Thursday, March 3, 2011
Islam and Addiction
Islam and AddictionBy Judith K. Muhammad Islam Online, Michigan
"The central philosophy of Western culture is that all ills or undesirable states can be 'fixed.' When other measures fail to fix a situation, people often quickly turn to substances that can alter and distort the mind's image, falsely convincing one that the problem is resolved."1
Drug and alcohol addiction has reached epidemic proportions. The drug problem is so significant that it is addressed by politicians in almost every major political campaign in every major city in the United States and by those running for national political office. It is clear that most of the citizens of this country are significantly concerned about the existing and growing alcohol and drug problem.
Substance abuse treatment professionals have come to learn that the most effective strategy is prevention but, to date, there have been few prevention techniques that have proven to be effective. Therefore, intervention and treatment must address this situation.
There have been, throughout the past four decades, a myriad of treatment programs developed and implemented - most of which have proven minimally successful. Treatments range from the most intense (in-patient and residential) to least intense (out-patient and aftercare). Within these programs exist a variety of treatment methods. However, none has proven more successful to date than the programs of Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous. For the majority of the addicted population, this may be the answer to the problem, but it presents problems for the Muslim addict.
People are attracted to Islam for a variety of reasons. As they take Shahada (repeating the words, "I bear witness that there is no God but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah") and enter into the Ummah (community) of Islam, they bring with them the problems of the world in which they lived. They bring the baggage of their past and of their history. They bring with them a myriad of problematic behaviors, including alcohol and drug addictions. They expect Islam to cure their addictions and, if Islam is lived completely and strictly according to the Laws and Traditions set down by Allah through the Qur'an and Hadith, it will.
Islam provides clear direction for every aspect of live and for every aspect of the treatment of addiction.
The literature of Islam is specific and precise. The word for an intoxicant used in the Qur'an is Khamr, which is derived from Khamara, meaning the covered or veiled thing. Thus, it will mean any fermented juice, or any other substance that may make one intoxicated after drinking/using.
The use of alcohol and other drugs is considered a "major sin." Muslims are required to stay away from khamr as it is considered the mother of all evils. "They ask thee (Oh Prophet) concerning wine and gambling. Say, in them are a great sin and some profit for men. But the sin is greater than the profit."2
Ibn Umar (raa) reported that Allah's Messenger (pbuh) as saying: "Every intoxicant is Khamr and every (type of) Khamr is prohibited. The one who drinks wine in this world and is addicted to it dies without repentance and will not drink it in the Hereafter."3
Jabir (raa) reported Allah's Messenger (pbuh) saying: "Allah has vowed that, to the one who drank intoxicating drinks, He will give him the sweat of the inhabitants of the Fire to drink."4
The justification of the use of intoxicants as a Major Sin is in these and other hadith. It is clear that obedience to Allah and His Messenger is not only expected, it is required if one wishes to enjoy life in Jannat (heaven) in the hereafter. There is a tradition that says that one of the three persons Allah will not permit to enter Jannat is the person who is addicted to Khamr.5
The Qur'anic legislation concerning the total abstinence of using intoxicants gives Islam a distinct contradiction from most of the world's religions. The Qur'anic prohibitions give Muslims a general stamp of sobriety unknown to the followers of most other religions. In Judaism, wine forms an integral part of the religious festivities and it is considered to be a sacred drink. In Christianity, only its abuse is condemned for most religions and was never absent from the Church or from its clergy.
The literature noted thus far makes it clear that the use of intoxicants is forbidden in Islam. It is forbidden because it is considered to 'veil' the use of the mind and, thus, serves as the 'mother of all evils', initiating or permitting the human to become involved in other behaviors that are also forbidden in Islam.
The Islamic concept is close to the prevailing thought regarding the use of illicit drugs and the abuse of alcohol in the non-Muslim Population. Joseph Califano, in his article titled, "It's Drugs Alcohol and Tobacco, Stupid?" discusses the costs to American society by the use of intoxicants. This description clearly indicates that he also believes that the use of intoxicants precipitates 'evil' in our society.
Islam, however, goes one step further than Mr. Califano and the United States. Islam prohibits the use of intoxicants and makes it unlawful to sell grapes to someone who will make wine from them (or any substance used to make intoxicants). If there is any doubt, the transaction is forbidden.
Also forbidden of intoxicants are selling, transporting, buying, giving or making of intoxicants. This, therefore, includes interaction of Muslims with those who are not Muslim. Muslims, for example, are not permitted to sell alcohol to non-Muslims because it involves selling, transporting and buying of intoxicants.6
Treatment of addictions is considered medical treatment. As such, Muslims are required to seek such treatment and the method of treatment is clearly prescribed. "There is a cure for every disease. Whatever illness is treated with its right remedy, it will, by Allah's permission, be cured."7
Treatment of addictions is conducted according to the laws and traditions of Islam.
The treatment specialist/therapist does not necessarily have to be Muslim to provide this treatment, but an understanding of the philosophical underpinnings of treatment is invaluable - as in the treatment of any "minority."
Islam does not "shame" its believers when they come for treatment. It is our understanding that Allah forgives and that we, as humans, have the responsibility to support and assist in recovery whenever possible. It is also the belief of Islam that full adherence to the religious principals of Islam with the support of the Muslim community will provide not only a drug free lifestyle but also recovery.
ENDNOTES:1. Alexander, 19932. Qur'an, 2:2193. Muslim, 8754. Muslim, 19935. Adh-Dhahabi, 13476. Naquib Aal-Misri, 19947. Muslim, 875
Judith K. Muhammad, MA, LLP PhD Candidate. She is the Vice President of Islamic Health & Human Services in Detroit - this agency provides a full range of social services primarily for Muslims, and training in Islamic health care for non-Muslim health care providers. Sr. Judith is also a contributing writer to Islam-Online and has presented at many workshops and conferences around the country on topics such as Islamic Health Care, Islamic Marriage Issues, Juvenile Justice and Substance Abuse and its Treatment
"The central philosophy of Western culture is that all ills or undesirable states can be 'fixed.' When other measures fail to fix a situation, people often quickly turn to substances that can alter and distort the mind's image, falsely convincing one that the problem is resolved."1
Drug and alcohol addiction has reached epidemic proportions. The drug problem is so significant that it is addressed by politicians in almost every major political campaign in every major city in the United States and by those running for national political office. It is clear that most of the citizens of this country are significantly concerned about the existing and growing alcohol and drug problem.
Substance abuse treatment professionals have come to learn that the most effective strategy is prevention but, to date, there have been few prevention techniques that have proven to be effective. Therefore, intervention and treatment must address this situation.
There have been, throughout the past four decades, a myriad of treatment programs developed and implemented - most of which have proven minimally successful. Treatments range from the most intense (in-patient and residential) to least intense (out-patient and aftercare). Within these programs exist a variety of treatment methods. However, none has proven more successful to date than the programs of Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous. For the majority of the addicted population, this may be the answer to the problem, but it presents problems for the Muslim addict.
People are attracted to Islam for a variety of reasons. As they take Shahada (repeating the words, "I bear witness that there is no God but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah") and enter into the Ummah (community) of Islam, they bring with them the problems of the world in which they lived. They bring the baggage of their past and of their history. They bring with them a myriad of problematic behaviors, including alcohol and drug addictions. They expect Islam to cure their addictions and, if Islam is lived completely and strictly according to the Laws and Traditions set down by Allah through the Qur'an and Hadith, it will.
Islam provides clear direction for every aspect of live and for every aspect of the treatment of addiction.
The literature of Islam is specific and precise. The word for an intoxicant used in the Qur'an is Khamr, which is derived from Khamara, meaning the covered or veiled thing. Thus, it will mean any fermented juice, or any other substance that may make one intoxicated after drinking/using.
The use of alcohol and other drugs is considered a "major sin." Muslims are required to stay away from khamr as it is considered the mother of all evils. "They ask thee (Oh Prophet) concerning wine and gambling. Say, in them are a great sin and some profit for men. But the sin is greater than the profit."2
Ibn Umar (raa) reported that Allah's Messenger (pbuh) as saying: "Every intoxicant is Khamr and every (type of) Khamr is prohibited. The one who drinks wine in this world and is addicted to it dies without repentance and will not drink it in the Hereafter."3
Jabir (raa) reported Allah's Messenger (pbuh) saying: "Allah has vowed that, to the one who drank intoxicating drinks, He will give him the sweat of the inhabitants of the Fire to drink."4
The justification of the use of intoxicants as a Major Sin is in these and other hadith. It is clear that obedience to Allah and His Messenger is not only expected, it is required if one wishes to enjoy life in Jannat (heaven) in the hereafter. There is a tradition that says that one of the three persons Allah will not permit to enter Jannat is the person who is addicted to Khamr.5
The Qur'anic legislation concerning the total abstinence of using intoxicants gives Islam a distinct contradiction from most of the world's religions. The Qur'anic prohibitions give Muslims a general stamp of sobriety unknown to the followers of most other religions. In Judaism, wine forms an integral part of the religious festivities and it is considered to be a sacred drink. In Christianity, only its abuse is condemned for most religions and was never absent from the Church or from its clergy.
The literature noted thus far makes it clear that the use of intoxicants is forbidden in Islam. It is forbidden because it is considered to 'veil' the use of the mind and, thus, serves as the 'mother of all evils', initiating or permitting the human to become involved in other behaviors that are also forbidden in Islam.
The Islamic concept is close to the prevailing thought regarding the use of illicit drugs and the abuse of alcohol in the non-Muslim Population. Joseph Califano, in his article titled, "It's Drugs Alcohol and Tobacco, Stupid?" discusses the costs to American society by the use of intoxicants. This description clearly indicates that he also believes that the use of intoxicants precipitates 'evil' in our society.
Islam, however, goes one step further than Mr. Califano and the United States. Islam prohibits the use of intoxicants and makes it unlawful to sell grapes to someone who will make wine from them (or any substance used to make intoxicants). If there is any doubt, the transaction is forbidden.
Also forbidden of intoxicants are selling, transporting, buying, giving or making of intoxicants. This, therefore, includes interaction of Muslims with those who are not Muslim. Muslims, for example, are not permitted to sell alcohol to non-Muslims because it involves selling, transporting and buying of intoxicants.6
Treatment of addictions is considered medical treatment. As such, Muslims are required to seek such treatment and the method of treatment is clearly prescribed. "There is a cure for every disease. Whatever illness is treated with its right remedy, it will, by Allah's permission, be cured."7
Treatment of addictions is conducted according to the laws and traditions of Islam.
The treatment specialist/therapist does not necessarily have to be Muslim to provide this treatment, but an understanding of the philosophical underpinnings of treatment is invaluable - as in the treatment of any "minority."
Islam does not "shame" its believers when they come for treatment. It is our understanding that Allah forgives and that we, as humans, have the responsibility to support and assist in recovery whenever possible. It is also the belief of Islam that full adherence to the religious principals of Islam with the support of the Muslim community will provide not only a drug free lifestyle but also recovery.
ENDNOTES:1. Alexander, 19932. Qur'an, 2:2193. Muslim, 8754. Muslim, 19935. Adh-Dhahabi, 13476. Naquib Aal-Misri, 19947. Muslim, 875
Judith K. Muhammad, MA, LLP PhD Candidate. She is the Vice President of Islamic Health & Human Services in Detroit - this agency provides a full range of social services primarily for Muslims, and training in Islamic health care for non-Muslim health care providers. Sr. Judith is also a contributing writer to Islam-Online and has presented at many workshops and conferences around the country on topics such as Islamic Health Care, Islamic Marriage Issues, Juvenile Justice and Substance Abuse and its Treatment
Tips to Cure Your Addictions this Ramadan
Tips to Cure Your Addictions this Ramadan
By Karima Burns
Ramadan is a time that many Muslims look forward to. However, the prospect of fasting for a month can also be frightening for some – especially those with addictions. For many people, the prospect of lasting an entire day without food or drink can seem daunting, but possible. However, for people with addictions the thought of going through more than a few hours of the day without being able to feed their craving may seem impossible or even terrifying.
Many people associate the word “addiction” with alcohol and drugs. However, the word “addiction” is simply defined by Webster’s Dictionary as “being abnormally tolerant to and dependent on something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming.”
Alcohol and drugs are the most common of these substances. However, coffee, tea, sugar, sodas, candies, chocolate, and even food itself can become addicting. In fact, coffee has a long history of being banned in various cultures because of its stimulant and addictive properties.
In 1611 it was banned in Germany and in 1511 by the governor of Mecca. It was also banned in Russia where the Czarist police considered it the cause of insanity. (Talk About Coffee, The Fabulous World of Coffee)
The stress of fasting and overcoming an addiction at the same time can be overwhelming. However, some of the following tips and ideas can help a person get through Ramadan if they are also struggling with an addiction:
Consider Ramadan a “Stepping Stone”
"Love is a strong motivating factor for people who seek to break their addictions. Fear is also a strong motivating factor."
Many people who struggle with addiction often know they are addicted and even know what they need to do to break the pattern. However, it is often that initial first step that prevents people from doing what they know they need to do.
This is why you might often see people trying to break an addiction for the sake of someone they love. Love is a strong motivating factor for people who seek to break their addictions. Fear is also a strong motivating factor. People who have stopped smoking often say they were finally motivated to stop when they met someone whose health had been affected by cigarettes.
During Ramadan a person is confronted with a high degree of love and fear. Ramadan represents a time for many to express their love of Allah and their sisters and brothers in Islam. There is also the fear many people have in Ramadan of what may happen if they do not fast as they are required to. These two emotions can provide a powerful motivation to “kick the habit”.
Additionally, going without one’s addiction for an entire day can also help prevent other blocks to overcoming addiction. By avoiding the addiction for an entire day a person is able to reset the triggers to the addiction (social circumstances, times of day, certain foods or meals) and build up a resistance to the substance by resisting the urges they have for the substance during the day.
Herbs Herbs can help balance the body and prevent the triggers that lead to addiction. To choose the best herb a person must first identify the source of their addiction. Are they addicted to coffee because they need to wake up in the morning? If so, then Passionflower or Skullcap might be a good herb for them.
These herbs can help relax them and enable them to sleep more deeply at night so they wake up feeling more refreshed. Is a person smoking because it “relaxes them”? If so then relaxing herbs like chamomile, hops or peppermint might help during the day.
Other traditional herbs used for addictions are valerian, which helps slow brain cell damage that results from excessive alcohol consumption; schisandra which helps the body maintain a physical and emotional balance; calamus root which helps curb the urge to smoke and chaparral herb that helps detoxify the body from impurities, thus eliminating the addictive substance in the body and preventing urges.
There are many additional herbs that can be used to control addiction. The appropriate herb depends on the addiction as well as the person.
Natural Therapies
The stimulation of the right reflexology points can be that right combination. Even without focusing on specific points, reflexology provides many benefits.
Natural therapies like reflexology, acupuncture and acupressure have been shown to have great effects on people with addictions. In fact, acupuncture has been shown to have results superior to those of using addiction recovery programs and medications alone. Acupuncture has been used to heal addictions since 1974 when the first acupuncture clinic for addictions opened at the Lincoln Memorial Hospital in New York City. Today acupuncture is being used to heal everything from drug and alcohol addiction to nicotine and food addiction. (Phillips)
Although highly successful, not everyone has access to an acupuncture clinic. For these people, reflexology at home can be a good solution. In her book, Feet First, Laura Norman says, “Breaking a habit can be like breaking a lock. It just needs the right combination.” (Norman)
The stimulation of the right reflexology points can be that right combination. Even without focusing on specific points, reflexology provides many benefits. It is relaxing, balancing and can take the place of an addictive activity.
To target addictions more specifically one can stimulate the organ points on the foot or hands that have been most affected by the addiction. For smokers a person could stimulate the lungs; for users of alcohol, the liver. One can find reflexology charts online.
Make Dietary and Nutritional Changes
Diet and nutrition have more to do with addiction than people realize. Eating the wrong foods can actually make a person more prone to addiction. A diet that is balancing to a person’s temperament and dietary needs can create a sense of calm and peace physically, emotionally and spiritually.
A diet that causes imbalance can leave “needy” holes in a person’s physical, emotional and spiritual life that they then try to fill with addictive substances. Each person has their own unique dietary needs. However, one substance that causes imbalance for people of all temperaments is sugar. (Hobbs)
Eating too much sugar causes blood sugar levels in the body to become imbalanced. Consuming sugar makes hunger pangs go away. However, when a person takes in too much sugar, they do not feel the need to eat food that contains more of the important nutrients that the body needs, such as vitamins, iron, calcium and magnesium.
This causes the body to feel imbalanced and needy. When a person eats too much sugar, they go on a sugar high because of the energy boost they get from the sugar consumption. But this sugar high is only temporary; energy levels take a plunge afterwards. This often causes the urge to consume caffeine or other addictive substances to help a person “perk up” again.
Sugary sweets are a big part of Ramadan in many countries. However, a person struggling with an addiction should limit these sweets to one per day and only after a full meal. Sugar “substitutes” will have the same or similar effects on the body so those should also be avoided or limited. Sugar substitutes include glucose, sorbitol, corn syrup, splenda, honey and others.
Sources:
By Karima Burns
Ramadan is a time that many Muslims look forward to. However, the prospect of fasting for a month can also be frightening for some – especially those with addictions. For many people, the prospect of lasting an entire day without food or drink can seem daunting, but possible. However, for people with addictions the thought of going through more than a few hours of the day without being able to feed their craving may seem impossible or even terrifying.
Many people associate the word “addiction” with alcohol and drugs. However, the word “addiction” is simply defined by Webster’s Dictionary as “being abnormally tolerant to and dependent on something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming.”
Alcohol and drugs are the most common of these substances. However, coffee, tea, sugar, sodas, candies, chocolate, and even food itself can become addicting. In fact, coffee has a long history of being banned in various cultures because of its stimulant and addictive properties.
In 1611 it was banned in Germany and in 1511 by the governor of Mecca. It was also banned in Russia where the Czarist police considered it the cause of insanity. (Talk About Coffee, The Fabulous World of Coffee)
The stress of fasting and overcoming an addiction at the same time can be overwhelming. However, some of the following tips and ideas can help a person get through Ramadan if they are also struggling with an addiction:
Consider Ramadan a “Stepping Stone”
"Love is a strong motivating factor for people who seek to break their addictions. Fear is also a strong motivating factor."
Many people who struggle with addiction often know they are addicted and even know what they need to do to break the pattern. However, it is often that initial first step that prevents people from doing what they know they need to do.
This is why you might often see people trying to break an addiction for the sake of someone they love. Love is a strong motivating factor for people who seek to break their addictions. Fear is also a strong motivating factor. People who have stopped smoking often say they were finally motivated to stop when they met someone whose health had been affected by cigarettes.
During Ramadan a person is confronted with a high degree of love and fear. Ramadan represents a time for many to express their love of Allah and their sisters and brothers in Islam. There is also the fear many people have in Ramadan of what may happen if they do not fast as they are required to. These two emotions can provide a powerful motivation to “kick the habit”.
Additionally, going without one’s addiction for an entire day can also help prevent other blocks to overcoming addiction. By avoiding the addiction for an entire day a person is able to reset the triggers to the addiction (social circumstances, times of day, certain foods or meals) and build up a resistance to the substance by resisting the urges they have for the substance during the day.
Herbs Herbs can help balance the body and prevent the triggers that lead to addiction. To choose the best herb a person must first identify the source of their addiction. Are they addicted to coffee because they need to wake up in the morning? If so, then Passionflower or Skullcap might be a good herb for them.
These herbs can help relax them and enable them to sleep more deeply at night so they wake up feeling more refreshed. Is a person smoking because it “relaxes them”? If so then relaxing herbs like chamomile, hops or peppermint might help during the day.
Other traditional herbs used for addictions are valerian, which helps slow brain cell damage that results from excessive alcohol consumption; schisandra which helps the body maintain a physical and emotional balance; calamus root which helps curb the urge to smoke and chaparral herb that helps detoxify the body from impurities, thus eliminating the addictive substance in the body and preventing urges.
There are many additional herbs that can be used to control addiction. The appropriate herb depends on the addiction as well as the person.
Natural Therapies
The stimulation of the right reflexology points can be that right combination. Even without focusing on specific points, reflexology provides many benefits.
Natural therapies like reflexology, acupuncture and acupressure have been shown to have great effects on people with addictions. In fact, acupuncture has been shown to have results superior to those of using addiction recovery programs and medications alone. Acupuncture has been used to heal addictions since 1974 when the first acupuncture clinic for addictions opened at the Lincoln Memorial Hospital in New York City. Today acupuncture is being used to heal everything from drug and alcohol addiction to nicotine and food addiction. (Phillips)
Although highly successful, not everyone has access to an acupuncture clinic. For these people, reflexology at home can be a good solution. In her book, Feet First, Laura Norman says, “Breaking a habit can be like breaking a lock. It just needs the right combination.” (Norman)
The stimulation of the right reflexology points can be that right combination. Even without focusing on specific points, reflexology provides many benefits. It is relaxing, balancing and can take the place of an addictive activity.
To target addictions more specifically one can stimulate the organ points on the foot or hands that have been most affected by the addiction. For smokers a person could stimulate the lungs; for users of alcohol, the liver. One can find reflexology charts online.
Make Dietary and Nutritional Changes
Diet and nutrition have more to do with addiction than people realize. Eating the wrong foods can actually make a person more prone to addiction. A diet that is balancing to a person’s temperament and dietary needs can create a sense of calm and peace physically, emotionally and spiritually.
A diet that causes imbalance can leave “needy” holes in a person’s physical, emotional and spiritual life that they then try to fill with addictive substances. Each person has their own unique dietary needs. However, one substance that causes imbalance for people of all temperaments is sugar. (Hobbs)
Eating too much sugar causes blood sugar levels in the body to become imbalanced. Consuming sugar makes hunger pangs go away. However, when a person takes in too much sugar, they do not feel the need to eat food that contains more of the important nutrients that the body needs, such as vitamins, iron, calcium and magnesium.
This causes the body to feel imbalanced and needy. When a person eats too much sugar, they go on a sugar high because of the energy boost they get from the sugar consumption. But this sugar high is only temporary; energy levels take a plunge afterwards. This often causes the urge to consume caffeine or other addictive substances to help a person “perk up” again.
Sugary sweets are a big part of Ramadan in many countries. However, a person struggling with an addiction should limit these sweets to one per day and only after a full meal. Sugar “substitutes” will have the same or similar effects on the body so those should also be avoided or limited. Sugar substitutes include glucose, sorbitol, corn syrup, splenda, honey and others.
Sources:
Can Ramadan Beat Bad Habits?
Can Ramadan Beat Bad Habits?By Saffia Meek
Freelance Writer - United States
Can habits be changed simply by abstaining from food?
Do you have any bad habits that you wish you could change but just don't have the stimulus or will power to do it?
Ramadan can be part of the solution to your problem by providing the motivation, the self-control, and the opportunity for you to implement better habits. Imagine, if fasting can teach us to control our cravings for things that are good for us (food and water), then it certainly can train us to stop doing things that are destructive to our health and lives.
Our Daily Addictions
According to Dr. Mohammad Zafar A. Nomani, professor of nutrition at West Virginia University, US, fasting tends to cause a burning or heavy feeling in the stomach and sour mouth for some people because of the increase in gastric acids in the stomach.
Consume a light meal and take a break from the doughnuts and coffee and eat foods high in protein, fiber, and nutrients. Whole-wheat bread, vegetables, humus, beans, and fruits are all good sources of fiber, which help in reducing gastric acidity and excess bile acids.
Smokers benefit from fasting, being forced to abstain during the day. According to Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network, smoking one pack of cigarettes a day for one year adds two cups of tar to a smoker's lungs. However, the body is able to eliminate the tar if you stop smoking. By the end of a month of not smoking, the senses of smell and taste return, shortness of breath subsides, and energy increases.
According to a study done by the American Psychosomatic Society, caffeine and nicotine use increase the occurrence of irritability during fasting, but by the end of Ramadan, the smokers' irritability had dropped to a level lower than before the month of fasting began.
Even our choices at the grocery store are impacted by our increased Allah-consciousness. With the enhanced awareness of food during Ramadan, we are motivated to eat more fruit and drink more water than in our usual diet. More dates are eaten during Ramadan than any other time of year.
By the end of the day, you have managed to abstain from not-very healthy things like snacks foods, cigarettes, caffeine, sugar. You will probably realize than that you cannot only survive without them, but actually feel better without them.
Once you have detoxified your system from the caffeine, sugar, and nicotine withdrawals, the headaches disappear and you are left with more energy than when you were drinking coffee all morning.
Breaking Out of Isolation
Ramadan gives Muslims a great opportunity to escape this cycle of isolation and depression.
It is not unusual for people to get in a daily rut isolating themselves from those outside of their everyday routine. We get in the habit of going from home to work and back home for dinner each night with our families. Even weekends are so full of family-oriented chores and activities that we tend to put off praying at the mosque or visiting friends, which could end up leading to depression.
It seems that the TV and the computer get more of our attention each day than our faith does. According to the Sourcebook for Teaching Science, the average American home watches TV for 6 hours and 47 minutes each day. This time does not include the time spent on the computer.
The Sourcebook goes on to say that millions of Americans are so hooked on television that they fit the criteria for substance abuse as defined in the official psychiatric manual, according to Rutgers University psychologist Robert Kubey.
Ramadan gives Muslims a great opportunity to escape this cycle of isolation and depression. Ramadan traditions promote spending time together with family and friends, getting to know one another better, and meeting other Muslims that we might otherwise have not get acquainted with.
Iftars (meals to break the fast) and Tarawih Prayers (optional night prayers) provide a chance to break from our familiar patterns and relax with others who share our faith, thus increasing our connections as human beings and as believers. This socialization improves the sense of brotherhood or sisterhood within ourselves and the Muslim community.
According to Dr. Nomani, an added bonus of praying the nightly Tarawih is that it counts as mild exercise, burning up to 200 calories and helping to digest the food we ate at iftar.
Changing our normal routine during Ramadan allows us a chance to modify our lives and break free of bad habits. Fasting grounds us in reality, making us conscious of our behaviors and choices. Moreover, in being more mindful for one month, perhaps we will be strong enough to maintain better habits beyond Ramadan.
Quick Tips for a Healthier Fast
• Reduce the amount of caffeine intake a week or two prior to Ramadan in order to decrease the likelihood of "caffeine headaches."
• Avoid caffeine during Ramadan. Drink water rather than coffee or tea.
• Eat lots of fruits and vegetables, and avoid sugary foods.
• Break your fast with dates and water, then eat a meal after the Maghrib (Sunset) Prayer.
• Try to get enough sleep at night or take a nap during the day.
• Use the spiritual and social uplifting to keep you excited and motivated beyond Ramadan.
Sources:
http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1220203588297&pagename=Zone-English-HealthScience%2FHSELayout
Freelance Writer - United States
Can habits be changed simply by abstaining from food?
Do you have any bad habits that you wish you could change but just don't have the stimulus or will power to do it?
Ramadan can be part of the solution to your problem by providing the motivation, the self-control, and the opportunity for you to implement better habits. Imagine, if fasting can teach us to control our cravings for things that are good for us (food and water), then it certainly can train us to stop doing things that are destructive to our health and lives.
Our Daily Addictions
According to Dr. Mohammad Zafar A. Nomani, professor of nutrition at West Virginia University, US, fasting tends to cause a burning or heavy feeling in the stomach and sour mouth for some people because of the increase in gastric acids in the stomach.
Consume a light meal and take a break from the doughnuts and coffee and eat foods high in protein, fiber, and nutrients. Whole-wheat bread, vegetables, humus, beans, and fruits are all good sources of fiber, which help in reducing gastric acidity and excess bile acids.
Smokers benefit from fasting, being forced to abstain during the day. According to Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network, smoking one pack of cigarettes a day for one year adds two cups of tar to a smoker's lungs. However, the body is able to eliminate the tar if you stop smoking. By the end of a month of not smoking, the senses of smell and taste return, shortness of breath subsides, and energy increases.
According to a study done by the American Psychosomatic Society, caffeine and nicotine use increase the occurrence of irritability during fasting, but by the end of Ramadan, the smokers' irritability had dropped to a level lower than before the month of fasting began.
Even our choices at the grocery store are impacted by our increased Allah-consciousness. With the enhanced awareness of food during Ramadan, we are motivated to eat more fruit and drink more water than in our usual diet. More dates are eaten during Ramadan than any other time of year.
By the end of the day, you have managed to abstain from not-very healthy things like snacks foods, cigarettes, caffeine, sugar. You will probably realize than that you cannot only survive without them, but actually feel better without them.
Once you have detoxified your system from the caffeine, sugar, and nicotine withdrawals, the headaches disappear and you are left with more energy than when you were drinking coffee all morning.
Breaking Out of Isolation
Ramadan gives Muslims a great opportunity to escape this cycle of isolation and depression.
It is not unusual for people to get in a daily rut isolating themselves from those outside of their everyday routine. We get in the habit of going from home to work and back home for dinner each night with our families. Even weekends are so full of family-oriented chores and activities that we tend to put off praying at the mosque or visiting friends, which could end up leading to depression.
It seems that the TV and the computer get more of our attention each day than our faith does. According to the Sourcebook for Teaching Science, the average American home watches TV for 6 hours and 47 minutes each day. This time does not include the time spent on the computer.
The Sourcebook goes on to say that millions of Americans are so hooked on television that they fit the criteria for substance abuse as defined in the official psychiatric manual, according to Rutgers University psychologist Robert Kubey.
Ramadan gives Muslims a great opportunity to escape this cycle of isolation and depression. Ramadan traditions promote spending time together with family and friends, getting to know one another better, and meeting other Muslims that we might otherwise have not get acquainted with.
Iftars (meals to break the fast) and Tarawih Prayers (optional night prayers) provide a chance to break from our familiar patterns and relax with others who share our faith, thus increasing our connections as human beings and as believers. This socialization improves the sense of brotherhood or sisterhood within ourselves and the Muslim community.
According to Dr. Nomani, an added bonus of praying the nightly Tarawih is that it counts as mild exercise, burning up to 200 calories and helping to digest the food we ate at iftar.
Changing our normal routine during Ramadan allows us a chance to modify our lives and break free of bad habits. Fasting grounds us in reality, making us conscious of our behaviors and choices. Moreover, in being more mindful for one month, perhaps we will be strong enough to maintain better habits beyond Ramadan.
Quick Tips for a Healthier Fast
• Reduce the amount of caffeine intake a week or two prior to Ramadan in order to decrease the likelihood of "caffeine headaches."
• Avoid caffeine during Ramadan. Drink water rather than coffee or tea.
• Eat lots of fruits and vegetables, and avoid sugary foods.
• Break your fast with dates and water, then eat a meal after the Maghrib (Sunset) Prayer.
• Try to get enough sleep at night or take a nap during the day.
• Use the spiritual and social uplifting to keep you excited and motivated beyond Ramadan.
Sources:
http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1220203588297&pagename=Zone-English-HealthScience%2FHSELayout
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