Full Taraweeh Makkah 2014 Day 27

Full Taraweeh Makkah 2014 Day 27 - Ramadan 1435 AH w/ English Subtitle

Prayers of The Last Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم

Prayers of The Last Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم By Yusuf Islam

Staying Physically Energized During Ramadan

With Ramadan in the midst of summer this year, we need nothing more than hydration and good eating habits to keep us going. However, Ramadan is not only about omitting food and drink from sunrise to sunset. It’s not about sleeping all day and waking up an hour before sunset to prepare a meal. It’s not about indulging all night and sleeping all day. No, Ramadan is a spiritual car wash for our souls. It’s a time to check in on ourselves, omitting desires, and focusing on what we were initially created for: worshipping Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He).
While we focus on our spiritual upbringing, we also need to focus on our physical well-being. Instead of praying Maghrib and rushing to eat, set your intention to eat to nourish your body so that you can stand and pray. In this case, you make eating an act of worship and get rewarded for it, Allah (swt) willing. Set your intention to eat suhoor (the meal before sunrise) to worship and have energy all day. Set your intention to eat iftar (the meal after sunset) to worship and pray during the night. Now, let me share a few tips on what to

eat to stay hydrated, energized, and motivated all day long.
1)     Eat dates.

• I personally don’t question any food that was eaten by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (peace be upon him) or recommended by him.
  • Anas Ibn Malik radi Allahu `anhu (may God be pleased with him) narrated: “The messenger of Allah ﷺ  used to break his fast before praying with some fresh dates, but if there were no fresh dates, he had a few dry dates, and if there were no dry dates, he took some mouthfuls of water.” [Sunan Abu Dawud]

• Fasting all day means facing difficulties reaching the required daily value for many essential vitamins and nutrients. Dates are known to provide many of these nutrients with just a few pieces:
  • Dates have immense health benefits, including high fiber, potassium, magnesium, copper, and B vitamins.
  • Dates are known to regulate blood sugar, weight loss, blood pressure, cancer, and arthritis. Dates also aid in facilitating oxygen to the brain and the formation of healthy skin.

• Tip: Eat three or more dates at suhoor to give you energy all day. Break your fast on dates and pray Maghrib. This regulates your blood sugar and causes you to not overeat at iftar.

2)     DON’T skip out on suhoor.

• Yes, it’s 4 a.m. and yes it’s going to be difficult, but my number one piece of advice is don’t skip out on suhoor. The Prophet ﷺ advised us to eat suhoor and promised barakah (blessings) in it. Abu Hurairah (ra) narrated: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘Eat suhoor, for in suhoor there is blessing.’” [Sunan Al- Nasa’i]

• Eating a meal before sunrise will give you energy to keep going during the long day ahead of you.
• If you skip out on suhoor, you are putting your body in starvation mode and actually only going to cause yourself to overindulge at iftar.
• So, EAT SUHOOR!
• Tip: Eat a light but nutritious, breakfast-like meal:
  • Try a zatar  or cheese pie with some cucumbers. Tomatoes and a cup of fresh-squeezed orange juice are also excellent sources of vitamins and nutrients.
  • Have nutrient-dense whole-grain toast with almond butter, cashew butter, or all-natural peanut butter. Top with berries or banana slices.
  • Try some quinoa with almond milk, raisins, cinnamon, raw honey, and bananas. It will definitely give you fuel for the day.
  • A bowl of steel cut oats or whole grain cereal and organic milk/almond milk are also great.
  • Don’t forget the dates.

3)     Eat hydrating foods like watermelon, cucumbers, citrus fruit, and tomatoes.

• It’s not only summer time, but we are fasting 17+ hours. Many of us have work and others are taking summer courses. We are going to lack energy and need as much nutrients as we can get from the food we eat. Hydrating ourselves with water-dense foods will keep our bodies from dehydrating in the heat.
• Tip: Other foods with high water content include: lettuce, pineapple, berries, citrus fruit, and spinach.

4)     Drink plenty of water between iftar and suhoor

• Water is the most purifying drink;  it cleans out toxins from your body and prevents you from getting headaches (especially when you’re not drinking or eating all day).
• Tip: Skip the soda! Drinking soda with your iftar will only make you thirstier, and dehydrate your body more than it already is. Drink water with your meal and keep it at hand throughout the night.  Break your coffee and tea addiction.

• If possible, regulate your body to get rid of your caffeine addiction before Ramadan starts. If you are drinking 3-4 cups of coffee daily, and on the first day of Ramadan you don’t drink any, you may get headaches and lack energy.
• Tip: If you really need energy, opt for dates instead. Coffee and tea are known to dehydrate the body even more.

I hope that you find these eating tips helpful! I assure you that making these small changes in your Ramadan and even regular diet, will substantially improve your overall health and fitness.


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How to Have a Fun Ramadan with Kids and Be Productive Too

Ramadan is the most wonderful time of the year. Too often, we, adults, focus so much on the “work” 
associated with the month, but we forget that one of the most important things about this amazing
month is to inculcate a love for this month and its blessings in our children.

Ramadan should be a special time for your whole family, including the little ones. It should bring you closer to  each other as a family and closer to Allah .

In this article, In sha Allah, we will give 10 tips for a productive and fun Ramadan for your children.

1. Send a note to kids’ school/ your neighbors:

                                          Photo from: myhalalkitchen[dot]com


Yvonnne Maffei, popular food writer and home chef, shared the idea of giving homemade goodie bags to your neighbors with an insert explaining what Ramadan is all about. This is a great idea. You can find a suggestion for a printable letter to send to kids’ school here. Not only does this act as a form of dawah, but also it builds goodwill in the community. You can order Eid posts for your child’s public school from Project Eid Awareness.

2. Welcome Ramadan into your homes:

                                        Photo from: alif2yaa[dot]blogspot[dot]ca

Decorate your homes with “Ramadan Kareem” banners, streamers and lights. You can find DIY instructions here. You can also read the tips made by Ameera Rahim from Traditional Muslimah Homemaker and Habeebee Homeschooling, in a previous ProductiveMuslim article here.

3. Make or buy 30 days calendar (Advent-style):

       Photo from: muslimlearninggarden[dot]wordpress[dot]com

Last year in my family, we made 30 paper cones using construction paper and taped them
to a poster board. The paper cones were numbered. So on day 1, I would place a task / challenge
for my niece to complete or a treat for her.

If you are interested in the calendar idea, you may want to check out Jannah Steps as it has
compiled a list on how to buy one easily or make it yourself.

4. Read about Ramadan together:

                  Photo from: disneybaby[dot]com

Kids love stories. For parents, this is a great way to illustrate a point. Disney Baby
 recommends 10 books for your reference.

5. The best lesson is the one experienced:

   Photo from Zaki’s Ramadhan Fast (islam[dot]rosegalaxy[dot]com)

Let your child experience Ramadan in terms of the physical aspect of waking up for suhoor,
making dua with you at iftar and perhaps on weekends attending taraweeh at the masjid. Aysha Samrah Abrar, a fellow author at Productive Muslim, mentions useful tips in her Productive Parenting article.

Wake your child up to have suhoor with you, even if they might be unable to fast. Make sure your
child has had enough hours of sleep before suhoor, though, so they don’t start viewing this as a burden.

Take your children with you to the masjid and ask them to relate their experience of praying in jama’ah
after returning home. Ask them questions like: “Which surah did the imam read today? What word caught your mind while listening to the imam? Did you make any special dua during ruku’ or sujood?”

While having suhoor, have some dates along with your food. Discuss the scientific benefits of dates, along with Qur’anic references about what our Prophet advised on the benefits of dates.

6. Ramadan crafts to keep them learning and entertained:

                                                   Photo from: littlelifeofmine[dot]com

Arts and crafts are another great learning tool. Download template and activities at MyRamadanFun.com and try this activity out.

7. Make Eid special and give gifts:

Make it about them. Build your own Eid traditions. I remember as a kid, every Eid morning, my mom
would make French toast that we’d eat before going for prayers and a massive feast when we returned.
To this day, any time I eat French toast, I think of those Eid mornings.
And, of course, there is no festivity for kids without gifts. A tip from Abu Productive every year is to get
your shopping done before Ramadan. Have your children help you make shopping lists, shop and pack gifts.

Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet said: “Give gifts and you will love one another” [Al Adab Al Mufrad]. So, save something they really want for Eid. Click here for our best picks.

8. Plan an Eid party for their friends:

           Photo from: myhalalkitchen[dot]com

Kids really look forward to their birthday party. Why not make your Eid party more fun than that?
My Halal Kitchen shares 5 tips for a fun and easy Eid Party and, for Ramadan decor and supplies,
order up here.

9. Avoid making food the center of your focus in Ramadan:

                                     Photo from: myhalalkitchen[dot]com

Check out easy iftar recipes that ensure that you’re not too tired from cooking and have enough energy
to do the fun things with the kids. A few suggestions could be found here. Also, check out
Ramadan Recipe App from My Halal Kitchen.

10. Agree on one bad habit to quit as a family during Ramadan:

Whether it’s watching TV or any other unhealthy habit that you would like to kick, work on it together. Make it a family thing. This teaches them the barakah of the month and also helps build good habits and growing as a family.

Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah said: “When a man dies, his deeds come to an end, except for three: A continuous charity, knowledge by which people derive benefit, pious son who prays for him.” [Muslim]

So, may Allah help us raise children who love His deen, who are God-fearing, who grow to be among the leaders of this ummah and who would remember their productive parents in their prayers!
In the comments section below, please share with us your best tips for making Ramadan productive for the little ones.
 

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Do you worship Ramadan or Allah? [Juz 2]

Do you worship Ramadan or Allah? [Juz 2] - Nouman Ali Khan

Al-Quran: Juz' 1 (Al Fatiha 1-Al Baqarah 141)

Al-Quran: Juz' 1 (Al Fatiha 1-Al Baqarah 141) with English translation from the Noble Qur'an.