Don't skip pre-dawn meals - Islamic scholar tells Muslims

An Islamic Scholar, Imam Brother Seth Ibrahim Owusu has called on Muslims to eat the early meal of the Month of Ramadhan (Suhur/uhoor) in order to stay healthy and focused throughout the period.

Delivering a public lecture organized by NASFAT at the Accra New Town 5,5 Norga Mosque on the topic: Health benefits of fasting: The Dos and Don'ts, Brother Seth Ibrahim Owusu stated that “don’t skip ‘Suhur’; for whatever avoidable reason.

The ‘suhur’ provided us with the needed energy for performing other activities and rituals required of a fasting person during the day”, adding that, “more importantly, we must remember that the Holy Prophet Mohammed (P) has said that, taking the ‘suhur’ is a blessing”.

According to him, the one who wakes up for ‘suhur’ on good time, has the privilege to perform some prayers including the ‘Fajr Prayer’, to recite the Quran and to make supplications.

He said, “he/she will do all these blessed activities at a time when Allah has descended to receive our supplications and has promised to respond favourably to them”.

Mr. Owusu who doubled as a resident Imam of La, Accra Central mosque, noted that “fasting in all cases of faith, especially in Islam, has a special place for food and drink, before, or after the fast, i.e. during ‘Suhu’ and ‘Iftar’.

It is because of this fasting and food relationship that Imam Jaffar Ibn Mohammed Al Siddig (RmI) said, “the body is built on brad. O! Allah blessed our bread and do not make separation between us and bread as without bread we could neither fast nor pray or perform our duties towards our Lord, the Almighty and the Most High”.

He however, added that, irrespective of the importance of food and drink to human beings, there is always a restriction on what to eat or drink and what not to eat or drink, stressing the fact that, processed beverages and carbonated drinks made from Milk and Fruits are not very good for a fasting person.

He alleged that most of these drinks, if not all of them are high in sugar, additives and colourants, “intake of these drinks if not checked can destroy the immune system of a person”.

The Islamic Scholar maintains….“Soups with cream and dessert must be avoided by fasting person because they cause weight gain which is one thing we don’t expect of fasting person, and indeed it is the reason why some people fast”.

Appetizers in the form of fried foods must be avoided and instead go for the grilled or roasted versions, note that the best appetizers are salads, he recommended.

He also cautioned people against too much salt, oil, spicy foods and meant, “Prophet Mohammed has stated in an ‘Ahih hadith’ that the person who takes meat must do so once in forty days”.

Sadly, a look at the Muslim Community in Ghana today tells a very different story where we see a Muslim take meat every day and sometimes more than once.

If we must take meat as we know of its dangers then it must be the most nutrients dense food-the organ meat, such as the liver, kidney, heart etc”.

The nutrient-rich nature of the organ meat sustains the fasting person for long hours, however, holding on to the ‘sunnah’ is what is required and give good health.”