How To Avoid Some Common Problems Encountered In Ramadan

This article provides useful advice on how to avoid some common problems encountered in Ramadan. If followed, it would enable one to fast comfortably and enjoy fully the spiritual benefits of Ramadan.
During the holy month of Ramadan, 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, neitherlosing nor gaining. However, if one is overweight, Ramadan is an ideal time to normalize 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 grainsand 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 ofbeetroot (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, heartburn, andweight problems.
AVOID
*. Fried and fatty foods.
*. Foods containing too much sugar.
*. Over-eating especially during the meal before Dawn (sehri. or suhur)
*. Too much tea during the meal before Dawn (sehri.or suhur). Tea makes youpass 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 Ramadan. Smoking is unhealthy and one should stop completely.
EAT
*. Complex carbohydrates during the meal before Dawn (sehri. or suhur) so that the food lasts longermaking you less hungry.
*. Haleem is an excellent source of protein and is aslow-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 (Breaking fasting) and bedtime so that your body may adjust fluid levels in time.
Common Medical Problems:
CONSTIPATION
Constipation can cause piles (haemorroids), fissures (painful cracks in anal canal) and indigestionwith 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 thatproduce wind e.g. eggs, cabbage, lentils, carbonated drinks like Colaalso produce gas.
Remedy: Do not over-eat; drink fruit juices or better still drink water. Avoid fried foods and 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 tendsto 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 highblood pressure may need their medication adjusted during Ramadan. They should consult their doctor.
HEADACHE
Causes: Caffeine and tobacco-withdrawal, doingtoo 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 (Breaking Fasting).
Remedy: Cut down caffeine and tobacco slowly starting a week or two before Ramadan. Herbal and caffeine-free teas may be substituted. Reorganize 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.
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Glossary of Islamic Terms for the Month of Ramadhan

"O who believe, fasting is decreed for you as it was decreed for those before you;
perchance you will guard yourselves....
The month of Ramadan is the month in which the Qur'an was sent down, a guidance for the people, and clear verses of guidance and criterion." [Quran: Chapter 2, 183]
Bab Al-Raiyan
The name of one of the gates of Heavens (Jannah) through which the people who often observe fasting will enter on the Day of Judgement.
Eid Al-Fitr
Three-day festival markingthe end of Ramadan. It begins on the 1st of Shawal, the 10th month ofthe Islamic calendar.
Fidya
Compensation for missing or wrongly practicing necessary acts of worship. Fidya usually takes the form of donating money, foodstuffs, or sacrificing ananimal. Contrast with Kaffara (making amends).
Iftar or Futoor
Breaking of the fast immediately after sunset. Iftar takes place at Maghrib as soon as the Callto Prayer (Adhaan) is given.
Imsak
Start of the fasting time. Imsak begins when the first light of dawn becomes visible, and ends at Fajr when the Adhaan iscalled. Literally means"holding back."
I'tikaf
I'tikaf refers to the religious practice of spending the last ten days of Ramadan (either whollyor partly) in a mosque so as to devote oneself exclusively to worship. In this state one may go out of the mosque only for theabsolutely necessary requirements of life, but one must stay away from gratifying one's sexual desire. The minimum period for i'tikaf is twenty-four hours. I'tikaf is not valid if one is not keeping the fast or if it is done outside the month of Ramadan.
Kaffarah
Kaffarah means atonement, expiation. In Ramadhan this would refer to the expiation for breaking the fast.
Lailatul-Qadr
'The Night of Power,' concealed in one of the odd nights in the last ten days of Ramadan; the night on which the Qur'an was first revealed by Jibraeel to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), and which the Qur'an itself describes as "better than a thousand months." [Al-Qadr (97:3)]
Ramadhan or Ramadhan
The ninth month of the Islamic (lunar) calendar. The month in which Muslims fast.
Sawm or Siyam
The Arabic word for fast. Plural: Siyam. Literally in the Arabic language it means "to abstain."/ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

Glossary of Islamic Terms for the Month of Ramadhan

"O who believe, fasting is decreed for you as it was decreed for those
before you;
perchance you will guard yourselves....
The month of Ramadan is the month in which the Qur'an was sent down, a
guidance for the people, and clear verses of guidance and criterion."
[Quran: Chapter 2, 183]
Bab Al-Raiyan
The name of one of the gates of Heavens (Jannah) through which the
people who often observe fasting will enter on the Day of Judgement.
Eid Al-Fitr
Three-day festival markingthe end of Ramadan. It begins on the 1st of
Shawal, the 10th month ofthe Islamic calendar.
Fidya
Compensation for missing or wrongly practicing necessary acts of
worship. Fidya usually takes the form of donating money, foodstuffs,
or sacrificing ananimal. Contrast with Kaffara (making amends).
Iftar or Futoor
Breaking of the fast immediately after sunset. Iftar takes place at
Maghrib as soon as the Callto Prayer (Adhaan) is given.
Imsak
Start of the fasting time. Imsak begins when the first light of dawn
becomes visible, and ends at Fajr when the Adhaan iscalled. Literally
means"holding back."
I'tikaf
I'tikaf refers to the religious practice of spending the last ten days
of Ramadan (either whollyor partly) in a mosque so as to devote
oneself exclusively to worship. In this state one may go out of the
mosque only for theabsolutely necessary requirements of life, but one
must stay away from gratifying one's sexual desire. The minimum period
for i'tikaf is twenty-four hours. I'tikaf is not valid if one is not
keeping the fast or if it is done outside the month of Ramadan.
Kaffarah
Kaffarah means atonement, expiation. In Ramadhan this would refer to
the expiation for breaking the fast.
Lailatul-Qadr
'The Night of Power,' concealed in one of the odd nights in the last
ten days of Ramadan; the night on which the Qur'an was first revealed
by Jibraeel to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), and which the Qur'an
itself describes as "better than a thousand months." [Al-Qadr (97:3)]
Ramadhan or Ramadhan
The ninth month of the Islamic (lunar) calendar. The month in which
Muslims fast.
Sawm or Siyam
The Arabic word for fast. Plural: Siyam. Literally in the Arabic
language it means "to abstain."

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Ramadaan - How to Attain Taqwaa

The concept of taqwaa is always linked to ibaadah in the Qur'an. 'Ibaadah can be defined as doing what Allah has commanded and avoiding what He has prohibited. 'Ibaadah has also been defined as a concept that includes all actions that Allah loves and approves of, whether they are actions of the heart, the toungue or the limbs. So taqwaa is linked with doing what is correct and avoiding that which is wrong. Taqwaa is the fruit of doing the actions of 'Ibaadah. In other words, ifone does what Allah has commanded him to do, and abstains from that which he has been forbidden, he will achieve taqwaa. Allah mentions in His Book (that means):
"O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become muttaqoon (those who have taqwaa or piety)." [ Al-Baqarah 2:183 ]
In this aayah and in many others, Allah has shown us that taqwaa is the result or fruit of doing actions of ibaadah.
The Meaning of Taqwaa
Now that we have clarifiedhow to achieve taqwaa, we define what the concept of taqwaa means. Taqwaa means: to cleanse or purify the heart and thesoul. This fact is proven by some ayaat in Surat Ash-Shams in which Allah (T) says (what means):
"By the sun and its brightness, by the moon asit follows it, by the day as it shows its brightness, by the night as it conceals it, by the heaven and its wondrous make, by the earth and all its expanse, and by the soul and He Who perfected it in proportion, then He showed it what is wrong for it and what is right for it - indeed he succeeds who purifies it, and he failswho corrupts it." [Ash-Shams 91:1-10]
Allah begins this soorah bytaking seven oaths. Whenever Allah begins a soorah or an ayaah with an oath, He (T) does so to bear witness to the fact that whatever follows this oath is very important andessential for us to understand. Therefore, we should pay very close attention to what is being said, and reflect upon its meanings. To cleanse one'sheart and to purify the soul, one must perform righteous actions that Allah has enjoined upon us, and our destruction liesin doing the actions that Allah has forbidden. As Allah is the Guardian and Protector of the Soul, we should do every good deed hoping for Allah's Mercy and fearing His Punishment, having full reliance and trust in Him (T).
Purification of the Soul
Among the missions of theProphet (saws), Allah sent him with the command to purify the souls of the Muslims in particular, and of mankind in general. Allah (T) says (what means):
"He it is who sent among the unlettered ones a Messenger from among themselves, reciting to them His ayaat, purifying them, and teaching them the Book and the Hikmah, while before they had been in error."
[Al-Jumu'ah 62:2]
In this ayaah the word
1. To teach the Qur'an.
2. To teach the Sunnah.
3. To show the means of purifying the soul.
This purification is obtained by doing the proper acts of 'ibaadah and by avoiding sins and disobedience.
Conditions for Attaining Taqwaa
How does a person know that his acts of 'ibaadah are helping him to achievetaqwaa? To develop taqwaa, one must fulfill the following conditions:
1) Ikhlaas, sincere intention that the act is performed purely for the pleasure of Allah, out of love for Him, while hoping for His reward and mercy, as well as fearing His anger and punishment if He is disobeyed.
2) To do the deed in accordance with the authentic Sunnah. To have the necessary knowledge of the 'ibaadah that is being performed. To knowhow the Prophet (saws) performed the action and proper times for the performance of that action.
Concerning Ikhlaas, it mustbe present both before and after performing the deed, with no riyaa or sum'ah (doing things to beseen or heard by people). For instance, after doing a good deed, one must not say to others, "Look at all the good I have been doing", or "I'm such a marvelous person because I do such and such."
This formula, if used to achieve taqwaa, is scientific, in that if you follow it, while fulfilling allof its conditions and their rights, you will achieve taqwaa insha/ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en