Aymen’s Page

1. Reciting the Holy Qur’an with eagerness and farvour and put all your heart and soul in the recitation. Be sure that love of the Qur’an means love of God.
   

   The Prophet of God (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) affirmed:

   ” The best form of worship for my followers is recitation of the Qur’an “.

2. Engage yourself in the recitation of the Qur’an most of the time and never feel wary of reciting the Holy Book.

   The Holy Prophet of God (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) affirmed:
   ” God has ordained that any man who engages himself in the recitation of Qur’an so constantly that he finds no time to send prayers to me, I shell provide him more without asking than those who ask “. ( Tirmidhi)

   Further than this, the  Prophet of God (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) observed:
   ” The servant gets nearest unto God by means of reciting the Qur’an “. (Tirmadhi)
   Instructing the people to recite the Holy Qur’an, The Prophet of God (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) also observed:
   “The man who has studied the Qur’an and recites it daily can be likened to a basket full of musk whose sweet smell is making the whole atmosphere fragrant. And the man who has studied the Qur’an but dose not recite it may be likened to a bottle full of musk whose moth has been sealed with a stopper “.

3. Recite the Qur’an with the sole motive of seeking guidance. Do not recite the Holy Book for the sake of gaining popularity, or establishing a reputation for good, harmoniuse recitaation or making a name for piety. These are base motives and he who recites the Qur’an with these motives in mind can obtain no guidance from the Qur’an.

4. Take care to be completely neat and clean before you sit down for recitation. Do not touch the Holy Book without performing ablution and recite it sitting in a clean and tidy place.

5. Sit cross-logged with your face towards the Qiblah and recite the Qur’an with your head bowed, with utmost care, complete attention, eagerness of heart and in a proper manner.

   God affirms:
   

6. As far as possible recite the Qur’an in a clear and distinct manner and read the letters correctly and utter the syllables in proper style and recite slowly.

   The Holy Prophet ( Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) observed:
   ” Use your voice and style to recite the Qur’an in the best manner”.( Abu Dawud)

   The Holy Prophet ( Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) observed:
   ” He who recites the Qur’an will be told on the Day of Judgment “. Recite the Qur’an now in the same clear and distinct manner and in the same harmonious style in which you used to recite it with care and propriety in the world and as a reward for the recitation of each verse you shell be elevated one degree higher and your ultimate place is near the end of the final verse”. ( Tirnidhi)

7. Do not recite in an extremely loud or very low voice. Keep your voice at a medium pitch.

   God ordains:
   
   Wa la tajhar bisalatika wa la tukhafit biha wabtaghi baian dhalika sabila.

8. Recite the Qur’an whenever you find time, but do try to recite Qur’an in the course of Tahajjud prayer at dawn. This recitation of the Qur’an entails the reward of highest degree and it should be the aspiration of the true believers to attain the apex of excellence in reward for recitation.

9. Do not complete the reading of the whole of the Holy Qur’an in less than three days.

   The Holy Prophet ( Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) observed:
   ” He who completes the recitation of the full text of the Qur’an in less than three days dose not understand the meanings of the Qur’an at all “.

10. Keep in mind  the glory and value of the Qur’an and as you observe the etiquette of keeping your person neat and clean while reciting the Qur’an, so also you must purge your heart of evil thoughts, wicked passions and impure purposes. The heart that is tainted with evil and wicked thoughts and passions cannot appreciate and admire the glory and value of the Holy Qur’an nor can the bearer of such an evil heart grasp the meanings and realities of the Qur’an.

    Hadrat ‘ Ikrama ( God be pleased with him) whenever he opened the Qur’an, he often fainted. He used to say:
    ” These are the words of my Great and Glorious Lord”.

11. Recite the Qur’an with the conviction that on this earth this Book is the only source of guidance for mankind. Meditate and reflect deeply over the meanings of the Qur’an from this view point and try to grasp the realities and learn the wisdom contained in the Book. Do not recite it rapidly but form the habit of reading slowly, distinctly and with careful understanding of the meanings and try to ponder over the message conveyed to us .

    Hadrat ‘ Abdullah b.Abbas (God be pleased with him) often remarked:
    ” I consider it for better to recite small Surahs like ‘ Al-Qari’ah and ‘Al-Qadr’ with understanding and care than to read through the longer Surahs of ‘Al-Baqrah’ and ‘Al-Imran’ at a rapid pace without careful understanding of the meanings of the words.

    The Holy Prophet ( Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) once recited this one verse over and over again all through the night.
    
    In tu’adhdhibhum fa-innahum  ‘ibabyka wa in taghfir lahum fa-innaka ant-al-aziz-ul-hakim.
    ” If Thou punisheth them, Lo !  they are Thy slaves, and if Thou forgiveth the, Lo ! Thou only Thou art the Mighty, the Wise “.

12. Recite the Qur’an with full determination to adapt your life to he injunctions of this Holy Book and to reform the pattern of your living in the light of the guidance provided by it. Make constant endeavours  to order your life in conformity with the Qur’anic injunctions and purge your life of all impurities. The Holy Qur’an like a mirror will clearly reflect each blot and spot in your character. It is entirely your own responsibility to wash off these blots and stains from your life.

13. Feel the full impact of the verses during recitation of the Holy Qur’an. Rejoice and feel happy on reading about the narrations of Divine Mercy, Forgiveness and the Everlasting bounties of Paradise. And on reading about the narrations of the wrath, anger and the terrific punishments of Hell your body should tremble, eyes should flow and the heart should melt with the sentiments of repentance and shame. Your face should glow with the light of happiness on reading about the successes of the pious and faithful people and you should be seized with deep sorrow on reading about the destruction of nations. The study of verses containing warnings and forebodings of torments should make you tremble and your soul should be filled to the brim with the sentiments of gratitude on reading the verses which bear glad tidings.

14. After reciting the Holy Qur’an offer a prayer. The words of one of the prayers offered Hadrat ‘Umar( God be pleased with him0 are as follows:
    

Allahummarzuqnit-tafakkura wat-tadabbura bima yatluhu lisani min kitabika wal-fahma lahu-wal ma’rifata bima’anihi wan-nazara fi aja’ibihi wal’amala bidhilka ma baqitu innaka ala kulli shai’in qadir.
” God ! Whatever my tongue recites from Thy Book, grant me the favour to reflect upon it. God ! bestow upon me the understanding of it. Vouchsafe to me the knowledge of its meaning, and the vision to see its niceties. Grant me the favour to act according to its injunctions as long as I live. Your Being is without doubt Omnipotent

Quote 1	Quote 2
And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after its kind: and God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness” Gen 1:25,26 (man made after the beasts)	And the LORD God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.” And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam … but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him. Gen 2:18-20 (man made before the beasts)
Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female Gen 7:2	Of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark Gen 6:19
Thou shalt not kill Exod 20:13	Thus sayeth the LORD God of Israel, “Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour”. Exod 32:27
“Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven . . . earth . . . water.” Exod 20:4	“And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them.” Exodus 25:18
“Moreover of the children of the strangers that do sojourn among you, of them shall ye buy, . . . and they shall be your possession . . . they shall be your bondmen forever.” Leviticus 25:45-46	“Undo the heavy burdens . . . let the oppressed go free, . . . break every yoke.” Isaiah 58:6
“I the Lord have spoken it: it shall come to pass, and I will do it; I will not go back, neither will I spare, neither will I repent.” Ezekiel 24:14	. . . and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not. Jonah 3:10
“I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy. Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not, but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling.” Jer 13:14	The Lord is very pitiful and of tender mercy. James 5:11
Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth Num 12:3	And Moses was wroth … And Moses said unto them, “Have ye saved all the women alive? … Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman … But all the women children … keep alive for yourselves” Num 31:14,17,18
“And the Lord spake to Moses face to face, as a man speaketh to his friend. Ex 33:11	No man hath seen God at any time. John 1:18
And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham. Gen 22:1	Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man. James 1:13
And the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew the men of SEVEN HUNDRED chariots of the Syrians, and forty thousand HORSEMEN, and smote Shobach the captain of their host, who died there. 2 Sam 10:18	But the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew of the Syrians SEVEN THOUSAND men which fought in chariots, and forty thousand FOOTMEN, and killed Shophach the captain of the host. 1 Chron 19:18
And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel 1 Chron 21:1	And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, “Go, number Israel and Judah” 2 Sam 24:1
“Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for me?” Jeremiah 32:27	And the Lord was with Judah; and he drove out the inhabitants of the mountain; but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron. Judges 1:19
Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death. 2 Sam 6:23	The five sons of Michel the daughter of Saul, whom she bare for Adriel. 2 Sam 21:8
Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. Prov 4:7	For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. 1 Cor 1:19
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. Prov 3:13	For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Eccles 1:18
The dead know not any thing, neither have they any more reward. Eccles 9:5	These shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous unto life eternal. Matt 25:46
So God came to David, and told him, and said unto him, shall SEVEN YEARS of famine come unto thee in thy land? or will thou flee three months before thine enemies, while they pursue thee? II Samuel 24:13	So God came to David, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Choose thee. Either THREE YEARS of famine or three months to be destryed before thy foes, while that the sword of thine enemies overtaketh thee; Matt 25:46
Prepare slaughter for his children for the iniquity of their fathers. Isa 14:21	The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin. Deut 24:16
And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. 2 Kings 2:11	No man hath ascended up to heaven but he that came down from heaven, … the Son of Man. John 3:13
Jesus .. the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli. Luke 3:23	And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus. Matt 1:16
And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth. Luke 2:39	When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: And was there until the death of Herod. Matt 2:14,15
He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad. Matt 12:30	And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us. Luke 9:50
Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. 1 John 3:15	If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:26
The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ. Acts 10:36	“Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.” Matthew 10:34
And it was the third hour, and they crucified him. Mark 15:25	About the sixth hour … they cried out, “Away with him, away with him, crucify him”. John 19:14,15
I and my Father are one. John 10:30 (Christ equal to God)	Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I. John 14:28 (Christ less than God)
Now this man (Judas) purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out. Acts 1:18	And he (Judas) cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. And the chief priests…bought with them the potter’s field. Matt 27:5-7
In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. Matt 5:16	But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secert. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. Matt 6:3-4
For by grace are ye saved through faith . . . not of works. Ephesians 2:8,9	“Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.” James 2:24
And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, eli, lama sabachthani?” that is to say, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” …Jesus, when he cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. Matt.27:46,50	And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, “Father, unto thy hands I commend my spirit:” and having said thus, he gave up the ghost. John19:30

Before Starting I would like to tell everyone here that I maybe wrong but from what little I have learnt from the Sahih Hadeeth the people I find here,maybe wrong.Rest-Allah Knows best.

1. Diffentciating between the Shafa’eeh and Hanafi way of praying.

2. Prostration Of Hand.

3. Leaving gaps between the saf(line)

4. Starting the new line from left/right.

5. Wearing the trousers below the ankles.

6. Not
   Reading the surah fateha

7. Not saying Amin after the Imam finishes Surah Fateha.

Before I start I would like to tell that my intensions are nothing to offend someone or something like that.Neither do i claim that i may be 100% right,if you feel that i am wrong somewhere please please correct me.

1. The Differentiation.

This was something that I’ve heard from many people.Some call us Ahle Hadeehth.Specially seeing me and my brothers pray.Actually these shouldnt be any difference in the way someone prays,we follow the Prophet’s Mashab,though we need imams it doesont mean we change the way we pray.As the prophet(PBUH) said
 

“Pray as you have seen me praying”

I donot know the authencity of the next one but my brother even said that Imam Hanafi said that “If my teachings differ from what the prophet preached,then destroy my teachings by hitting it against the wall”.

2.Raising Of Hands,and where to hold them.Chapter2.Book Of Chaecteristics Of As-Salat.425.(Sahih Hadeeth).

Naratted ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar:Allah’s Messenger(PBUH) used to raise both his hands upto the level of his shoulders when opening the As-Salat;and on saying the Takbir for bowing,and on raising his head from bowing he used to do the same and then say Sami Allahu liman hamidah rabban walakal hamd.And he did not do thay in prostrations.

Chapter2.To place the right hand on the left while praying.426.

Narrated Shal bin Sa’d:The people were ordered to place the right hand on the left in As Salat.

3.Leaving Gaps.

This thing irritates me the most,i usually join in the second row theres an elderly uncle who’s on my left and and another of my friends on my right.We start without gaps and after the second Rakat  theres a small gap,I try filling in by moving my feet a few inches on both sides Mr.Elderly sticks both his feet together as if i m an untouchable,and the other guy who’s on my right first chuckles to himself and then moves more than just inches leaving a space that’s enough for another person to join in.I found this in IslamQA and wanted to share what exactly the Alim had t say about leavin gaps.

Click Here To Read

 4.Starting The Row from.

Source:IslamQA.

The Sunnah is for the imam to stand in line with the middle of the row, so the row should start from immediately behind the imam, then be completed to the right and left. It does not matter if there are slightly more people on the right than on the left.  Abu Dawood (681) narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:  

“Put the imam in the middle and fill the gaps.”  

Al-Manaawi said in Fayd al-Qadeer:  i.e., put him in the middle of the row so that everyone on his right and left can have a share of hearing him and being close to him. End quote.  But this hadeeth is da’eef (weak) and was classed as such by al-Albaani in Da’eef Abi Dawood.  

There are other, saheeh, ahaadeeth which clearly indicate the same as this da’eef hadeeth, namely that the imam should stand in line with the middle of the row.   Al-Bukhaari (424) and Muslim (33) narrated from ‘Itbaan ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came to him in his house and said:

“Where would you like me to pray for you in your house?” He said: I pointed to a place and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said takbeer, and we formed a row behind him and he prayed two rak’ahs.  Al-Bukhaari (380) and Muslim (658) narrated from Anas ibn Maalik that his grandmother Mulaykah invited the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to come and eat some food that she had prepared for him. He ate some, then he said: “Get up and I will lead you in prayer.” Anas said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) stood up, and the orphan and I stood in a row behind him, and the old woman stood behind us, and the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) led us in praying two rak’ahs, then he left.

  Muslim (3014) narrated that Jaabir said: I prayed with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and stood on his left. He took me by the hand and made me stand on his right. Then Jabbaar ibn Sakhr came and did wudoo’, then he came and stood on the left of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) took hold of our hands and made us stand behind him. 

 The words “we formed a row behind him”, “the orphan and I stood behind him” and ‘he made us stand behind him” indicate that they were directly behind the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), i.e., the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was in line with the middle of the row.   Al-Shawkaani said in al-Sayl al-Jaraar (1/261):  Two or more people should stand behind him in line with him.  In order for them to be in line with him, they should be behind him. If they stand to one side, not in line with him, they would not be behind him.

Ibn Qudaamah said in al-Mughni (2/27):   It is mustahabb for the imam to stand in line with the middle of the row, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Put the imam in the middle and fill the gaps.” Narrated by Abu Dawood. End quote.  Al-Nawawi said in al-Majmoo’ (4/192)  Our companions and others are agreed that the first row is recommended and encouraged. There are many ahaadeeth concerning that in al-Saheeh. They are also agreed that it is mustahabb to stand to the right of the imam and to fill the gaps in the rows, and complete the first row, then the next, then the next and so on. No row should be started until the one in front is complete. It is also mustahabb to make the row straight, and no one should let his chest etc stick out from the row to the front or to the rear. It is mustahabb for the imam to stand in the middle and for them to spread to either side. 

  It says in al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah (27/37):   It is proper etiquette to complete the row and fill any gaps, and not to start a row until the one in front is complete, and to make room for one who wants to join the row if there is space. The imam should stand in the middle with the worshippers behind him.

  Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said in al-Sharh al-Mumti’ (3/10):  Straightening the rows also means preferring the right side to the left, but that is not to be taken in absolute terms, as is the case with regard to the first row, because if it were in absolute terms as is the case with regard to the first row, the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) would have said, “Complete the rows from the right hand side” but he said: “Complete the first row, then the next.” Since it is not prescribed to start the rows from the right until they are completed, then we should look at the basic principles of sharee’ah to see how this should be done with regard to the left.

 We find that with regard to the left, if the right and the left are more or less equal, then the right side is given preference, such as if there are five on the left and five on the right, and an eleventh man comes, we would tell him to go to the right, because the right is better than the left when both are equal or almost equal, and there is no obvious difference between the right and the left of the row.

 But if one side is further away, then there is no doubt that joining the left if it is closer is better than joining the right if it is far away. This is indicated by the fact that if there is a group of three, it is prescribed for the imam to stand between the other two.

 This indicates that the right is not better in absolute terms, because if it were better in absolute terms, it would be better for both people to be to the right of the imam. But it is prescribed for one to be on the right of the imam and one on his left so that the imam will be in the middle and there will be no imbalance between the two sides. End quote.   Shaykh Ibn Baaz was asked: Should the two begin from the right or from behind the imam?

Is it prescribed to achieve balance between the right and left so that it may be said “Make the row equal on both sides” as many imams do?  He replied: The row should start from the middle, from behind the imam. And the right side of each row is better than the left.

A new row should not be started until the one in front is completed. There is nothing wrong with there being more people on the right side of a row, and there is no need to make the row equal on both sides, rather the command to do that is contrary to the Sunnah. But people should not form a second row until the first is complete, or form a third row until the second is complete, and so on, because it is proven that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) enjoined that. 

5.Wearing Trousers Above Ankles

Source:Inbox

The pants of a male should be above the ankles atall times. There are severe warnings mentioned in theAhaadith regarding those men who allow their trousersto fall below their ankles.It is mentioned in one Hadith that Allah Ta’ala will not even cast a glance of mercy of the day of Qiyaamat towards that person who allows his trousers to fall below his ankles. (Muslim Hadith290). In another Hadith, it is mentioned that whatever clothing falls below the ankles, that portion will be in the fire of hell. (Bukhari Hadith5787) It is mentioned in another Hadith that Allah does not accept the Salaat of that person whose trousers is below his ankles. From the above mentioned narrations,we learn the severity of the sin of letting one’s garments reach below the ankles, one should ensure at all times that his pants is above his ankles. If the trousers is so long that it reaches below one’s ankles, it should be folded, especially at the time time of Salaat, for Allah Ta’ala does not accept the Salaat of that person whose trousers is below his ankles.

6.Not Reciting The Surah Al Fateha

I never knew that there were people who didn’t recite the Surah in the congregational prayers,It was one of my cousins who told me about this.He said there was no need to recite it if the Imam recites it aloud.I somehow found it in the Sahih Al Bukhari.The following hadeeth is crystal clear that reciting the Surah is compusory.

 Narrated ‘Ubada bin As-Samit:Allah’s Messenger(PBUH) said,”Whoever does not recite Surat Al Fatiha in his Salat,his Salat is invalid”. 

-Hadeeth435.Sahih Al Bukhari(Summarized).Book of Characteristics Of Salat.  7.Not

7.Saying Amin Aloud When the Imam finishes reciting the Surah Fateha aloud in the congregational prayers,the Sahih Al Bukhari mentions that the prophet had asked us to say Amin aloud it is quiet a superior thing to do it so. 

Narrated Abu Huraira:The Propher said”If anyone of you says,Amin and the angels in the heavens say Amin and the former coincides with the latter,all his past sins will be forgiven”.

Chap.19.449.Same as above.

Acknowledgements:

1)My Mother,My Father,My Bro Muddasir and My Cousin faraz for introducing me to reading the Sahih Al Bukhari more oftenly,and surch for solutions through this book

2)Danish Hassan-His blog has inspired me to write and read more about Islam.

3)Muhammad Muhsin khan who’s copy of “Summarized Sahih Al Bukhari Arabic-English” helped me write this article.

4)IslamQA-www.islamqa.com 

I found this article while i was going through my INbox and found this one quiet helpful.Masahallah it’s well written and practical. 

This article provides useful advice on how to avoid some common problems encountered in Ramadhan. If followed, it would enable one to fast comfortably and enjoy fully the spiritual benefits of Ramadhan.

During the holy month of Ramadhan, our diet should not differ very much from our normal diet and should be as simple as possible. The diet should be such that we maintain our normal weight, neither losing nor gaining. However, if one is over-weight, Ramadhan is an ideal time to normalise one’s weight.

In view of the long hours of fasting, we should consume slow digesting foods including fibre containing-foods rather than fast-digesting foods. Slow digesting foods last up to 8 hours, while fast-digesting foods last for only 3 to 4 hours.

	Slow-digesting foods are foods that contain grains and seeds like barley, wheat, oats, millet, semolina, beans, lentils, wholemeal flour, unpolished rice, etc. (called complex carbohydrates) .
	Fast-burning foods are foods that contain sugar, white flour, etc. (called refined carbohydrates) .
	Fibre-containing foods are bran-containing foods, whole wheat, grains and seeds, vegetables like green beans, peas, sem (papry), marrow, mealies, spinach, and other herbs like methie, the leaves of beetroot (iron-rich), fruit with skin, dried fruit especially dried apricots, figs and prunes, almonds, etc.

The foods eaten should be well-balanced, containing foods from each food group, i.e. fruits, vegetables, meat/chicken/ fish, bread/cereals and dairy products. Fried foods are unhealthy and should be limited. They cause indigestion, heart-burn, and weight problems.

AVOID

	Fried and fatty foods.
	Foods containing too much sugar.
	Over-eating especially at sehri.
	Too much tea at sehri. Tea makes you pass more urine taking with it valuable mineral salts that your body would need during the day.
	Smoking cigarettes. If you cannot give up smoking, cut down gradually starting a few weeks before Ramadhan. Smoking is unhealthy and one should stop completely.

EAT

	Complex carbohydrates at sehri so that the food lasts longer making you less hungry.
	Haleem is an excellent source of protein and is a slow-burning food.
	Dates are excellent source of sugar, fibre, carbohydrates, potassium and magnesium.
	Almonds are rich in protein and fibre with less fat.
	Bananas are a good source of potassium, magnesium and carbohydrates.

DRINK

As much water or fruit juices as possible between iftar and bedtime so that your body may adjust fluid levels in time.

CONSTIPATION

Constipation can cause piles (haemorroids) , fissures (painful cracks in anal canal) and indigestion with a bloated feeling.

Causes: Too much refined foods, too little water and not enough fibre in the diet.

Remedy: Avoid excessive refined foods, increase water intake, use bran in baking, brown flour when making roti.

INDIGESTION AND WIND

Causes: Over-eating. Too much fried and fatty foods, spicy foods, and foods that produce wind e.g. eggs, cabbage, lentils, carbonated drinks like Cola also produce gas.

Remedy: Do not over-eat, drink fruit juices or better still drink water. Avoid fried foods, add ajmor to wind-producing foods.

LETHARGY (‘low blood pressure’)

Excessive sweating, weakness, tiredness, lack of energy, dizziness, especially on getting up from sitting position, pale appearance and feeling faint are symptoms associated with “low blood pressure”. This tends to occur towards the afternoon.

Causes: Too little fluid intake, decreased salt intake.

Remedy: Keep cool, increase fluid and salt intake.

Caution: Low blood pressure should be confirmed by taking a blood pressure reading when symptoms are present. Persons with high blood pressure may need their medication adjusted during Ramadhan. They should consult their doctor.

HEADACHE

Causes: Caffeine and tobacco-withdrawal, doing too much in one day, lack of sleep, hunger usually occur as the day goes by and worsens at the end of the day. When associated with “low blood pressure”, the headache can be quite severe and can also cause nausea before Iftar.

Remedy: Cut down caffeine and tobacco slowly starting a week or two before Ramadhan. Herbal and caffeine-free teas may be substituted. Reorganise your schedule during the Ramadan so as to have adequate sleep.

LOW BLOOD SUGAR

Weakness, dizziness, tiredness, poor concentration, perspiring easily, feeling shaky (tremor), unable to perform physical activities, headache, palpitations are symptoms of low blood sugar.

Causes in non-diabetics: Having too much sugar i.e. refined carbohydrates especially at suhur (sehri). The body produces too much insulin causing the blood glucose to drop.

Remedy: Eat something at sehri and limit sugar-containing foods and drinks.

Caution: Diabetics may need to adjust their medication in Ramadan, consult your doctor.

MUSCLE CRAMPS

Causes: Inadequate intake of calcium, magnesium and potassium foods.

Remedy: Eat foods rich in the above minerals e.g. vegetables, fruit, dairy products, meat and dates.

Caution: Those on high blood pressure medication and with kidney stone problems should consult their doctor.

PEPTIC ULCERS, HEART BURN, GASTRITIS AND HIATUS HERNIA

Increased acid levels in the empty stomach in Ramadhan aggravate the above conditions. It presents as a burning feeling in the stomach area under the ribs and can extend upto the throat. Spicy foods, coffee, and Cola drinks worsen these conditions.

Medications are available to control acid levels in the stomach. People with proven peptic ulcers and hiatus hernia should consult their doctor well before Ramadhan.

KIDNEY STONES

Kidney stones may occur in people who have less liquids to drink. Therefore, it is essential to drink extra liquids so as to prevent stone formation.

JOINT PAINS

Causes: During Ramadhan, when extra salah are performed the pressure on the knee joints increases. In the elderly and those with arthritis this may result in pain, stiffness, swelling and discomfort.

Remedy: Lose weight so that the knees do not have to carry any extra load. Exercise the lower limbs before Ramadhan so that they can be prepared for the additional strain. Being physically fit allows greater fulfilment, thus enabling one to be able to perform salah with ease.

Dr. Farouk Haffejee
Islamic Medical Association of South Africa – Durban