All Praise be to Allah.
May the peace and blessings of Allah be showered upon our Beloved Messenger, his family, companions, and those who follow them.
Marhaban ya Ramadhan, the graceful month, the month of obligatory fasting, the month of mercy, the month during which Allah, Subhanahu wa Ta’ala, commenced His final revelation – the Qur’an. Ramadan – the month of collecting good deeds, the month of patience, and the month of reward in Jannah (Paradise) for true patience.
Salmaan, Radhiallahu ‘anhu, reported that Rasulullah, Shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, on the last day of Sha’baan said:
O people there comes over you now a great month, a most blessed month in which lies a night more greater in virtue than a thousand months;
It is a month in which Allah has made fasting compulsory by day and has made sunnah the Taraaweeh by night.
“O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqun (the pious).
(Fasting) for a fixed number of days, but if any of you is ill or on a journey, the same number (should be made up) from other days. And as for those who can fast with difficulty, (i.e. an old man, etc.), they have (a choice either to fast or) to feed a poor person (for every day). But whoever does good of his own accord, it is better for him. And that you fast, it is better for you if only you know.” (2:183-184).
The word breakfast (Ifthaar) means to break your fast. All the experts agree that “breaking the fast” is a critical phase of fasting. While your body is in the resting mode, your stomach shrinks and your intestines become idle. So what shouldn’t you do when you break your fast?
– First, do not be late to break the fast after hearing the adhan.
– Do not eat heavy food (solid food) directly upon breaking your fast.
Rasulullah Shallallahu alayhi wasallam said:
إِذَا أَفْطَرَ أَحَدُكُمْ فَلْيُفْطِرْ عَلَى تَمْرٍ فَإِنَّهُ بَرَكَةٌ ، فَإِنْ لَمْ يَجِدْ تَمْراً فَالْمَاءُ فَإِنَّهُ طَهُوْر
“Whoever finds dates should break the fast with it, and whoever has no dates, should make iftaar with water.” In another Hadith it is mentioned: “Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) used to break the fast with three dates or with something which the fire did not touch (i.e. it was not prepared or it was an uncooked item).(Narrated by: Abu Dawood)
If you eat solid food when you break your fast constipation will occur. Your digestive system will not move the solid food until it starts functioning again. While you were fasting it was busy cleaning, not digesting.
-Do not eat and drink fast to avoid kidney failure or digestive distress, eat slowly. Chew foods well.
-Do not begin with big meals, eat small amounts first then pray Maghrib, progressing gradually toward larger meals after praying Maghrib.
-Do not be late for praying Maghrib because of breaking fast.
-Don’t be tempted to go all out and eat everything that you have been craving when fasting. This is dangerous as your stomach will have shrunk considerably during fasting.
-Do not put a lot of salt in your food. It will make you thirsty during fasting the next day.
Breaking a fast properly is important to our overall health and to reaping the full benefits that fasting can create.
Stay healthy and gain reward from Allah, Subhanahu wa Ta’ala, during Ramadhan. In Shaa Allah.
