ALLAH CONCIOUS OR FOOD CONCIOUS – IT IS RAMADHAN / RAMADHAN FULL OF (IBAADAAH) OR DELICACIES
Published on
August 28, 2011
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My school teacher who is a Muslim mailed me few weeks ago and asked me for recipes to be prepared during Ramadhan. Her condition was that the recipes that I give should have the ingredients which are easily available in the local market and should be easy to prepare. And the best part was she wanted to have atleast 40-50 recipes out of which she can make one per day the whole month. And she wanted to have a mix of Continental, Italian, Chinese etc.
There is a hadeeth which comes to my mind..
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “The child of Adam fills no vessel worse than his stomach. Sufficient for the child of Adam are a few morsels to keep his back straight. If he must eat more, then a third should be for his food, a third for his drink, and a third left for air.” [Sunan al-Tirmidhî (2380) and Musnad Ahmad (17186) and authenticated by al-Albânî in Sahîh al-Jâmi`
I wondered during Ifthaar when we have been eating till we feel that our stomachs are like big baloons which may burst with a prick of a pin. Do you think that this is what Ramadhan is for.
But Unfortunately there are families amongst our ummah, which does not take into account any of the things mentioned above. The burden that the mothers and the sisters take during this month is really uncalled for. Most of the time they are in Kitchen, preparing either Abba’s favourite Bhajia , Bhai’s dahi kadi or Sonu’s favourite dish. And they also have their favourites but they sacrifice that for the last that if they have time then they make it for themselves. Spending most of the time in Kitchen is not an easy task to do at all. They wake up before everybody atleast 2 hours before Fajr, may be they pray few rakaa’s and they cook for family, whereas the whole family can pray during that time, how better would it be, if mothers can manage to cook what is required for all and not prepare special for each member and rest of the time she can pray and do her (Reading Quran, Tasbeeh, Salaah) But many homes, sorry to say have kept the Quran wrapped during Ramadhan and they take it out only for Jaagne ki raat/ Shabe baarat.
Further strenous job for mothers and sisters is to prepare for ifthaar.. Ya Allah.. They start just after praying Dhuhr Salaah.. Either pre-preparation for Kheema, Aloo Chole, Puri Bhaji,Ragda, Bhajia, Samosa, Kababs etc or they may start with cutting the vegetables for making some Curry/ Dal/ Kheer/Khichda/Mirch ki Salan etc.. or May be Biryani, Pulao, Khichdi etc.. When you ask them they say sabne roza rakha hain toh khaayenge na..Yes we are fasting, but these many items are not going to make you more healthy any which ways as the whole day you are fasting and you eat these many items all at one time which makes it very difficult to digest.. that is the reason why you see just after 2 fasts ,people queueing at the clinics..The best way to break fast (ifthaar) is to eat dates, few fruits and drink Water and rush to pray Maghrib with Jamaat. Many don’t go to pray maghrib with Jamaat coz of one glass of Kheer/Falooda.. but no mujhe yeh chahiye hi chahiye..(I want it at any cost) then Maa ki Mamta..Glass bhar ke pee lee...
Praying Salaah with Jamaat is more important. Falooda/ Kheer can wait, but if you miss jamaat then, that’s gone. After you have come back from Salaah, then may be you can have something but you have been keeping your stomach empty since morning, so don’t over eat, try to eat less because you have to go to sleep and it takes atleast two hours minimum from the time you have put food onto your mouth. Mothers are more or less busy cooking cooking cooking and cooking… This is how Ramadhan goes for them.. Brothers should understand and also it is the duty of the mothers where they should advise and try to plan out things which will make it easy for them to give time for Resting/Ibaadaah etc. Ramadhan can make you get rid of all the accumulated waste which are detrimental to health. Ramadhan can strengthen your body and cure many diseases. But Farmaaish(requests) make it impossible for these things to happen.These are just few health benefits there are several other benefits of Fasting which has Rewards in Akhiraah and also in this duniya you can gain in more resistance to diseases, become more healthy..etc..
The main objective of Ramadhan is to reform and purify ourselves, our bodies, our minds, our hearts through praying, fasting, doing dhikr and remember Allah, Thank him for blessing you with an oppportunity I.e Ramadhan. It is not enough not to eat, not to drink : to fast is to rediscover a philosophy of life that demands constant effort to improve, and to reconcile ourselves with the values and the objectives we have set for our lives. To fast is to rediscover the meaning of mercy (rahmah) and compassion of Allah(swt), starting with our own selves.
O MOTHERS AND SISTERS IN THE KITCHEN.. Prophet (pbuh) sad: When Ramadhan starts, the door of heaven are opened, and the doors of hell are closed and the devils are chained up(bukhari). More than cooking the favourite dishes for your family, it is also your right to attain Taqwaah, this Holy Month of Ramadhan…Please don’t spend much time in kitchen..Recite more and more of the Quran, try to understand it and implement in your life, Stand the night for Salaah, Ask for forgiveness from Allah for your sins, Make Dua for you, your family, your society, the whole muslim Ummah.
May Allah give grant us with his mercy to make most out of this Ramadhan…Jazak Allahu Khairan for reading.Please leave your comments and suggestions at dawah_thebestcall@yahoo.in
