungry and getting a little to eat at the end of his day that too after facing endless difficulties.
How Shall You Actually spend it?
We don’t say that all the people look forward to getting to eat scrumptious food and fulfilling their dessert desires, many try to take advantage of this month and eat healthily. There are certain tips for healthy and nutritious meals which will prevent the fasting soul from problems like acidity, stomach overloaded and the uncontrolled cholesterol level in the body.
Here a few things to add in your aftaar items if you really wish to have something beneficial for your health.
1. Change the Pastry!
Don’t go on the literal meaning. By changing the pastry we mean to switch from white ones to the brown ones. This will eventually help in reducing the cholesterol level and say goodbye to obesity. Here is how this is possible.
The white puff pastry has butter consumption in its preparation which means the fat is already there. While the brown one is much diet-friendly when compared. Now you must be wondering about the taste it offers. So relax! It doesn’t change the taste of your rolls and crust pies since both have similar taste. So, when are you filling your fridge with the brown ones?
2. Bake it:
Yes, you read it right. Bake it instead of frying it. There are a few things which make baking much easier as compared to frying. Oil usage is extremely large in amount when you wish to put those samosas in the karahi that is filled till the head with oil. However, when you bake the same thing, all you need is just a good brush of oil, a few sesame seeds (depends upon you) and a good spray of oil (cholesterol-free is preferred) so that the spring rolls, samosas or the wontons do not get stuck with the baking sheet in the baking process.
This even requires less of your efforts! You don’t have to spend hours in the kitchen in front of dead hot oil with the full flame while fasting. All you have to do is put the baking dish in the oven and continue with your tasbeeh on the Jaye namaz. Doesn’t this sound like having the solution to all of your problems? And the thing about taste, they do perfectly fine and baking lets you experience the real taste of your filling instead of those oily bites.
3. Add Fruits to your meal:
A good amount of addition in your aftaar will do great to your health. Slice them or have them in the form of freshly made juice with a tinge of your favorite artificial flavor. It helps in keeping you refreshed and maintains the digestion in your body.
Not only this, but they have a really positive effect on skin and hair too. Thus, fruits help you either way if you make them a part of your aftaar in whichever form you like.
4. Take Vitamins:
During Ramadhaan, our body’s routine gets changed. The food consumption does not remain the same therefore, people with health issues face an imbalance of nutrients and vitamins. For keeping the things in your hand, it is advised to take vitamins on a daily basis.
This will help you go through the entire Ramadhaan peacefully without missing your fasting days. This will help save time and energy that you put in seeing a doctor due to a low sugar level in blood.
5. Stop Over-eating:
This is one of the major causes of why people face destruction in their eating routine in Ramadhaan. Avoid filling your stomach with everything present on the table. Eat less, keeping in mind the main purpose of the month and fasting.
Try to avoid eating too much that you are full even at suhoor. There must be a balance between the meals you take at aftaar time and in suhoor. This is not only healthy but rewards you with Allah’s likeness too.
6. Eat Simple:
Last but not the least; don’t forget the motive of Ramadhaan. It is your responsibility as a Muslim to understand the pain of your Muslim brother who is poor and cannot afford to eat healthy, just like you do in the normal days.
The reason why Allah has gifted us this holy month is to feel them and even when at aftaar we get permission to break our fast upon listening to adhan-e-maghrib, we must eat simple food. Our meals should make us feel the importance just like a poor feels to have something after a day of hungriness.
This life that we have got to spend is a gift of Allah. We must never forget Him for the infinite blessings He has granted us with. Being a Muslim, we are obliged to fulfill all the requirements that we are asked for. For this life is given by Him and He shall take it back one day. We must spend it the way He likes and the way He wants us to spend it.
Most of the months, we don’t look at the matter of deen and carry our lives according to the rules of this world. It is just a matter of one month when we get a handful of opportunities to become a true Momin in the eyes of Allah by performing well as a Muslim. Small gestures like performing namaz on time, giving a poor to eat, talking humbly with old aged people give you more rewards in the days of Ramadhaan than in the normal days of other months.
“Whoever fasts Ramadhaan out of Imaan and the hope of reward will be forgiven his previous sins.”
[Ibn Majah]
The above guidelines must be helpful for those who truly understand the meaning of fasting and who wish to spend their Ramadhaan in a holy way instead of spending it with spicy foods and dine outs for fun purposes.
You must understand the importance that our Allah wants us to know. We shall not only have simple aftaars for ourselves but we should share it with the poor people too as they are the ones who need it more than us. It feels great pleasure to help the poor and bring a smile on their faces and being the reason for their happiness. It is something that enlightens one’s soul from the inside. You would feel the pleasure for your entire lives for the good deeds you do to them.
Sharing food adds Allah’s blessing in it and you would see how it becomes enough for the people eating it. Therefore, we should spend the month of Ramadhan by controlling our inner desires and stay focused on its main objective. Our main purpose should be giving more and sharing the things that are other’s needs.
This is the way a Muslim cannot only make his life filled with Allah’s blessings but also he can do as much welfare work as he wants. It is because this month brings so many opportunities for putting up our money in a better cause. The society we live in; does aftaar drives and countless schemes through which people donate.
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