Dr. Hüseyin Kâmi BÜYÜKÖZER
As is known, the most important act of worship for Muslims during Ramadan, when the conditions are met, is fasting. To complete this act of worship safely, it is necessary to adhere to both material and spiritual conditions. Islam has not left worship to the desires and choices of individuals, but has ensured its order by binding it to certain rules. In particular, obligatory and necessary acts of worship are subject to specific conditions and their limits are defined, and people are not permitted to exceed or fall short in them. Sunnah acts of worship are also bound by certain rules and methods of application are determined, and those who adhere to the standards and principles set by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) are promised great rewards, while those who do not adhere will be held accountable.
There are also many important and necessary conditions regarding fasting. Undoubtedly, iftar and sahur always hold a special place and meaning. Here we are! We’ve entered Ramadan and are now four days behind us. Let’s not forget that we will be fasting in cold weather this year as well, and experts are offering suggestions to minimize the effects. I’m summarizing these suggestions for you: They warn those fasting to pay attention to their health and be less affected by the cold weather with the following: “To maintain adequate and balanced nutrition, it is necessary to have the iftar meal on time and sufficiently, and not to skip the sahur meal.
According to the narration of Abu Said al-Khudri (r.a), the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.v) said:
“There is blessing in the sahur meal. Do not neglect to wake up for sahur, even if you only drink a sip of water. Because Allah shows mercy to those who wake up for sahur, and the angels pray for their forgiveness.” (Musnad, 3:44)
Waking up for suhoor (pre-dawn meal) brings two kinds of blessings. Firstly, it makes the person who eats suhoor much less prone to the hardships of fasting during the day and helps them endure it. Thus, Allah bestows blessings and abundance upon their sustenance and food. Secondly, by staying awake at dawn, a person finds the opportunity for worship, prayer, and remembrance of Allah. Because if they cannot wake up for suhoor, they will spend those blessed hours sleeping, and therefore their spiritual share will be less.
The encouragement in the hadith is important in terms of achieving these two points. When evaluating iftar (breaking the fast) and suhoor, one should avoid excess and excess. Neither neglecting balanced nutrition nor prioritizing excessive eating is acceptable. Because this type of eating either causes blood sugar to drop earlier in the day, leading to a less productive day, or conversely, if the suhoor meal consists of heavy foods, the rate at which food is converted into fat and the risk of weight gain increases because the metabolic rate decreases at night. Therefore, it is essential to have suhoor. It is important to wake up.
For suhoor, a light breakfast consisting of foods like milk, yogurt, cheese, eggs, and a very small amount of whole-grain bread can be eaten, or a meal consisting of soup, dishes cooked with olive oil, yogurt, and salad can be preferred. Those who experience excessive hunger during the day should consume foods like dried beans, chickpeas, lentils, and bulgur pilaf, which prolong the emptying time of the stomach and delay hunger. It is advisable to avoid excessively fatty, salty, and heavy meals, as well as pastries. Another point to consider during this period is the food prepared for iftar and the quantities consumed.
Iftar tables often contain several times more food than a person needs. Because blood sugar is very low at iftar, there is a desire to consume a large amount of food in a short time. One of the biggest mistakes is consuming a very large amount of food very quickly. The brain gives the signal of satiety 15-20 minutes after eating. When food is eaten too quickly, a large amount of high-energy food is consumed in this time, which can both pose health risks and lead to weight gain in the following days. This can pave the way for increased fluid intake.
It is important to drink at least 2-2.5 liters of water per day on average, and during Ramadan, to frequently consume beverages such as buttermilk, freshly squeezed fruit and vegetable juices, plain soda, etc., to meet fluid needs.
Children are more sensitive to fluid and electrolyte balance, so much more care and caution should be exercised. Since children may not notice or express their need for water, it is beneficial to give them boiled and cooled water frequently.”
