What is fasting in Islam and why it is so important for Muslims?
Fasting is a religious practice for Muslims, mandatory in the month of Ramadan and voluntary in other periods. After the daily five prayers, fasting is the most important foundation of Islam.
In Islam, it means to abstain from food, water, smoke, and sexual intercourse from sunrise to sunset. The purpose is to exercise self-control and the awareness of the presence of God. But science has now proved the numerous health benefits of fasting for a month.
What are electrolytes and why do they get depleted during fasting?
Among the many minerals in our body, electrolytes are the electrically charged ones with the incredibly important functions of contracting the muscles and the heart, clotting the blood, making new tissue, and giving the body the ability to function in general.
These minerals are present in bodily fluids, such as urine, sweat, and blood. The key ones are sodium, potassium, magnesium, chloride, phosphate, and calcium.
We get our electrolytes with food and drink. These electrolytes get stored up in our bodies. But when we fast for a long period of time – going without any sources of electrolytes – we experience electrolyte depletion and the many negative symptoms that come with it. We constantly lose electrolytes without adding more.
What other factors contribute to electrolyte depletion?
Anything that makes you lose body fluids contributes to electrolyte depletion, for example, sweating. It can be caused by hard work, hot weather, or exercise. Drinking water above the advisable amount can also cause electrolyte depletion.
Here are some of the other factors that contribute to electrolyte depletion:
- Diarrhoea and vomiting
- Illnesses such as diabetes and kidney problems
- Medications
- Breastfeeding
What are the symptoms of electrolyte deficiency?
When the body starts to run out of electrolytes, you begin to experience many troubling symptoms. Most of these symptoms are familiar to Muslims when they fast. Fatigue, headaches, and dizziness that you may experience while fasting is due to electrolyte deficiency.
The symptoms can also include muscle cramps, nausea, mental fog, and irregular heartbeat.
What are the benefits of taking electrolytes before fasting?
When we fast, electrolyte depletion often renders us unable to do anything else. The constant headaches and dizziness stop us from doing other acts of worship or going about our daily lives.
Taking electrolyte supplements is an infallible way to avoid these symptoms so that we can do all the things that need to be done without the feeling of weakness. Patients with cancer, kidney problems, and several diseases can comfortably fast without worrying about worsening their conditions.
Fasting is incredibly hard for breastfeeding mothers, as their electrolytes are most likely to be deficient. Electrolyte supplements are a way to make fasting much easier.
How to take electrolytes during fasting?
Electrolytes are best taken when you lose bodily fluids or experience electrolyte deficiency. But as taking electrolyte supplements during the fasting period will break the fast, the best time to take your supplements is after your Suhoor meals.
If your load up on electrolytes before you start your fast, these supplements are sure to carry you through your day comfortably.
What about spiritual aspects?
Taking electrolyte supplements or any other supplements before you start your fast is openly allowed in Islam. Muslims are only forbidden to consume things during their fasts.
The basic goal of fasting – to be aware of the fact that God is everywhere – does not get compromised by making your fast easier.
You can always talk to the scholar closest to you, or anyone with enough Islamic training will be able to guide you and answer all your worries regarding making fasting easier.
Author: Iqra Abdul Qadir
Jamiyat ul uloom Al Islamia, Banori town
University of Islamic Sciences
Recommended Nutri-Align Supplements for Islamic Fasting
Nutri-Align Fasting Supplements are Halal-compliant and suitable for Islamic fasting
Fasting Salts – available as Powder or Capsules
Take 0.5 scoop of the powder dissolved in a large glass of water (300-500ml) with your Suhoor meal. If taking capsules, take 3 capsules with a large glass of water.
If you expect to experience heavy sweating during the day (due to hot weather, exercise or hard physical work), increase the dosage to 1 scoop or 6 capsules and remember to have plenty of water.
If you have any symptoms of electrolyte deficiency by the evening (such as headache, fatigue, muscle cramps, dizziness), take another small serving of Fasting Salts with your Iftar meal. Suggested dosage 0.3 scoop of powder or 1-2 capsules.
Fasting Refeed Multivitamins
Take one capsule with your Iftar meal to support your digestive metabolism.
Supplements Delivery
Our supplements are delivered worldwide via our regional fulfilment centres.
We have a fulfilment centre in Dubai providing fast delivery across the UAE and GCC region.
More information about delivery
Is Nutri-Align a Muslim company?
No, we are not a Muslim company. Our fasting products were originally designed for people who practice fasting for weight loss purposes or as a healthy lifestyle choice.
However, over the last few years many Muslim customers started using our products as part of their religious fasting practice.
First, orders were coming from Muslims based here in the UK, and then also internationally from predominantly Muslim countries like the UAE, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
This was an unexpected but a very welcome development! So we made an effort to learn about this new area. We asked for feedback from our Muslim customers and consulted with experts on how to best serve their needs.
Ingredients in our supplements are Halal-certified and we are working to obtain a Halal seal for our finished supplements products too in the near future. Our multivitamins products have been tested by an independent third-party lab in Dubai to confirm there are no porcine traces.
