Salam to all my friends and family! Happy Ramadan! I feel so grateful to experience this blessed month for another year. Ramadan is truly one of my favorite times of the year. Why Z? Y'all starve yourself during this month. How can this be your favorite month? To all the people who might have something like this to say, Ramadan is more than just starving yourself. Sure, some days get a little rough, but the whole month has a different vibe, and I can feel the blessings in the air.
First of all, I feel very special fasting in a non-Muslim country. While everyone is out there having a typical day, fussing about how their latte had no foam this morning, I'm here focusing on my blessings. I'm counting the number of things that I am grateful for. I once again learn the value of appreciating small things in life like clean water, access to unlimited food, and a roof over my head. This makes me feel so happy and comforted at night. We often get caught up in life and forget the purpose behind it. We zoom in too much in life, and Ramadan is a reminder to zoom out and look at the bigger picture (you can read more here).
Goal of Ramadan
The goal of Ramadan is not to starve yourself from dawn to sunset for thirty days. Instead, its purpose is to focus on your spiritual and possibly mental health as they are both related. It also makes you question if you only focus on feeding your physical needs. We, as humans, are very complicated and needy. As Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs explains, humans have five needs levels. If our spiritual self is healthy, our physical self will be healthy. You can have all the money in the world, but you will get to a point where none of that will matter if you're still not happy.
There are easy ways to test our physical health but not too many ways to test our spiritual health. Ramadan is a certified test for spiritual health. We get tested by fasting and abstaining from pleasures like smoking, drinking, and sexual intercourse between sunrise and sunset each day for the entire month. The point is also to remind you of all the people that sleep hungry and/or homeless every night. What if that was you? If you're not one of those people, feel grateful. As a result, Ramadan reminds us to give loads of charity during this month. It reminds us to take care of the people around us, including our friends, families, and even neighbors.
One Positive Habit For The Win
Routine gets a little challenging during Ramadan, no doubt. I remember, two years ago, I used to drive a truck and be outdoors for the entirety of my workday. I was also fasting during a scorching hot day. I used to wish for a Ramadan like this year, aka working from home. Now, I realize I'm living in my prayers✊🏼. This year, talk to your employer and let them know you will start your day early and will end it early for the month of Ramadan.
I also use Ramadan as an excuse to adopt a new habit every year. The past two Ramadans have included me practicing patience and anger management. This year I will try to practice compassion.
Ramadan is also a time when demons/devils are locked up. So we Muslims can't blame any lousy action on the devil. However we act is in sole control of us. There are no bad influences to blame. Ramadan is truly a time for self-reflection and growth, so take advantage of it and adopt a new habit this year.
Health Benefits of Fasting
If you are someone like me, you will also be curious about the scientific side of Ramadan. Ramadan has so many health benefits. To start, it's a month-long detox for your body. When you don't eat for the entire day, your body starts burning the fat to create energy, which releases any harmful toxins that might be present in the fat of your body. Secondly, some studies have proven that it boosts mood and mental clarity, making our brain more resilient to stressors. Thirdly, it regulates cholesterol. Lastly, if you are always looking for an easy way to lose some weight, Ramadan is an excellent time.
To Finish Up...
I talked about a lot of things. I hope you learned something today or just reminded yourself of your blessings. If you're lucky enough to be experiencing Ramadan this year, please don't forget to stay on top of your prayers, make lots of Dua, read lots of the Quran, and don't forget to give charity. Happy Fasting!
Let the "Not Even Water?" jokes begin😉
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