Effect of Ramadan Fasting on the Digestive System

1. Effect of Ramadan Fasting on the Digestive System

2. Author Dr. Md. Motiar Rahman FRCS (Glasgow) Professor of surgery Dhaka National Medical College and Hospital & General secretary Bangladesh Quraan Shikkha Society

3. Points requiring discussion in presenting such a subject • Whether fasting in Ramadaan has any bad effect on the digestive system. That is, whether Ramadaan produces any disease of the digestive system. • Whether fasting in Ramadaan has any good effect on the digestive system

4. Whether or not fasting in Ramadaan produces any disease of the digestive system. • The most important question to be answered in this section is- whether or not Ramadaan produces Duodenal ulcer disease.

5. Whether or not fasting in Ramadaan produces D. ulcer disease Medical facts of D. ulcer disease • Actual cause of D. ulcer formation is yet unknown • HCL acid secreted by the cells of the body of the stomach prevents healing of D.U. • There is a feedback mechanism, made by Allah that prevents any further rise of acid level in the stomach, after it has reached a certain level • Two important factors that cause an increase in the secretion of acid in the stomach are - • irregular timing of food intake • worry, anxiety and tension

7. Whether or not fasting in Ramadaan produces D. ulcer disease • Through many verses of the Quraan Allah has declared Himself as very kind to human beings. As the Quraan says here- اَلرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْمُ Meaning: He is very kind and merciful (to human beings) • Someone very kind to human beings cannot order them to do anything which is harmful for themselves

8. Whether or not fasting in Ramadaan produces D. ulcer disease كُنْتُمْ خَيْرَ اُمَّةٍ اُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Meaning: You (Muslims) are the best of all people, you have been raised up for the welfare of mankind …………………………… (Al-Imran:110) • Here also Allah declared that all the rules & regulation of Islam is for the welfare of mankind

9. Whether or not fasting in Ramadaan produces D. ulcer disease • Questions may arise whether or not Almighty Allah’s medical knowledge is such that all His orders or advice will be beneficial to human health?

10. Almighty Allah’s Knowledge of Medicine وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْاِنْسَانَ مِنْ سُللَةٍ مِنْ طِيْنٍ . ثُمَّ جَعَلْنهُ نُطْفَةً فِىْ قَرَارٍ مَكِيْنٍ . ثُمَّ خَلَقْنَاالْنُّطْفَةَ عَلَقَةً فَخَلَقْنا عَلَقَةَ مُضْغَةً فَخَلَقْنَا مُضْغَةَ عِظَمًا فَكَسَوْنَا الْعِظمَ لَحْمًا ق Meaning: I have created human beings from the root elements of clay. Then I placed him as a drop in a secured site. Then the drop is converted to an object that remains firmly suspended from a place. Thereafter I give that object a shape having impression of two sets of teeth. In the next stage bone is formed. Then the bone is covered by flesh. (Mumenun:12-14)

11. Alaka

12. Mudga

13.  Almighty Allah’s Knowledge of Medicine يَسْئَلُوْنَكَ عَنِ الْخَمْرِ وَالْمَيْسِرِ ط قُلْ فِيْهِمَا اِثْمٌ كَبِيْرٌ وَّمَنَافِعُلِلنَّاسِ ز وَاِثْمُهُمَا اَكْبَرُ مِنْ نَّفْعِهِمَا ط Meaning: They ask you about wine and gambling. Say, within them there is lots of harm and some benefit for men. But the harm is much greater than the benefit. (Bakarah: 219)

14. Whether or not fasting in Ramadaan produces D. ulcer disease • These and many other verses of the Quraan say Allah has perfect knowledge of medical science • So, any order or advice of Almighty Allah, who has perfect knowledge of medical science and is a great well-wisher of mankind, can never be harmful to human health • So, fasting in Ramadan, which is an order of Almighty Allah, can never be bad for human health

15. Whether or not fasting in Ramadaan produces D. ulcer disease Modern Medical Facts • Due to presence of a feedback mechanism, acidity of the stomach during fasting in Ramadaan does not rise more than that level which occurs before three standard meals • So, chances of developing D. U. disease is in no way greater in Ramadaan than in any other time

16. Fasting with active D. ulcer or with other acute diseases • Medical Fact - Fasting is harmful to a person suffering from active D. ulcer or with other acute diseases • Almighty Allah knows this medical fact. So, He has advised not to fast with diseases that aggravate with fasting, by the following verse of the Quraan- فَمَنْ كَانَ مِنْكُمْ مَّرِيْضًا اَوْ عَلى سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِّنْ اَيَّامٍ اُخَرَ ط Meaning: If any one of you is ill or travelling he will fast in another time. (Bakara;184)

17. Whether or not fasting in Ramadaan is good for the digestive system • Regarding the aim of fasting the Holy Quraan says- يَاَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ امَنُوْا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِيْنَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُوْنَ . Meaning: Oh those who are in faith! Fasting is made compulsory for you, as it was compulsory for your predecessor, to make you Muttaki. (Bakara:183) Explanation: Muttaki people are those people who due to fear of Allah always- • refrain from the deeds forbidden by Allah • perform deeds ordered by Allah

18. Whether or not fasting in Ramadaan is good for the digestive system  Explanation • Through the teachings of Ramadaan Allah wants to make that type of Muttaki who in spite of hunger for food and sex will- • avoid the deeds forbidden by Allah • perform deeds ordered by Allah

19.  Whether or not fasting in Ramadaan is good for the digestive system • In a society where all or most of the people are Ramadaan-made Muttaki there will be no one – • to give or receive bribes • to lie • to do adulteration of food • to give less during weighing • to do tenderbaji or chadabaji • to commit theft • to terrorise others • etc. • So, in that society people will be free of tension in all spheres of life

20.  Whether or not fasting in Ramadaan is good for the digestive system • Modern medical science has proven that tension is the cause of many grave diseases like- • High blood pressure • Diabetes • Heart disease • Duodenal ulcer • Etc. • So, Ramadan fasting is good for preventing or curing D. ulcer disease of the digestive system and also many other grave diseases

21.  Whether or not fasting in Ramadaan is good for the digestive system • Timely eating Sahri and Iftar brings a regularity in the timing of food intake • Irregularity in the timing of food intake is an important cause of D. ulcer • So in this way also Ramadaan prevents D. ulcer

22. Things to do by the present day Muslim to enjoy the benefit of Ramadaan in both worlds • Firstly, obtaining teachings from the act of fasting, they have to become Muttaki • Then, as the importance of Ramadaan is due to the Quraan they have to show respect towards the Holy Quraan by- • knowing the teachings of the Quraan by reading it with meaning • to apply the Quraan’s teachings in practical life as Muttaki

23. Conclusion • Fasting in Ramadan- • does not cause any disease of the digestive system • Prevents or helps in curing D. ulcer disease of the digestive system and many other grave diseases

25. Thank youمع السلام