Recitation 346

أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
ألسلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته
Dear Quran Lovers,
Now, we are in the end of the month of Syaaban. And after a day or two, if we hear from our Local Islamic Authority that the next day is the first day of Ramadan, our blessed month of Romadhon al-Mubarrak, then at that night we should resolve in our hearts the "Niat"/intention to perform the Shoum/Fast on the next day. It is wise to also resolve the Niat to perform the Fast for the whole month of Ramahan, so that if we forget to resolve the Niat on any night later, our Fast is valid. Resolving the Niat is obligatory, but it/the Niat, helps our minds to register that we will not eat nor drink during the day, but eat and drink during the night after sunset. Then when the time for our usual morning breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and so forth times, our gastric juice will not be secreted. It will be secreted at night. If we do not resolve the Niat, the gastric juice will be secreted during the day at feeding times, and without food in the stomach, we shall have stomach discomforts.
There some good tips on how to perform the Fast without any discomfort. They are:
(i) It is Sunnah to have the Sahur/meal before dawn. It is good to have it between three-quater to one hour before the time of Solat Shubuh comes. And about half an hour before the time for Solat Shubuh, we should stop eating, drinking and so forth and clean ourslves for the Fast and for Solat Shubuh.
(ii) End our Sahur with a glass of plain water (tea or coffee or juice will not do). It was a practice of our Prophet s.a.w. Before sipping the water, (a) recite "Bismillahir-Rohmanir-Rohi~m", then take the first sip of a third of the glass of water. (b) Stop, and recite, "Alhamdullilah". (c) Recite Basmalah again and sip another one third of the water. (d) Stop, and recite, "Alhamdulillah". (e) Recite Basmalah again and sip the remainder of the water. (f) Then finally recite, "Alhamdulillah". I had followed this Sunnah ever since I was young, and Alhamdulillah, had never felt thirsty even though we played soccer or games during the day.
(iii) During the fast, if we feel hungry or thirsty for some reason or other, try this, recite Al-Fatihah once, then recite this Doa, "O Allah! Relieve me from this hungry feeling." then blow our right palm once and wipe our mouth, throat and down to the stomach. And, insya Allah, we shall be relieved. This is the Barokah/blessing of the Al-Fatihah
(iv) It is Sunnah to break fast as soon as the time of Solat Maghrib comes, but not before. It is Sunnah to take date fruits. If there is no date, then with a glass of plain water first.
(v) Fast is also to give our overworked stomach to rest. Be moderate in our eating and drinking at nights.
To all of you Quran Lovers, I wish you, "Have a blessed/Barokah Fast".
Until we meet again in the next session, see you all Quran Lovers later.
والسلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته
Abdul Hamid Mohd Yusof.