Conceive a child in the month of Ramadan. Rituals associated with the birth of a child. Do not have sexual intercourse
Pregnancy is considered in Islam as the greatest mercy from Allah bestowed upon His creations. After all, one of the most important functions of a person is procreation. The fulfillment of such a mission is entrusted by the Almighty to women.
Any expectant mother experiences emotional swings, feelings of fear and helplessness during pregnancy. During this difficult period, women should sincerely hope for the help of their Creator and follow the recommendations recorded in the Holy Quran and the Most Pure Sunnah.
Advantages of pregnancy
By bearing a child, a woman gains the pleasure of the Almighty, since her position is equated to a godly act. These 9 months have many advantages for expectant mothers, as they carry with them many, after passing which a person is awarded the reward of the Lord of the worlds.
1. Pregnancy is the path to Heaven. The Messenger of Allah (saw) instructed: “Women who bear a child and then give birth, breastfeed them and show love and mercy to them, if they pray and do not treat their spouses badly, will undoubtedly end up in Paradise.” (Ahmad, Tabarani, Hakim).
At the same time, women with many children are especially exalted in Islam, as stated in one of the hadiths: “Should I tell you about the women whose refuge will be Paradise? These are loving, have many children and are useful to their spouses...” (Nasai).
2. Pregnancy promotes forgiveness of sins. The so-called “interesting position” is very burdensome for a woman and can cause her great torment and suffering. However, these hardships should be looked at not as punishment, but as a special mission assigned by the Almighty, since they lead to the forgiveness of sins. The Messenger of the Lord of the Worlds, Muhammad (s.w.w.), noted: “If any illness, fatigue, grief, sadness, grief or even the slightest prick befalls a believer, then Allah will certainly forgive him his sins” (hadith cited by Bukhari and Mulsim).
3. Pregnancy is God's way. Bearing a fetus by a woman is equated in Islam to a struggle on the path of the Almighty. This is evidenced by a hadith from the collection of Abu Dawud: “A Muslim woman who dies while pregnant or during childbirth will become a martyr (that is, he will die the death of a great martyr - approx. Islam . Global ) ».
A believer who is in a “situation” should follow some tips to protect herself and her unborn baby:
1) Thank the Almighty for the mercy shown, since not everyone has the opportunity to have children. In the Holy Qur'an, the Creator addresses His servants:
“Remember Me, and I will remember you. Give thanks to Me and do not be ungrateful to Me" (2:152)
2) Be patient. During pregnancy, women often experience physical discomfort and emotional changes. In such a state one should bear all hardships properly. After all, a well-known verse says:
“The Almighty loves the patient” (3:146)
3) Read the dua. Praying for a successful outcome will help facilitate the process of pregnancy and childbirth. The Book of Allah records the dua of the Prophet Zakaria (a.s.):
“Rabbana uajjalna muslimaini laka wa min zurriyatina ummatam-muslimatal-laka wa ariyna manyasikana wa tub `alaina wa inneka anta tauuabur-rahiim” (3:38)
Translation of meaning: "God! Give me beautiful offspring from You, because You listen to the prayer.”
You can also pronounce the dua of the prophet Ibrahim (a.s.):
"Rabbi habli minas-salihiin" (37:100)
Translation of meaning:“Lord, give me offspring from among the righteous!”
4) Listen to the Koran. In the last months of the term, the child in the womb begins to hear what is happening outside. In this regard, the expectant mother can read the sacred verses herself or turn on audio recordings (which can also be found on our website by selecting any sura in the section).
Pregnancy and fasting
Often, Muslim women expecting a new addition to their family wonder whether they need to fast during the Holy month of Ramadan. According to Islamic faith, this obligation is removed from pregnant women. This is explained by the fact that keeping up during such a period is fraught with harm to both the child and his future mother.
The Prophet Muhammad (s.g.w.) explained: “Prayer is made easier for those on the road, and those who bear fruit and those who are nursing are exempted from fasting” (Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah).
However, this does not mean that pregnant women are strictly forbidden to fast. If a Muslim woman is sure that the prayer is safe for herself and her child, then she can fulfill this pillar of Islam. For example, if the fast occurs in the winter, when there is no heat and the time of abstinence from food does not exceed 12 hours. But when making such a decision, a woman should think carefully and adequately assess the state of her body. There is no need to fall into fanaticism, since Allah, by his command, allowed not to fast during pregnancy. This is an example of His boundless mercy towards His creations.
If a Muslim woman, while pregnant, refrains from fasting, she must subsequently make up for the missed days.
Namaz of a pregnant woman
During pregnancy, it is burdensome to perform a full prayer. That is why there are some concessions. If it is difficult for a woman to pray while standing, then she has the right to perform prayer while sitting. If she cannot perform the prayer while sitting, then she is allowed to do it reclining or lying on her back. In this case, you should face towards the qibla (Kaaba). If it is difficult for her to make bows from the waist, then she has the right to indicate them by moving her head (by tilting her head forward).
Artificial termination of pregnancy (abortion)
Abortion is strictly prohibited in Islam. Termination of pregnancy is a grave sin, since only the Almighty gives life and has the right to take it away from a person at his discretion. Abortion can only be permitted in situations where carrying a fetus threatens the life and health of the mother.
Miscarriage
If a woman experiences early fetal death, then further actions depend on a number of circumstances:
- If a miscarriage occurs before 120 days of pregnancy, it is advisable to wrap the child in a piece of cloth and bury him without performing a funeral prayer.
- If the gestation period was more than 120 days, but the child did not show any signs of life (crying, movements), then in this case it must be washed, wrapped in a shroud and buried without janaza-namaz.
- If the gestation period was more than 120 days and the child showed any signs of life, then all actions are performed on him, as well as on an adult. One of the hadiths says: “It is not done to a child until he shows signs of life” (Tirmidhi).
During childbirth
Childbirth occurs differently for each woman and can last up to a day. In this regard, a Muslim woman is sometimes forced to skip prayers, since she is physically unable to perform them. In addition, women in labor produce blood, which is considered nifas . From this moment on, the woman begins to be in a state of ritual defilement, which means that performing namaz is prohibited. The situation is similar with fasting.
During childbirth, a woman should, if possible, make dua and ask Allah for relief and the birth of a healthy baby.
We were created for worship, and fasting is one of worship, and secondly, Allah himself rewards fasting.
In the Qur'an, you have probably seen many verses that say that Allah knows what is in our thoughts, what our intention is. But the angels cannot know this, they are recorders, they record our deeds, and the Almighty will make the calculation. That is why there is an opinion that angels cannot know the reward for fasting, since they do not know whether this person fasted or not, with prayer everything is clear, when a person prays it is visible, but fasting, how to define it? It is worth paying attention to the saying of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, in which he said: “Every good deed of the son of Adam will be multiplied, and the smallest reward for a good deed will be rewarded tenfold, but it can increase up to seven hundred times.”
Allah Almighty said: “With the exception of fasting, for, truly, fasting is done for My sake, and I will reward it, since a person refuses to satisfy his desires and food for My sake!”, this inspires hope for a truly great reward.
Along with the above, fasting is a cleansing from committed sins. Thus, the Messenger of Allah said: “Whoever prays at night during Ramadan with faith and hope for a reward from Allah will have his previous sins forgiven,” and, importantly, it is good for health. Speaking about this, the Messenger of Allah said: “Fast, you will be healthy!”
Ramadan is a kind of catalyst; good deeds performed this month have a much greater degree of reward than those performed on other ordinary days. Therefore, most Muslims try to pray more during the month of Ramadan, give alms, pay zakat, and the wealthy go on umrah (minor pilgrimage). Good deeds done during Ramadan are more rewarding.
Fasting time
Fasting is observed from dawn to sunset throughout. You can eat before morning adhan. But given that the correct time with dawn is relatively set according to what is written in the calendars, eating should be stopped 30 minutes before sunrise, in order to protect yourself from spoiling the day.
The basis of fasting is to fulfill three main points:
Do not eat
Not to drink
Do not have sexual intercourse
Moreover, all three basics must be performed from dawn to sunset.
These points relate in part to the external manifestation of fasting, however, one must not miss the part that is not visible to others, but is also important for fulfillment in order for the fast to be correct.
It must be taken into account that during fasting one should not swear, be hostile, talk idle talk and waste time on things that are useless from the point of view of Sharia.
Knowing the basics of the Eid, you can answer most questions that arise on the topic of fasting in the month of Ramadan. However, some questions require some explanation, which will be discussed in this article.
What spoils the post?
Violations of fasting are divided into two groups:
1. That which breaks the fast and requires its completion (kaza is the completion of the fast one day in one day) and atonement (kafarah is the obligatory observance of continuous fasting for 60 days for one day of broken fast. Who is not able to atone for the fast by due to illness, weakness, is obliged to feed 60 poor people in one day of broken fasting).
1) Eating intentionally without any good reason;
2) Intentionally committed sexual intercourse.
2. What breaks the fast and requires only replenishment:
1) Taking food or medicine due to illness;
2) Eating by mistake, that is, if you ate or drank after dawn, assuming that dawn had not yet come, or ate during the day, thinking that the sun had already set, but it turned out that it had not set yet. An example can also be given where a person mistakenly swallowed water while performing ablution;
3) Intentional vomiting;
4) Intentionally consuming an item other than food, such as dough, tree sap, or chewing gum;
5) The appearance of menstruation;
6) Ejaculation during love games.
What does not ruin fasting in the month of Ramadan?
1. Swimming. The Prophet, peace and blessings of the Almighty be upon him, advised “to wet yourself during fasting due to heat or thirst” (Reported by Ahmad, Malik and Abu Dawud). If water is involuntarily swallowed, this does not break the fast.
2. Use of antimony. Anas reported that the Prophet used to use antimony during fasting.
3. Kiss your wife or husband while maintaining control over yourself. Aisha reported that the Prophet used to kiss and touch her during fasting.
5. Swallowing something that cannot be avoided (for example, your own saliva or street dust, etc.)
6. Tasting food when purchasing (or cooking) with the tip of the tongue.
7. Smell flowers or use perfume, etc.
9. You can continue your fast even while in junub (Junub is a state of defilement, after sexual intercourse and before bathing). Also, after the end of menstruation or the postpartum period, a woman can begin to fast if the bleeding stops at night (any time before sunset). In all the above cases, bathing can be postponed until the next morning and the fast will remain valid.
10. The one who forgets that he is fasting and starts eating or drinking. Most scholars said that in this case the fast does not deteriorate and is valid. The argument is the words of Allah Almighty: “O our Lord, do not punish us if we have forgotten or made a mistake.”
11. Involuntary vomiting. The Prophet said: “If anyone vomits involuntarily, his fast is not broken and he should not make up for (that day). But if anyone deliberately causes himself to vomit, then he must make up (for this day).” (Reported by Ahmed, Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah). In any case, a Muslim must fast for the rest of the day after vomiting.
When can you make up for missed fasting days in Ramadan?
There are no special provisions in Islam regarding special days for fasting. But it should be taken into account that the best solution is to make up for the missed days as quickly as possible at the best time for the missed days. For example, if a person missed the month of Ramadan due to illness, then it is best for him, due to the nature of the illness, to make up days in the winter, when it will not be particularly difficult for a person to fast. If a person cannot fast in winter, then he needs to feed the poor for each day he misses.
Allah Almighty says in the Qur’an: “And if anyone is sick or on a journey, then let him fast for the same number of days at other times.” Qur’an, Surah “Bakara”, 185 verse. Disabled, old and sick people who are not expected to recover and improve their condition, such as patients with asthma, diabetes, are allowed to replace fasting by feeding the poor (in accordance with feeding one poor person for one day of missed fasting). The concept of “to feed” in Muslim law means either in the morning or in the evening.
Marriage in the month of Ramadan
You can get married in the month of Ramadan, however, during daylight hours you cannot have a feast and the newlyweds cannot have sexual intercourse. There are also no prohibitions on performing nikah between two gayats.
Ramadan and pregnancy
A woman can keep her spirits up during pregnancy. But if the fast becomes the cause of malaise, impotence or insufficient nutrition for the child, and also the nursing woman has a fear of loss of milk or strength, then in this case they are allowed not to fast on the basis of the rule of Islamic law: “On the inadmissibility of causing harm and grave consequences.” But they must make up for the fast after the birth of the child, as well as feeding him - day after day of the missed fast. It should also be noted that it is not necessary to observe consistency in completing the fast. This is evidenced by the words of Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him: “You can not take into account the sequence in completing the fast, since Allah Almighty says in the Quran: “And if anyone is sick or on a journey, then let him fast the same number of days at another time” ( that is, Allah did not indicate that it is necessary to observe the sequence of missed days for the specified reasons.You can first fast one day, and a week later - another missed day of the month of Ramadan). Qur'an, Surah "Bakara", 185 verses. The same applies to a woman who has not fasted for several years due to successive births and breastfeedings. Ibrahim An-Nahgi said: “Even if the second Ramadan comes, then it is necessary to keep both fasts (obligatory and compulsory), and fasting cannot be replaced by feeding the poor. Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, said: “It happened that I could only complete my fast in the month of Shagban.” Section “Completing the fast”, “Sahih Bukhari”, hadith No. 1849, Sahih Ibn Hibban, hadith No. 3516.
The position of pregnant and lactating women is equal to the position of a traveler and a sick person (temporary permission to interrupt fasting due to difficulty), therefore they should definitely make up for fasting whenever possible and cannot replace fasting by feeding the poor, like a traveler.
Intimate relationships in the month of Ramadan
If you have read about the basics of fasting, then the ban, as you understand, on sexual intercourse applies to daylight hours of the month of Ramadan. At night, spouses are allowed to have intimacy without restrictions, but within the limits permitted by Sharia.
Get pregnant in Ramadan
There are no prohibitions on pregnancy (due this month) in Islam. On the contrary, some couples who were unable to get pregnant in normal months became pregnant in this month. This can be associated with diligent worship in the month of Ramadan and with asking forgiveness for sins.
Wet dream in Ramadan
Ejaculation that occurs in a dream does not spoil the fast, even if it happened during the daytime.
Periods in Ramadan
A woman cannot fast during her period - it is prohibited. Although there are methods to delay the onset of menstruation by taking pills. This option is possible, although it is worth leaving everything as it is, because in this case, even without fasting, the woman fulfills the command of the Almighty, for which she will receive a reward.
Smoking in Ramadan
Smoking breaks the fast, and this action is not appropriate for a Muslim. If earlier it was possible to say that smoking cannot be regarded as haram, now, when cigarette packs say that smoking kills or causes cancer, we can say with confidence that smoking is haram. Because it causes damage to health, even death.
Pricks (injections) in Ramadan
In this case, injections are divided into vitamin injections and injections for other purposes, for example, painkillers. Injections with vitamins and glucose spoil the fast, but injections necessary to maintain normal life or painkillers are allowed and do not spoil the fast.
Death before compensation for missed post
If a person died before he had the opportunity to make up for the missed fast, then he is supposed to be given fidia (especially if it was bequeathed by the deceased), or food, or the amount of money that the kazy established for a certain region.
What is undesirable to do during fasting?
1. It is not advisable to stay in water or a bath for a long time, as there is a possibility of water entering the body;
2. Do not engage in amorous advances (hugs and kisses);
3. Do not gargle;
4. Do not perform bloodletting, as this can weaken a person so much that he will have to break his fast;
5. Don't taste food.
6. Do not swallow your saliva that has previously accumulated in your mouth.
What is advisable to do during fasting?
Performing Taraweeh prayers collectively. It is performed after the obligatory night (Isha) prayer.
Observing Suhoor (eating before dawn). Even if you don’t feel like eating, it’s best to drink at least a couple sips of water. The Messenger of Allah said: “Eat before dawn, for at that time there is grace” (Bukhari);
Break your fast as quickly as possible. The Messenger of Allah said: “People will be in good health as long as they hurry to break their fast” (Bukhari);
When breaking the fast, it is advisable to turn to Allah with a prayer. It is reported that Abdullah b. Amr reported that the Messenger of Allah said: “The prayer of a fasting person when he breaks his fast is not rejected.”
Perform as many prayers as possible and turn to Allah as often as possible;
Dedicate more time to reading and studying the Holy Quran. The Messenger of Allah read the Quran most of all, especially in the month of Ramadan (Bukhari).
Thank Allah for the opportunity to fast during Ramadan.
Prepared by Abdussabur Khairutdinov
.Question: Tell me, please, I bought myself a silver ring, can I wear it on my index finger? I read that you are not allowed to wear rings on fingers other than the little finger.
Answer: Wearing a silver ring on the little finger is sunnah (desirable) because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) wore a silver ring on his little finger. It is not prohibited to wear rings on other fingers, as long as this does not lead to resemblance to women.
Quran teaching
Question: Can I read a book on studying the Qur'an without taking ablution?
Answer: A book on studying the letters of the Koran can be touched without ablution, because it contains not only suras from the Koran, but also simple words, but this is not advisable.
Sunnah
Answer: D wa, read in the morning between adhan and obligatory prayer, is in the book of Imam al-Ghazali “Bidayat al-Khidayat”. It is very long, and if it is not possible to read it, then you can simply make dua sincerely in your language, for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “ The supplication between adhan and iqamat is not rejected by Allah ».
Birthday
Question: Is it good or bad if a child was conceived in the month of Ramadan?
Answer: It’s good, of course, but it’s even better if his life complies with the norms of Islam, and this already depends on the parents. Allah gave you a child in a blessed month, and this should encourage you to raise him in an Islamic atmosphere.
Azan
Question: How long after adhan can you start namaz?
Answer: It is advisable to perform prayer at the end of the proclamation of the adhan and after reading the iqama before entering the prayer. In mosques, prayers are not performed immediately after adhan because they are expecting parishioners.
Newborn
Question: Is it possible to take a newborn baby out of the house before 40 days have passed?
Answer: As for the fact that 40 days after the birth of a child cannot be taken out of the house and the like, there is no such thing in Islam. But a newborn can be weak, and it is better not to take him out into public places until he gets stronger.
Names
Question: According to Islam, which is more correct: “Aminat” or “Amina”?
Answer: Both options are correct, it’s just that when there is a pause or at the end of a sentence in Arabic, “Amina” is read, and when connected or in the middle of a sentence, “Aminat” is read.
The middle of the blessed month of Ramadan is marked by a sacred birth. On one of the blessed days of the 3rd year of the lunar Hijri, the house of Ali (peace be upon him!) and Fatema (peace be upon her!) was illuminated by the birth of their first child. With the blessing of God and the Great Prophet of Islam (may Allah bless him and his family!) he was named Hasan.
Hassan (peace be upon him!) lived for seven years under the shadow of the kindness of the Great Prophet of Islam (may Allah bless him and his family!).
But even such a short period was enough for him, moment by moment, to water his soul with the bright colors of the existence of his grandfather, the Great Prophet of Islam (may Allah bless him and his family!) and learn everything necessary to achieve heights and happiness from the greatest teacher.
Congratulations to everyone on the anniversary of the birth of Hassan ibn Ali (peace be upon him!), the holy grandson of the Great Prophet of Islam (may Allah bless him and his family!).
Historians note that Imam Hasan (peace be upon him!) looked more like the great Prophet (may Allah bless him and his family!) than others. The Prophet also treated him with special kindness and favor. The love and affection of Imam Hasan (peace be upon him!) for the Vicegerent of God (may Allah bless him and his family!) was so strong that he spent every day in the mosque in Medina, listening to the meaningful and instructive speeches of the prophet. Despite the fact that he was still a child, he not only correctly understood the words of the Prophet, often accompanied by verses, but also retold them at home to his mother Fatema (peace be upon her!) in beautiful, understandable words.
Imam Khaan (peace be upon him!) had an oratorical talent since childhood. His contemporary Amid ibn Eshaq spoke of his oratory as follows:
“When Hassan ibn Ali (peace be upon him!) spoke, I dreamed that his speech would not end. His words endlessly pleased me, and I never heard a harsh word from him.”
Even as a child, he had deep religious knowledge. That is why the Prophet (may Allah bless him and his family!) and Ali (peace be upon him!), knowing about his learning, sometimes trusted him to answer people’s religious questions. He answered them with dignity and insight.
Much in the nature and character of Hasan ibn Ali (peace be upon him!) pointed to his greatness. Anyone who saw him became his admirer, and his soul was filled with kindness towards him. Jalaletdin Sivati once wrote: “Hasan ibn Ali (peace be upon him!) had many positive character traits and human qualities. He was a worthy person, patient and generous, and the people praised him.” Imam Hasan (peace be upon him!) tried to help the poor and disadvantaged. The Imam directed all his strength and capabilities towards good deeds and generosity, so much so that he became known as the most generous of the blessed family of the Prophet. Historians in their biographies of the Imam praised his unprecedented generosity, and wrote: “During his life, Imam Hasan (peace be upon him!), following the path of God, twice distributed all his property. And also repeatedly gave away half of his wealth to the needy. Possessing such extensive generosity, The Imam was the hope and refuge for the poor and underprivileged.
One day a beggar came to Imam Hassan (peace be upon him!). However, out of shame, he was unable to express his request. The imam told him to put his request in writing. The man did just that. After reading the letter, the Imam gave the beggar twice what he asked for. One of those present exclaimed: “O son of the Prophet, how profitable this letter turned out to be for him.” In response, the Imam said:
“For us it was more profitable, since the deed we performed counted us among good people.”
Modesty combined with respect is the social way of God's people. Imam Hasan (peace be upon him!) also possessed this outstanding character trait. One day he passed by beggars who had modestly spread out their poor tablecloth and were eating empty bread. When they saw the Imam, they said: “O son of the Prophet of God, join us in our meal.” The Imam accepted their invitation with great joy and desire. He quickly dismounted and sat down next to them, saying, “The Lord does not love the proud,” and began to eat bread. After eating a few bites, he thanked the people and invited them to his home. After they came home to the Imam, he gave them a warm welcome and presented each of them with new beautiful clothes.
Prayer is the outpouring of one's needs combined with worship of God. When a person bows in prayer to his Master, he actually confesses to him his need and poverty and asks him for prosperity. If sincere prayer is accompanied by work and diligence, then this will be evidence of a person’s honesty in worshiping God. It was said about Imam Hassan (peace be upon him!) that he made repeated journeys on foot to Mecca.
Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him!) said: "Imam Hasan (peace be upon him!) was the most pious man of his time. His eyes filled with tears when he remembered death, and when he stopped to perform prayer, his body trembled. His actions and behavior were such that he turned his thoughts to God everyone who saw him."
Once Imam Hassan, in a recommendation to the people, said: "O people! Stay away from disobeying God's laws and committing illicit acts. Before you encounter difficulties and fall into the arms of death, turn your face to good deeds. Everything in the world is temporary and no one is immune from danger. O people! Listen advice and learn life lessons from history. Do not let worldly goods occupy you and distract you from thoughts about the next world."
The great prophet of Islam (may Allah bless him and his family!) said about Imam Hasan (peace be upon him!):
"Know that he is God's gift to me. He will teach you and introduce people to my teachings. He will breathe life into my life's work. Because his behavior is similar to my behavior. God has set his eyes on him. The Almighty will bless whoever accepts him and out of respect for me he does good to him.
History testifies that Imam Hassan (peace be upon him!) lived his entire life as the Prophet said. The Imam, due to the problems that arose in different parts of the Islamic Ummah, and to preserve the Islamic world, accepted the proposal of a truce with Moaviyeh. Thus, Imam Hassan (peace be upon him!) was glad for the great goal and, in order to prevent war and bloodshed, renounced power (the caliphate). Under the circumstances, his goal was to intelligently and far-sightedly free the Islamic world from danger and make plans for the future.
It should be noted that during that period, the problems grew so much that not only ordinary people, but also many intellectuals of that time could not determine the line between justice and injustice. That is why Imam Hasan (peace be upon him!) chose the only right path to determine the boundary between justice and injustice and save people from uncertainty.
Imam Hasan (peace be upon him!) stopped the avalanche of distortions and extensive attacks that were carried out in the name of religion on the true culture of Islam, and began to spread thoughts about true Islam.
In general, we can say that from the moment he accepted the world until the end of his days, Imam Hasan (peace be upon him!) chose the method of clarification and, having embarked on the path of awakening those who did not understand the truth of Islam or departed from its true principles, took effective actions. He trained outstanding students in the fields of science, religion and thought, each of whom had a deep understanding of the knowledge and sciences of Islam. Thus, in those dangerous times, thanks to the reason and logic of Imam Hasan, Islam spread as the last divine religion.
Congratulating again on the next anniversary of the birth of Imam Hasan (peace be upon him!) we listen to his selected sayings.
Imam said:
“Difficulties and complications are the key to God’s grace.”
As his words go:
“Think, for thinking enlivens the soul and is the key to the mercy of God.”
The Imam encouraged people to do good for others and said:
“A decent and kind attitude towards people is a sign of intelligence.”
Dear sisters, by the grace of Allah, Ramadan, the month of the Quran, fasting and worship, is approaching.
Praise be to Allah, this will be the third Ramadan that we will spend together with our website, InshaAllah! We have received a lot of positive feedback on this article in past years and are very glad that you found the article useful.
InshaAllah, at the end of the article we will give some reviews of the sisters about their fasting.
First of all, I would like to say that a pregnant woman is obliged to fast, just like any other person, except in cases where she fears for herself or the child. In this situation, she is allowed not to fast.
Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said about the verse:
“And those who are able to fast with difficulty should feed the poor (every day) as an atonement.” (Al-Baqarah, 2:184)
“This was a relief for older men and women who are able to fast, but it is difficult for them, so they are allowed not to fast and they must feed one poor person every day. (source)
Also, pregnant and breastfeeding women who do not fast must make up for the missed fasts; it is not enough for them to simply feed the poor
(Source)
Therefore, we urge you, sisters, to prepare for this month and not to miss these blessed days, to prepare your soul and body for fasting. Since simply pregnancy and breastfeeding are not reasons for abandoning this type of worship.
We would like to give you some USEFUL recommendations regarding fasting for a Muslim woman during pregnancy and breastfeeding. And also for our sisters who are breastfeeding while pregnant.
Soul cleansing
We draw your attention to some important points that will help you spend this month as efficiently as possible, in worship, without harming your body.
We especially want to remind pregnant women that this is the most favorable time when we should make dua for ourselves, our child, for a favorable outcome of childbirth, etc.
It is also important to prepare your soul for Ramadan, purify it through dua, tawb, remembrance of Allah, reading the Quran and reflecting on its verses.
Based on our experience, we can say that it is easier for a pregnant woman to fast than for a nursing mother, but both are possible with the right intention and a rationally structured schedule for food and water intake, and many sisters have extensive experience in fasting during breastfeeding, feeding a newborn, feeding tandem, etc.
If you are one of the pregnant women in their final stages, then we especially recommend that you fast even outside the days of Ramadan, that is, keeping fasts is sunnah.
Of course, it is difficult to choose the optimal diet for all women, since we live in different areas, we have different traditions and ways of life. And this certainly affects what products we have access to.
Despite this, we would like to provide you with some tips that you can follow during Ramadan to make fasting easier:
1. Theoretical preparation.
Before Ramadan, study the verses, hadiths, fatwas, articles about Ramadan, and the importance of fasting. So that a woman would look forward to meeting this blessed month with all her heart, and would eagerly dream of performing this type of worship as soon as possible. And we also know that everything that is fard, preparation for it is also fard. Just like Hajj, Salah, etc.
2. Studying your body
If you are already reading this article, praise be to Allah, it is possible to fast now during the days of the sunnah of fasting, prepare your body and listen to it. Observe your body, feel what difficulties arise during fasting. You can also break the Sunnah fast at any time if it becomes really bad.
3. One of the important moments for a successful fast is suhoor.
The main rule is not to skip suhoor. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Eat food before dawn! Truly, in Suhoor there is grace!” (al-Bukhari, Muslim, an-Nasai, at-Tirmidhi).
And for a good suhoor, you need to wake up at least an hour and a half before, and not 15-30 minutes before. This will help replenish a sufficient amount of water and improve the water-salt balance, because food supplies are not so necessary, since the average person can have enough for a month. But this does not mean that you should fast all the time, on the contrary, Ramadan is a month of worship and you will need a lot of strength, but remember that Ramadan is a month of refusing food and a month of fighting your nafs, so we urge you not to overdo it !
4. Don't overindulge in food.
From the fatwa of Sheikh Munajid: “...A believer should reduce the amount of food he consumes, and he should not worry about satisfying his desire for food and other things, even if it is from the permitted. Umar bin al-Khattab went to his son Abdullah and, seeing him eating meat, said: “What kind of meat is this?” He replied: “I wanted it.” Umar said: “Whenever you want something, you eat ? To fall into excess, it is enough for a person to eat whatever he wants." May Allah be pleased with him. A Muslim must limit himself to what he needs and not go beyond that."
Source
5. Ensure adequate water and fluid intake.
Replenish the required amount of water. Even from iftar, we should drink water little by little, even if we don’t feel like it. From Maghrib to Fajr, a pregnant woman should drink at least 2 liters of clean water, and a nursing woman can drink more. In addition, for nursing mothers, we recommend drinking herbal teas and broths. If you can replenish enough water, you will find it much easier to fast.
It also facilitates fasting and prevents dehydration by adding watermelon and peeled cucumbers to the diet. That is, products with a high water content.
6. Selection of diet for both iftar and suhur.
Also, when we work with pregnant and lactating women, we often repeat: “Don’t eat for two, but eat for two,” that is, it is important to provide your diet with nutrients to the maximum, and not to increase the volume of food several times.
Your diet should include foods rich in vitamins and minerals: such as dried fruits, nuts, various seeds (including sesame), fresh fruits, vegetables, wild berries in season, various unrefined vegetable oils (olive, sesame, pumpkin, linen, etc.). If you have a need for meat, then let it be chicken (preferably homemade) or lamb. Among the cereals, we recommend buckwheat, dark unpolished rice, and millet. It is also advisable to eat sea fish that is not salted. Actively use unrefined sea salt in your cooking, as it will help replenish the necessary minerals. We also highly recommend drinking a glass of carrot juice with black cumin seeds a day, for pregnant women - half a teaspoon per glass, for others - optional. Include fermented foods (sauerkraut, etc.) in your diet.
7. Natural immunomodulators according to the Sunnah
Consume all the natural immunomodulators according to the Sunnah that you are used to consuming, such as black cumin oil and seeds, kist al hindi, helba, ginger, propolis and bee products, flower (palm pollen), etc.
Also introduce nutritional supplements such as blue-green algae into your diet. For example, spirulina.
To replenish minerals such as calcium, magnesium. We highly recommend that pregnant women, nursing women and others use white or blue lump clay. Since the lump retains its beneficial properties better, it is also a sorbent, which will be discussed below insha Allah.
8. Elimination of intolerances.
If you know which foods cause your food intolerances, then don't eat them.
But if you have never been interested in healthy eating, cleansing the body and establishing a diet before Ramadan, then try not to eat a large number of different foods in one day. Let your food consist of simple and healthy products. But if you are preparing for Ramadan in advance, we recommend reading the following two articles. Perhaps they will reveal to you the reasons why you have problems with fasting.
Treatment according to the Sunnah part 2
Individual diet
Everyone should give up “NON-FOOD” forever: mayonnaise, ketchup, products containing E-dyes and acids, chips, soda, store-bought juices (make juices yourself, if you don’t have a juicer, then use a grater and squeeze through cheesecloth), thermophilic yeast, seasonings with monosodium glutamate, tea bags, etc. Of course, it is impossible to list every innovation in the “culinary” fashion, but anything that has a complex composition of unknown components, a long shelf life, bright unnatural packaging is most likely an enemy to your health.
Refuse or reduce to a minimum the consumption of non-living food (that is, refined): white refined flour (replace with rice flour, corn or whole grain flour), white sugar (replace with agave syrup and stevia, you can honey), unhealthy sweets (cookies, cakes, condensed milk and etc.) can be replaced with natural and healthy sweets made with your own hands, refined oil (replace with unrefined olive, sunflower, flaxseed, but not for frying. For frying (and it is better to exclude fried food) either ghee or animal fats, or food stewed in water, at the end pour a little unrefined vegetable oil for taste, and the beneficial properties of the oil are not lost).
9. Business schedule.
Prepare your home for Ramadan in advance. Do basic general cleaning before Ramadan so as not to waste energy on it during fasting. Decorate the house and bring it into an atmosphere close to the holiday.
Prepare food in environmentally friendly dishes (made of steel, cast iron, clay, glass, ceramics), as aluminum and Teflon cookware slowly poison your body.
Besides this, I would like to give a few more tips:
Change your household schedule, namely, move all activities that require strenuous physical activity from you from daytime to the time after Iftar or shortly before it, otherwise you will feel very tired, which will make fasting even more difficult.
In order not to waste time during Ramadan on trips to the store, make a list of all the necessary household supplies in advance and purchase them in advance so that everything you need is already at home. Also basic foods from the diet that do not require fresh purchase, such as cereals, onions, carrots.
If you have a large family or you know that you will have a lot of guests for iftars (although it is better to limit long gatherings), but since you are feeding fasting ajras, you can buy disposable paper beautiful dishes to reduce the washing of plates and not strain yourself and waste strength.
10. Preparing food for future use
Some women cook for future use, for example, they prepare double quantities of dolma (stuffed cabbage rolls), the family eats the first portion for dinner today, and freezes the rest and does this periodically to create a small supply in case you don’t have the opportunity to cook. prepare a large number of rice pancakes, eat some of them, and stuff some of them and freeze and defrost them if necessary to quickly prepare a meal. Minced meat dishes freeze very well. Any cutlets, meatballs, zrazy, etc. Both ready-made and frozen. And closer to Iftar, if you are weak on this day, defrost, heat and serve. Prepare an easy and quick side dish: buckwheat, rice, potatoes (better replaced with sweet potatoes) and a light salad.
During the time remaining before the holy month, in order not to think about what to cook, now write down what you are serving on the table and cook according to schedule during Ramadan. For example, chicken stuffed with rice and vegetables and dried apricots or potatoes and baked in the oven looks very beautiful. The dish does not require special skills or effort, but it is tasty, healthy and does not take long.
We will also post healthy recipes for Suhoor and Iftar in our BGBK recipe group.
For nursing mothers.
If you do not have problems with lactation, then fasting will not cause loss of milk (most often this reason is improper child care, that is, infrequent latching, not on demand, using a pacifier, supplementing with water, lack of co-sleeping and many other reasons) .
If there is little milk, isn’t it better to save it for feeding so that the baby eats more?
How maternal nutrition affects the quantity and quality of milk
It should be noted that for some sisters, the volume of milk during fasting may even increase due to barracks, as well as a more rational attitude to food and water intake.
Change your schedule slightly so that you feed your baby as much as possible in the dark, especially after eating and drinking. It is also imperative for you not to skip suhoor and choose the food that increases the flow of milk (every mother knows what exactly this food is, but from our experience we can say that more often it is a glass of hot broth, 2 glasses of helba, nuts, dates, a spoon of black caraway with a hot herbal drink: anise, oregano, thyme, chamomile, etc.). Also, all dishes and drinks that increase hemoglobin have a beneficial effect on milk flow, especially carrot juice. You can see the full list of products in the article: “Is a decrease in hemoglobin dangerous during pregnancy?”
After Suhoor, we recommend long feeding of the baby. You can feed while lying down while reading the morning adhkars. But it is important to remember that the key to good lactation is frequent breastfeeding (that is, at the first “squeak”), that is, milk is produced during the sucking process, and not from eating, drinking or any other reasons.
Getting ready to feed!
Important: The basis of breastfeeding is proper attachment
If there is something alarming about your baby’s behavior, or someone has frightened you in some way, and you doubt whether your baby is getting enough milk, then just monitor your baby’s daily peeing. The color and smell should not be pronounced. Up to six months, the number of peees should be at least 12 times a day.
However, mothers who adhere to the principles of natural parenting (they raise their children, if they use cloth diapers, and very rarely disposable ones), then it is much easier for them to determine the quantity and quality of their baby’s urination. They know the norm for their baby.
Pregnancy. As you know, pregnancy is not a disease and abstinence from food, and unloading the body is very important during this period.
If you or your loved ones doubt whether a pregnant woman can fast, then I would like to ask: “During normal times of the year, do you eat 24 hours a day without interruption for other activities or sleep?” No! Let’s say, if during pregnancy you eat 3-4 times a day, what’s stopping you from eating the same amount of food, but at a different time, and replenishing fluid from Maghrib to Fajr? And at the same time, the main thing is to eat little and effectively (see above about the diet) and then your nutrition will provide you and your child with useful microelements, just on a different schedule. If you have toxicosis, then you are even more advised to fast and, perhaps, this will cause an appetite and an improvement in your well-being.
Many women who have toxicosis do not eat all day long and do not even drink water, but, nevertheless, do not fast, which is extremely illogical.
Toxicosis: Beginning and preparation for pregnancy
For pregnant and lactating women, combine all the previous tips with the only difference that you should not use cumin oil, especially hot, and helba (up to 34 weeks of pregnancy) because for some this can cause stronger contractions of the uterus, which can cause discomfort. Replace them with other hot drinks, for example, thyme, rosehip, or dried apricot tea.
I would also like to draw your attention once again to the fact that all the concerns are that if you don’t eat another portion of empty carbohydrates (pasta with mayonnaise or bread with sausage full of chemicals, and don’t wash it all down with soda or sweet tea bags with chemical dyes), then you will starve, and the child will suffer, the milk will disappear and other horrors, then this is absolutely far-fetched.
Our task is only to ensure that from iftar to suhoor we have time to restore the water-salt balance, as well as the necessary microelements, and not to fill our stomach to the point of saturation. Since, after eating a very small amount of quality foods and drinking a sufficient amount of water, you may feel a slight hunger and lightness in your stomach, but at the same time, your body will not be poisoned or oversaturated, Ramadan is not a time of satiety and pleasure, This is the time to work on your nafs.
The plague of our time is candidiasis
All pathogenic flora, dying, release toxins, and such poor health is a sign of intoxication of the body, that is, a sure signal that the body needs to be helped to cleanse itself. To do this, before Suhoor and during Iftar, try to drink a small amount, for example ¼ or ½ glass of a strong thyme decoction in order to extinguish pathogenic flora.
Try to consume a few spoons of fermented foods such as sauerkraut during meals (if this does not make you bloated) and after meals drink a sorbent, namely 1 teaspoon of white clay both for Iftar and Suhoor. If you use lump clay, it is better to use it in its pure form, chewing it in your mouth and drinking water. Those who can drink slimy drinks, make jelly from flax seeds.
Preparing for childbirth: nutrition, exercise and more...
And also do not forget about the mercy of Allah given to us - do hijama immediately after Maghrib, and do not put a lot of cans at once, it’s better to use 2-3 cans in 1 session, but regularly. During the fast itself, before Iftar, it is not advisable to do hijama, so as not to feel weak, but if you already feel bad, then do hijama while lying down, put 1 jar on al-kahel in order to saturate the blood with oxygen and cleanse the body of stagnant blood.
The interval between hijama sessions and the number of cans per session
Atlas of points
Atlas of points for pregnant women in the article: Toxicosis. Beginning and preparing for pregnancy
If signs of intoxication persist, then repeat hijama after a few days and drink alkalizing drinks, the easiest way is soda water (¼ teaspoon of baking soda in 0.5 cups of warm water, drink before meals).
Constipation is also a cause of intoxication. And to avoid this, be sure to monitor your stool; usually, nurses who follow the recommendations for nutrition and drinking enough water, as a rule, do not encounter this problem. If you do encounter this, then use a mild laxative, such as senna, castor oil, in extremely severe cases - an enema (for non-pregnant women), flax seeds, sauerkraut juice, prune decoction (for pregnant women).
Gymnastics and pelvic gyrations are also a means of preventing constipation, so that there is no congestion in the pelvic organs.
You may initially find our recommendations strange and difficult to implement, which include giving up many familiar products for a modern person. After all, the month of Ramadan can be the reason for your transition to a healthy diet and approaching the lifestyle according to the Sunnah, the main thing is to make the right intention that we strive for health, in order to fully worship, to give birth and raise righteous offspring, and to be full-fledged Muslims to the end of your days.
“A strong believer is better before Allah and more loved by Him than a weak believer, although in each [of them] there is goodness...” (Sahih Muslim)
May Allah make this month of Ramadan blessed for us all, grant us His mercy, protect us and our children from the evil of the devils from among the jinn and people, grant us useful knowledge and make us one of those who will be forgiven in this month!! !
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