Suggestions for my first Ramadhan

[Starrynight]

Hello,

I am not Muslim yet, but I plan on taking my Shahada this Friday inshallah. I am very excited for this! One thing I am a little nerves for is Ramadhan. I'm in the U.S. so the sun is up for a really long time. Some days I will have 17 hours of fasting. Does anyone have any suggestions for my first Ramadhan?
I also have problems with blood sugar and if I don't eat something for 8ish hours then I get these icky headaches. I will, of course, tough it out. But if anyone has suggestions or ideas that would be great.
Thank you!:D

[Futuwwa]

Do it gradually. If you feel too awful the first time due to blood sugar issues, I don't think there would be anything wrong about taking a headache pill. It doesn't include any energy really anyway, and if you take some that's used dry (that is, not dissolved in water) there's no drink involved either.

I don't know the state of your blood sugar issue, but if it makes fasting an actual health hazard (rather than just something that makes you feel awful), it is entirely halal to grant yourself what exemptions you need to be able to fast without endangering yourself.

[Endymion]

Salams Dear sister :statisfie

Im happy for you that you have found the right path,Alhamdulillah.A very warm congratulations and :welcome: to the religion of peace (As today is Friday and i hope you said your Shahada Inshallah ) :statisfie

Here is an Article,tips and medical guidance for Sugar patients during Ramadan.Hope you will find it benificial.

http://www.islamicity.com/articles/A...ef=RR0210-1777

Have a blessed Ramadan and keep me in your doaa :statisfie

[Riana17]

Salam Sister,
Allahu Akbar!!!
Masha Allah!!!
Subhanallah!!!

My heart is crying for you :(
How beautiful it is to be a Muslim, alhamdollelah
Inshallah sister I will remember you in my Duaa, May Allah love you and grant you Jannah Inshallah

as for the fasting, its my second year in fasting
I am sad with the sugar thing but I can give you tips if fasting is a must for u and it wont hurt your health
then inshallah
wake up 2 hours before fajr inshallah
eat the food mentioned in the holy Quran inshallah like
DATES- is sweet and little do you know that 1 pc of it is sufficient enough for a meal (old times), even it is sweet like honey (also in Holy Quran) the miracle of Allah is that it wont hurt your sugar inshallah and will give you enough energy inshallah
FIGS- figs is also mentioned and according to many studies, this is the fruits that is highest in FIBER,

inshallah it is not hard to find those in the market in your area

AND again MY BIG MABROOK FOR YOU SWEET sister :) May Allah have mercy on us all to improve ourselves, so others may learn from us inshallah

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[Starrynight]

Thank you all for the suggestions!

[Sunnie Ameena]

Where can I find a list of food that is allowed to be eaten during Ramadan?

[Futuwwa]

Sunnie! Welcome back :)

Everything that is permitted at other times is permitted at night during Ramadan. During daytime (between sunrise and sunset), nothing is. It's a total fast.

[Who Am I?]

I don't have sugar issues like the sister, but this will also be my first Ramadan. I am somewhat excited but worried at the same time. I will be watching this thread with interest, I can tell you...

[Futuwwa]

Well, I'm sure someone will open a proper Ramadan Megathread once that time comes :)

[Ali Mujahidin]

:sl:

Here's a cheat mode that I have seen some people use to get through Ramadan. They sleep the whole day long, like an owl or a bat or a vampire (!), and wake up to live and eat as normal at night.

I don't recommend that, though. Fasting is a test of our iman. So keep at it and do the best you can. Don't forget sahur. Sahur is the difference between the way Muslims and Jews fast. Don't pull a long face and look like you are dying of thirst and hunger. A fasting Muslim goes about life as merrily as usual.

[Tyrion]

I'm in the U.S. so the sun is up for a really long time. Some days I will have 17 hours of fasting.

Haha, it's not as bad as you'd think. :p Ramadan started in the middle of August last year, and we all survived. You typically don't really notice the length of the days.. (Well, except when it's really really hot.. Then it can get slightly more difficult, but never too bad) Just remember to eat a decent sized breakfast early in the morning with lots of water to last you through the long summer days. :)

One thing I am a little nerves for is Ramadhan.

this will also be my first Ramadan. I am somewhat excited but worried at the same time.

Ramadan is always a fun month... There's just something special about it that's hard to explain, and that feeling is there even if you (like me) don't really go out and socialize with other Muslims outside of family. It's also not as hard as some people think it is, so don't be too worried about your first one. Just eat a decent sized breakfast early in the morning before Fajr (while making sure you get plenty of water too), and then just go about your day as usual. The hardest part of the whole thing is the fact that you can't have any water (which is made even worse when it's summer) but as long as you drink enough in the morning, you'll be fine. Most people I know have been fasting since they were little kids, so let that be your motivation to keep going. :p

If health concerns arise, then just know that you're allowed to deal with them. The basics of Islam aren't meant to be overly difficult. :p

[Reflections]

It's all about getting in the Ramadhan spirits! lol and also preparing yourself..not only physically but spiritually too...you could write things down like a resolution of the things you want to change by the end of ramadhan..targets..etc I find ramadhan so fun alhumdulilah can race with people to gain hasanaat..who recites the most qur'an, goes to the masjid most often, gives sadaqah etc ..also there's the thread in the general section posted by brother Hamza on ways to prepare yourself for ramadhan.

[sister herb]

At firts welcome to islam, dear new sister.

Second; as I know people whose can´t fast all time how long is day in they areas, they use times of nearest islamic country or times of Mecca. Allah doesn´t want to make fasting too hard to us.

Here is also some tips how to fast health way:

1. Eat the suhur meal.

The Prophet Muhammad highly recommend eating this pre-dawn meal before a day of fasting. While you may want to pass to catch some more sleep, remember that you can always take a catnap while you're fasting, but you won't be able to eat or drink. To make it easier, set out utensils and dry food on the table before going to bed so you can quickly eat and go back to sleep after suhur.

2. Limit your fat intake.

That's right, limit it--don't cut it out. Otherwise you'll have to get rid of what's considered "traditional" iftar food in most Muslim cultures. If you're not sure what kind of food is being referred to, think fried, greasy and/or super sweet.

3. Follow the Prophet's golden rule of one-third.

This especially needs to be said in Ramadan. We should strive to have no more than one-third food, one-third liquid and one-third air in our stomachs when eating.

4. Encourage dip-dunking.

Fruits and vegetables get left to the wayside during regular days, let alone at iftar (the fast-breaking meal) time. But you can whip out those carrot sticks if you've got some tasty dips to eat them with. Check out some healthy recipes.

5. Walk after iftar.

Before you fall over from exhaustion after iftar and dinner, take a short walk around the block or just around your building. The change of environment and exposure to fresh air may just wake you up in time to go for the next activity listed below.

6. Pray tarawih (special evening prayers during Ramadan).

This is more great exercise, not to mention a wonderful way to build concentration, stamina and brotherhood/sisterhood.

7. Take a short afternoon nap.

Experts say you don't need more than a 15-minute siesta to really refresh you. During lunch hour, find a quiet spot, set the alarm on your watch or cell phone and nap. This can help your body adjust to the daily Ramadan schedule that requires waking up early for the suhur meal.Ramadan is a month of health, and this is what many people don’t know, and don’t understand.

[Danah]

Hello,

I am not Muslim yet, but I plan on taking my Shahada this Friday inshallah. I am very excited for this! One thing I am a little nerves for is Ramadhan. I'm in the U.S. so the sun is up for a really long time. Some days I will have 17 hours of fasting. Does anyone have any suggestions for my first Ramadhan?
I also have problems with blood sugar and if I don't eat something for 8ish hours then I get these icky headaches. I will, of course, tough it out. But if anyone has suggestions or ideas that would be great.
Thank you!

I suggest you to start practice fasting from now. Start with fasting half of the day just to make your body get used to it, then start making the fasting periods longer with time until you get used to fast a whole day till the sunset. you still have around 1 month and some few days, so you will have sometime to practice fasting till the beginning of Ramadan.

Where can I find a list of food that is allowed to be eaten during Ramadan?

First, welcome back, it has been a while.

Second, there is no list like that, when you fast you fast from all types of food and drinks till the sunset.

[Who Am I?]

Well I work during the day so I won't be able to sleep during the day and just eat at night. I'll have to do it the hard way. I don't have any Muslim friends or family, so it will be just me and myself during the day.

I've already started fasting a little bit and have cut back on my caffeine drinks to avoid withdrawal headaches. The first few days were hard (headaches all day) but I'm getting used to less food and caffeine now.

[Danah]

^ I always have headache at the first two days of fasting but then the rest of the month always goes well. So don't worry it's hard only the first 2 or 3 days.

[Starrynight]

Sweet! Thanks everyone for the tops. I'm going to start by drinking water when I wake up for Fajr and then not eating or drinking until after my morning classes.
I'm getting myself in a pumped up mindset as well :)

[Sunnie Ameena]

I am going to start with the half day fasting for now, too. That sounds like a really good idea. Peace Sunnie

[Who Am I?]

I'm doing half day fasting now. I usually don't eat or drink anything until lunch time, which is usually around 6 hours or so from when I wake up. I'm trying to gradually increase the amount of time I fast.

[Starrynight]

haha alright! Sounds like we've got a half-day fasting club!

[Starrynight]

I've heard there are also rules about donating food during ramadam? Can anyone enlighten me on what exactly these rules are?
Thank you!