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Fasting New Muslims

Fasting and Overall Health

Though fasting is often not an easy task and takes mental will power and physical endurance, Islam stresses the importance of keeping the body and mind from harm.

Ramadan is the (month) in which was sent down the Qur’an, as a guide to mankind, also clear (signs) for guidance and judgment (between right and wrong). So every one of you who is present (at his home) during that month should spend it in fasting, but if anyone is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed period (should be made up) by days later. Allah intends every facility for you; He does not want to put to difficulties. (He wants you) to complete the prescribed period, and to glorify Him in that He has guided you; and perchance ye shall be grateful. (Al-Baqarah 2:185)

Fasting is neither a responsibility nor a right for those who are too ill to tolerate it. Hence, it is very important to seek medical advice if you suffer from a chronic disorder such as diabetes or hypertension. Pregnant women and nursing mothers are exempt from fasting too.

Individuals with diabetes who are able to keep their blood glucose levels stable through diet control are better suited to fasting than those who require medication or insulin injections, though most diabetics can fast with the right care. But, children with type I insulin dependent diabetes should avoid fasting.

Your doctor will determine if you can fast by checking your overall health including:

• Any uncontrolled high blood pressure or angina

• Current infections

• A history of uncontrolled diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis

• Whether you require insulin or medications to control your diabetes

• Whether you have kidney stones, emphysema or other disorders

For most diabetic Muslims, fasting is safe and can be beneficial, particularly if they have type II adult onset diabetes or are obese diabetics. However, a careful diet must be followed and glucose levels must be monitored cautiously. Long term complications, dehydration, infections, hypoglycemia (low glucose levels) and coma are real harms that can occur if diabetes is not carefully monitored.

If you are on prescription medication for high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, angina, high cholesterol and other cardiovascular disorders, it is very important to consult your doctor about changing your medication schedule. Do not reduce your dosage or stop medication on your own; this can have serious effects such as stroke and heart disease.

Scholar’s Advice

‘If fasting will cause harm to a person afflicted with a dietary disease such as diabetes, they are not required to fast. Instead, they should provide food for a needy person for every fast they miss. The amount of food is a ‘mudd’ or approximately 600 grams of the dominant staple food of that land, i.e. rice, wheat, potatoes, etc. They are excused from fasting for as long as the relevant affliction endures.’ (Imam Zaid Shakir)

Benefits of Fasting

Often recognized as the missing link in western conventional medicine and nutrition, fasting results in fascinating bodily processes, by which the body sheds toxins, heals, repairs and replenishes its energy supplies.

Fasting has been shown to improve allergies, anxiety, depression, colds, headaches, muscle aches, skin irritations and other illnesses. Medical studies show that fasting and curbing calorie intake even contribute to a longer lifespan.

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Source: emel.com.

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Fasting New Muslims

Fasting Helps Combat Cancer and Boost Treatment

By Sadie Whitelocks

fasting

Fasting may be one way to make tumour cells weaker and more vulnerable.

Going without food for short periods may help to combat cancer and boost the effectiveness of treatments, say scientists.

A study found fasting slowed the growth and spread of tumours and cured some cancers when it was combined with chemotherapy. The delta 8 gummies for sale online is something one should their hands on to help with the symptoms of cancer.

It is hoped that the discovery will prompt the development of more effective treatment plans and further research is now under way.

Fasting may help to combat cancer and boost the effectiveness of treatment.

The latest investigation, published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, found that tumour cells responded differently to the stress of fasting compared to normal cells.

Instead of entering a dormant state similar to hibernation, the cells kept growing and dividing, in the end destroying themselves.

Lead researcher Professor Valter Longo, from the University of Southern California said: ‘The cell is, in fact, committing cellular suicide.

‘What we’re seeing is that the cancer cell tries to compensate for the lack of all these things missing in the blood after fasting. It may be trying to replace them, but it can’t.’

Professor Longo and his team looked at the impact fasting had on breast, urinary tract and ovarian cancers in mice.

Fasting without chemotherapy was shown to slow the growth of breast cancer, melanoma skin cancer, glioma brain cancer and neuroblastoma – a cancer that forms in the nerve tissue.

Scientists found tumour cells responded differently to the stress of fasting compared to normal cells

In every case, combining fasting with chemotherapy made the cancer treatment more effective.

Multiple cycles of fasting combined with chemotherapy cured 20 per cent of those with a highly aggressive form of cancer while 40 per cent with a limited spread of the same cancer were cured.

None of the mice survived if they were treated with chemotherapy alone.

Researchers are already investigating the effects of fasting on human patients, but only a clinical trial lasting several years will confirm if human cancer patients really can benefit from calorie restriction.

However they highlight that fasting could be dangerous for patients who have already lost a lot of weight or are affected by other risk factors, such as diabetes.

Results of a preliminary clinical trial will be released by the American Society of Cancer Oncologists (Asco) in Chicago.

Prof Longo points out that the study only tests if patients could tolerate short fasts of two days before and one day after chemotherapy.

‘We don’t know whether in humans it’s effective,’ he said.

‘It should be off-limits to patients, but a patient should be able to go to their oncologist and say, ‘what about fasting with chemotherapy?’ or without if chemotherapy was not recommended or considered.’

Previous research led by Prof Longo showed that fasting protected normal cells from the effects of chemotherapy but it did not look at cancer cells.

It is now though fasting may be one way to make tumour cells weaker and more vulnerable.

Prof Longo added: ‘A way to beat cancer cells may not be to try to find drugs that kill them specifically but to confuse them by generating extreme environments, such as fasting, that only normal cells can quickly respond to.’

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Source: The Daily Mail

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Fasting New Muslims

What Do You Know about Ramadan?

Fasting the lunar month of Ramadan is such an important Pillar of Islam that Muslims believe that if one dies without having made up the missed fasts, the guardian (or heir) must make them up, for they are a debt owed to Allah.

The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Whoever observes fasts during the month of Ramadan out of sincere faith, and hoping to attain Allah’s rewards, then all his past sins will be forgiven.” (Al-Bukhari)

Muslims believe that the influence of the devils on the believers who obey Allah is diminished. Prophet Muhammad said, “When the month of Ramadan starts, the gates of the Heaven are opened and the gates of Hell are closed and the devils are chained.” (Al-Bukhari)

Month of the Qur’an

Muslims believe that the first verses of the Qur’an (Surat Al-`Alaq 96:1-5) were revealed in the month of Ramadan while Muhammad was in spiritual retreat in the cave of Hira’ outside of Makkah. Years later when the fast of Ramadan was made compulsory, the Angel Jibreel used to sit with Muhammad every day during Ramadan so that the latter could recite all that had been revealed so far of the Qur’an. In his final year, the Prophet recited the entire Qur’an twice in Ramadan.

Muslims continue the tradition of reading the entire Qur’an at least once during Ramadan. In Muslim countries, it is not at all unusual in this month to see many people reading the Qur’an while riding the bus or metro to and from work. Others find time early in the morning, late at night, or at intervals throughout the day.

Many others read or recite the Qur’an during Tarawih Prayers, which are held only during Ramadan, or in private late night prayers called Tahajjud.

Muslims who cannot yet read Arabic well, spend some time each day listening to a tape or CD of the Qur’an being recited. Muslims consider Ramadan to be a good time to get into the habit of reading at least some of the Qur’an or its translation every day, and if they haven’t read either of them cover to cover, Ramadan is the time to do it.

Other Acts of Worship

In addition to reading the Qur’an, Muslims try to spend more time in dhikr (remembrance of Allah) during this month and make an effort to perform Tarawih Prayer, preferably in congregation. Muslims also sometimes perform the late night Prayer called Tahajjud. They may do this before or after eating the pre-dawn meal, just before the Fajr (Dawn) Prayer.

Ramadan is also a favourite time for `Umrah – a visit to the Ka`bah in Makkah. When performed in Ramadan, `Umrah takes the same reward as Hajj (but it does not replace the obligatory Hajj).

How Muslims Fast

According to Muslims, fasting means abstaining not only from food and drink, but also from sexual intercourse, lying, arguing, and back-biting. While fasting, Muslims must be careful to restrain their tongues, temper, and even their gaze. Ramadan is the time for Muslims to learn to control themselves and to develop their spiritual side.

Basically, Muslims try to have a pre-dawn meal, known as sahur, before they begin fasting. The fast lasts from dawn to sunset. As soon as the sun has set, Muslims break their fast without delay. Generally, Muslims may break their fast with a small amount of food – the sunnah is to do so with an odd number of dates – and then perform the Maghrib (Sunset) Prayer before eating a full meal.

Charity in Ramadan

Ramadan is also the month of charity. Prophet Muhammad said, “…Whoever draws nearer (to Allah) by performing any of the (optional) good deeds in (this month), shall receive the same reward as performing an obligatory deed at any other time; and whoever performs an obligatory deed in (this month), shall receive the reward of performing seventy obligations at any other time. It is the month of patience, and the reward of patience is Paradise.

 

It is the month of charity, and a month in which a believer’s sustenance is increased. Whoever gives food to a fasting person to break his fast shall have his sins forgiven, and he will be saved from the Hell-Fire, and he shall have the same reward as the fasting person, without his reward being diminished at all.” (Ibn Khuzaymah)

Ibn `Abbas, one of the Prophet’s Companions, narrated: “The Prophet was the most generous amongst the people, and he used to be more so in the month of Ramadan when Jibreel visited him, and Jibreel used to meet him on every night of Ramadan till the end of the month. The Prophet used to recite the Qur’an to Jibreel, and when Jibreel met him, he used to be more generous than a fast wind (which causes rain and welfare).” (Al-Bukhari)

Thus Muslims should try to give generously in Ramadan, both sadaqah (optional charity) and zakat al-mal (obligatory charity). Sadaqah does not only have to be money. It can also be a good deed—such as helping another person – done for the sake of Allah and without expecting any reward from the person. Most Muslims pay their zakah during Ramadan because the reward is so much greater in that month.

It is obligatory for every Muslim to pay a small amount of zakat al-fitr before the end of Ramadan. This money is collected and given to the poorest of the poor so that they may also enjoy the festivities on `Eid Al-Fitr.

And because of the great reward for feeding a fasting person, in many places iftar (the break-fast meal at sunset) is served in mosques, with the food donated or brought by individuals to share pot-luck style. In some Muslim countries, tables are set up on the sidewalks or outside of mosques to serve iftar to the poor and others. Such traditions also build a sense of brotherhood and community.

Families and friends also like to share iftar. However, sometimes this generosity is exaggerated so that Ramadan becomes a month of lavish tables and overeating. This goes against the spirit of Ramadan and should be avoided.

The Last Third

Muslims also believe that the last ten days of Ramadan are the holiest of all, and try to make even greater efforts at that time to increase their worship. The holiest night of all, Laylat Al-Qadr, falls on one of the odd numbered nights of the last ten days.

`Eid Al-Fitr

The public celebration at the end of Ramadan, on the first day of the month of Shawwal, is called `Eid Al-Fitr. After sunset on the 29th of Ramadan, Muslims wait for the announcement of whether the new moon has been sighted, which means that Ramadan is finished and the next day is `Eid. In that case, there are no Tarawih Prayers that night. If the moon has not been sighted, then there is one more day of fasting and the Tarawih Prayers are performed.

The `Eid is celebrated with public Prayers and a sermon, often followed by some form of halal (lawful) celebration such as games for the children or sweets shared by everyone. It is a happy day for all. Although `Eid Al-Fitr lasts only one day, in Muslim countries, schools, offices, and shops are often closed for two or three days.

It’s Not Over Till It’s Over

If any of the days of fasting were missed, they must be made up before the next Ramadan. Muslims generally should try to make them up as soon as possible because any days that are missed are considered as a debt to Allah. Muslims believe that if someone dies without having made up the fasts, the guardian or heir should fast the remaining days.

For Muslims, it is a sunnah to fast six days during the month of Shawwal, the lunar month immediately following Ramadan. Muslims believe that if a Muslim fasts all of Ramadan and then fasts any six days in Shawwal, the reward will be as if he or she has fasted the whole year. Many Muslims do take advantage of this mercy from Allah.

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Taken with slight modifications form Onislam.net.

 

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