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Reflections: Now that Ramadan Is over- 1
By Azher Quader
Chicago, IL

 

Now that Ramadan is over, we have to wonder if this Ramadan would prove to be any different from the ones before. Would it be a catalyst for change in our lives, which will inspire us to rethink our purpose, reexamine our practices and devote some parts of our lives to improve the conditions of the society we live in?

“(Believers), you are the best community singled out for people: you order what is right, forbid what is wrong, and believe in God…” 3:110 (Unless otherwise indicated, all quotations of Qur’anic verses in this essay are from “The Qur’an, A New Translation by M.A.S. Abdel Haleem”, Oxford University Press 2016 Edition.)

The fact is, that Ramadans come and go, we make elaborate preparations and plans before they arrive, we fast with great devotion, we pray with great sincerity but when they pass there is rarely anything different in our lives to show for them. Why is it so?

Why is it that we seemingly remain so persistently unmoved by the teachings of a book that we read and listen to with great love and reverence for a whole month, year in and year out? Why is it that our sense of discipline and restraint practiced for an entire month, simply fades away the moment a new moon is sighted heralding the end of Ramadan?

Remember, Ramadan comes as a reminder to reflect and redirect our priorities, our practices and our life journeys towards the Divine imperative.

Let us then talk about at least three dimensions of our personal lives which Ramadan must impact: “The physical, our bodies; the intellectual, our minds; the spiritual, our souls”. Perhaps such a review might give us some clues on what we could do to make things different.

 

Healthy Physical Habits

Every Ramadan forces a certain discipline in our daily routines which impact our sleep, our food habits and our physical activities. While most of us adopt this disciplined lifestyle for the month, we rarely keep up with this disciplined lifestyle beyond Ramadan. For starters, consider the option to fast beyond Ramadan, when the month is done. Is that such a new idea? Let us examine.

Science is telling us now, that there are longer term benefits to health with fasting. Today the health benefits from “intermittent fasting” have become widely studied and accepted in the scientific community, particularly in relation to weight management and diabetes.

1,400 years ago, of course we did not know this and practiced fasting as a religious form of worship not only one month but throughout the year on occasions such as Shawwal, Ashura and weekly “Sunnah” fasts such as Mondays and Thursdays. And today, the science of fasting suggests we think beyond Ramadan. Should we consider “intermittent fasting” a part of our lifestyle for the longer term? I think we should, because of all the health benefits it can provide.

Here is a link for anyone interested to know more. Beginners Guide to Intermittent Fasting | Jason Fung https://youtu.be/jqZsS03dlPk Science is also telling us now that the quality of foods we consume impacts the quality of our health as well. That everything we think of as “halal” may not always be quite so “healthy”. Saturated fats abound in all meats whether halal or not, and account for the largest toll from coronary disease deaths in America, surpassing all cancer deaths combined.

With a heightened focus on food during Ramadan, does it not make sense for us to become more selective in what we eat not only during Ramadan but maybe beyond it?

In a country where we are so abundantly blessed with so many better choices to feed our bodies, why ignore to favor more fruits and veggies, that are so plentifully available, so cheap, and so rich in nutrition, as against the fat filled, salt laden and sugar soaking processed foods, that are causing us to become sicker and die younger?

Indeed, there is nothing sacred about meat. A billion people who are too poor in the world to afford it, don’t eat it at all and are just as religious as those of us who cannot let go of our kebabs and steaks.

Consider also the millions of us who participate in “taraweeh” prayers every night in Ramadan, yet revert to our sedentary lifestyles as soon as Ramadan ends. What holds us from taking a few steps to walk every day after Ramadan? Walking for 30 minutes each day or 150-180 minutes per week can be the goal. All 30 minutes don’t have to be done in one go either, or walking for an hour or more some days to get a break on other days can also work.

Indeed, many of these healthy habits are believed to have been practiced by Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him). Traditions teach that his belly was flat, that he walked regularly, was himself strong and fit, fasted on a weekly basis throughout the year, and ate vegetables but did not eat meat every day. - azherquader@yahoo.com

PS: Part 2 of 3 coming next