The most important Muslim practices are the five pillars or obligations
of Islam which provide the framework of a Muslim's life.
The Five Pillars are:
1. Shahadah: Sincerely reciting the Muslim profession of
faith.
2. Salat: Performing prayers five times each day.
3. Sawm: Fasting during the holy month of Ramadan.
4. Zakat: Paying charity to benefit the poor and the needy.
5. Hajj: Pilgrimage to Mecca.
As you all know that the holy month of Ramadan is being
observed throughout the world these days.
So I want to share the useful information about fasting today
at this 19th Ramadan.
Sawm (in Arabic) is fasting. All the Muslims around the world
are required to fast during the holy month of Ramadan, the ninth month of the
Islamic calendar i.e. the hijri calendar.
During the period of 29/30 days of Ramadan all Muslims must give
up on the following things during the hours of the daylight:
1. Food or drink of any sort.
2. Any sin whether it is done physically or verbally.
Plus in addition to that, TRUE Muslims are also expected to
put more effort into following the teachings of Islam by refraining from:
1. Violence.
2. Anger.
3. Envy.
4. Greed.
5. Lust.
6. Profane language.
7. Gossip.
8. Obscene.
9. Irreligious sights.
10. Sounds.
And contradictory to the above mentioned disciplines, TRUE Muslims
should try to:
1. Obey God.
2. Learn self-discipline.
3. Become spiritually stronger.
4. Appreciate all the gifts from Allah.
5. Share the sufferings of the poor.
6. Realize the value of charity.
7. Give thanks to Allah for the Holy Qur'an, which was basically
revealed in the month of Ramadan for the first time.
8. Get along with fellow Muslims better.
Muslims who are physically or mentally unwell may be excused
but they have to make up the fast at a later date, or make a donation to the
poor instead.
Sehri:
Sehri, Sehur, Sahur, Suhoor or Sahari is an Islamic term referring
to the huge and unique blessing bestowed upon the Ummah of the beloved Prophet Mohammad
(P.B.U.H.). It’s not only an act of worship in the eyes of Allah but it’s an opportunity to arise and nourish
ourselves by consuming foods which provide energy to our body early in the
morning usually before fajr or dawn when the sky is entirely dark before
fasting in the daylight hours during the Islamic month of Ramadan.
Sehri is necessary for fasting because:
1. ‘Sehri’ is the time when prayers are accepted.
2. At the time of ‘Sehri’, one gets the opportunity to
remember Allah and lifts up the hands to Him in prayers.
3. It provides strength for “Ibaadah”.
4. It promotes a greater sense of sincerity in our “Ibaadah”.
5. It aids in elimination of bad temper, which normally comes
about as result of hunger.
Common things eaten in Sehri include:
Bread and butter
Bread and egg
Paratha
Glass of milk
Lassi (sweet or salty)
Aftaari:
Sehri being the morning meal is matched by aftaari as the
evening meal during the holy month of Ramadan. This routine replaces the traditional
three meals a day (breakfast, lunch and dinner).
When the daylight is over and the Maghrib prayers are heard
from the mosques, most Muslims break or open their fast with dates or water
which are basically the example set by our beloved Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H.),
before having a proper meal (dinner) later.
The evening meals during the holy month of Ramadan are usually
the occasions for family and/or friends’ get-togethers.
Common things eaten in Aftaari include:
Dates, pakora, samosa, fruits, dahi baray, chana chaat, rooh
afza etc.
A usual aftaari platter resemble these:
YOU SHOULD:
Avoid eating:
1. Fried and fatty foods.
2. Foods containing too much sugar.
3. Too much tea at sehri.
4. Smoking cigarettes.
Try eating:
1. Complex carbohydrates at sehri.
2. Dates at aftaari as they are good source of sugar.
3. Bananas as they are good source of potassium.
Drink:
As much water or fresh fruit juices as possible after the
aftaar till next sehri so that your body may adjust the fluid levels it need, in
time.
Dua for the Sehri:
Dua for the Aftaari:
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