(Quran, 2:183)
“O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint”
(Quran, 2:184)
“(Fasting) for a fixed number of days; but if any of you is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed number (should be made up) from days later. For those who can do it (with hardship), is a ransom, the feeding of one that is indigent. But he that will give more, of his own free will, it is better for him. And it is better for you that ye fast, if ye only knew.”
The arrival of Ramadhan is confirmed by sighting the new moon, even if it is seen by only one just person, or by the passage of thirty days in the immediately preceding month of Sha'ban.
Ibn 'Umar said: "The people were looking for the new moon and when I reported to the Messenger of Allah that I had seen it, he fasted and ordered the people to fast." This is related by Abu Dawud, al-Hakim, and Ibn Hibban, who declared it to be sahih.
Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet saw instructed: "Fast after you have seen it [the new crescent] and end the fast [at the end of the month] when you see it. If it is hidden from you, then wait until the thirty days of Sha'ban have passed." This is related by al-Bukhari and Muslim.
Essential elements of fasting
1) Intention (niyyah)
Allah swt instructs in the Quran: "And they are ordained nothing else than to serve Allah, keeping religion pure for Him." The Prophet saw said: "Actions are judged according to the intention behind them, and for everyone is what he intended."
The intention must be made before fajr and during every night of Ramadhan. This point is based on the hadith of Hafsah, which reported that the Prophet saw said: "Whoever does not determine to fast before fajr will have no fast" (that is, it won't be accepted)." This is related by Ahmad, an-Nasa'i, at-Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, and Ibn Majah. Ibn Khuzaimah and Ibn Hibban have classified it as sahih.
The intention is valid during any part of the night. It need not be spoken, as it is in reality an act of the heart, which does not involve the tongue. It will be fulfilled by one's intention to fast out of obedience to Allah swt and for seeking His pleasure.
If one eats one's pre-dawn meal (Suhoor) with the intention of fasting and to get closer to Allah swt by such abstinence, then one has performed the intention. If one determines that one will fast on the next day solely for the sake of Allah swt, then one has performed the intention even if a pre-dawn meal was not consumed.
According to many of the jurists, the intention for a voluntary fast may be made at any time before any food is consumed. This opinion is based on 'Aishah’s hadith: "The Prophet saw came to us one day and said: 'Do you have any [food]?' We said, 'No.' He said: 'Therefore, I am fasting." This is related by Muslim and Abu Dawud.
The Hanafiyyah and Shaf'iyyah stipulate that the intention must be made before noon (for voluntary fasts). The apparent opinion of Ibn Mas'ud and Ahmad is that the intention may be made before or after noon.
2) Who must fast
All scholars agree that fasting is obligatory upon every sane, adult, healthy Muslim male who is not travelling at that time. As for a woman, she must not be menstruating or having post-natal bleeding. People who are insane, minors, and those who are travelling, menstruating, or going through post-natal bleeding, and the elderly and breast-feeding or pregnant women do not need to observe the fast.
For some, the fast is not obligatory at all, for example, the insane. As for young people, their parents or guardians should order them to fast. Some are to break the fast and make up for the missed days of fasting at a later date, while others are to break the fast and pay a "ransom" (in which case, they are not obliged to make up for the days they missed).
Health guidelines in the month of Ramadhan
During Ramadhan, our diet should not differ greatly from normal and should be as simple as possible. We should be able to maintain our normal weight, neither losing nor gaining. However, if one is over-weight, Ramadhan is an ideal time to lose weight.
We should aim to consume slow digesting foods including fiber-containing foods. Slow-digesting foods last up to 8 hours, while fast-digesting foods last only 3 to 4 hours. Slow-digesting foods are foods that contain grains and seeds like barley, wheat, oats, semolina, beans, lentils, whole meal flour, etc. (complex carbohydrates). Fast-burning foods are foods that contain sugar, white flour, etc. (refined carbohydrates)
Fibre-containing foods are bran-containing foods, whole wheat, grains, seeds, vegetables like green beans, peas, sem (papry), marrow, mealies, spinach, methie, fruit with skin, dried fruit especially dried apricots, figs and prunes, almonds, etc.
Meals should be well-balanced, containing foods from each food group, i.e. fruits, vegetables, meat/chicken/fish, bread/cereals and dairy products. Fried foods should be limited. They cause indigestion, heart-burn, and weight problems.
AVOID
Fried and fatty foods.
Foods containing too much sugar.
Over-eating especially at sehri.
Too much tea at sehri. Tea makes you pass more urine taking with it valuable mineral salts that your body would need during the day.
Smoking cigarettes. If you cannot give up, cut down gradually starting a few weeks before Ramadhan.
EAT
Complex carbohydrates at sehri so that the food lasts longer.
Haleem is an excellent source of protein and is a slow-burning food.
Dates are excellent source of sugar, fibre, carbohydrates, potassium & magnesium.
Almonds are rich in protein and fibre with less fat.
Bananas are a good source of potassium, magnesium and carbohydrates.
DRINK
As much water or fruit juices as possible between iftar and bedtime so that your body may adjust fluid levels in time.
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