All praise to Allah, Creator of the heavens and the earth, and the owner of the Day of Judgment. We bare witness that there is no one worth to worship other than Allah (subhanahu wa ta aala) and the prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) is His final Messenger.
Being a Muslim, Ramadan is undoubtedly one of the most awaited months of Islamic calendar. A month full of blessings and mercy that showers upon Muslims from Allah. What a wonderful opportunity Allah bestows upon us by granting us another Ramadan!
Actually the arrival of the month of Ramadan brings a complete or at least a major change in the routine of a person, especially in such elongated hot summer days. It is true that some of you find it difficult to observe fasting and being active at the same time in these hot summer days but think about the extended time you are going to get with the process of praying, gaining blessings, mercy, and forgiveness, all because of these long days. It is high time to prepare ourselves so that we can achieve maximum benefit in this blessed Ramadan, while being healthy, beautiful and super active, all while boosting our Iman.
Life is full of ups and downs, and the downs are sometimes powerful enough to decrease our enthusiasm and spirit of Iman. But wouldn’t you love to enter the month of Ramadan on a real high and have the effects of this beautiful month put a permanent impact on your life thereafter?
How can this be done? The following are some easy tips that can help you to stay active, beautiful and refresh your Iman and enthusiasm inshaAllah:
- First of all, you have to want it! If you want to be active, you will be active. Nothing can stop you when Allah is there for you. As they say, where there is a will, there is a way!
- Keep a countdown for Ramadan. This will help create a hype and buzz in your mind and amongst the people around you. It will become a topic for regular conversation and the excitement will spread.
- Fasting itself is a great Iman booster, especially if you accompany it with doing well to others. Try to be there for people who may be ‘secretly’ asking Allah for your existence, give hope to those who lost it. When you fast and get exhausted by helping others, that day the feeling of satisfaction is indescribable no matter how long and hot the day is.
- Allah’s knowledge is limitless. Use these days to seek Islamic knowledge; talk with righteous and knowledgeable people. Sometimes one word or advice in the Qur’an and Sunnah can increase your Iman.
- Qur’an is the nourishment of every person’s soul, the light of heart and the guidance to the straight path. Whenever you feel like you are losing your energy quickly turn to the Qur’an, open and read, see what Allah wants to tell you.
- Visualize and read about paradise and the rewards awaiting in the next life for holding on to your faith in this life. Imagine meeting the righteous loved ones who passed away, imagine never falling ill, never having to struggle for anything, imagine how beautiful you will look, inshaAllah
While fasting, your body stops digesting for a period of time, it is able to focus on its other processes better. The process that has been neglected or slow to improve previously, will accelerate when you fast. Scientifically speaking, fasting is highly beneficial and a healthy process to heal and purify your body. During Ramadan your body’s ability to heal itself gets a boost. The rate of detoxification improves which brings a glow in your skin naturally. True that summer adversely affects your skin but you can still have soft and glowing skin following a few of these healthy habits:
- Do not stop exercising but reduce the intensity of your workout and limit the duration. There is no alternative to workout or physical activity in order to remain active. It is best to exercise when you can refuel and rehydrate after a good workout. Exercising an hour before Iftar makes sense because you can load yourself with food and water afterwards.
- Exercising 30 minutes after a small meal at Iftar seems sensible because you have had a preworkout meal.
- Treat yourself with fluid like fruit juice, coconut water, green tea, butter milk or just plain water even when you are exercising to rehydrate your body. Green tea is high in antioxidant which helps to eliminate dead skin cells and it is anti- inflammatory too. Drink at least 8-10 glasses of water.
- What you eat shows on your face. Do not consume too many snacks or salty products as salt can have dehydrating effects on your body.
- During Iftar, include fruits rich in water content such as watermelon, cucumber, oranges, and lettuce, which will provide both nutrients and anti-oxidants to add extra glow to your skin. Add yogurt and honey to your meal to avoid acidity.
- Try to control your meat intake as it is difficult to digest and also raises body temperature which can result in acne and pimple breakouts. Make sure your meal is rich in protein.
- Do not skip suhoor, make sure it is wholesome, moderate and filling; high in protein and fiber and low in carbohydrate.
