15 May Ready for Ramadhan? Part 5
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيم
Assalaamu ‘alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakaatuhu,
The striving believer realises that her health (both physical and mental) are blessings from Allah Most High; but they are also trusts (amaanat) for which we are responsible and accountable.
Food intake directly affects our ability to memorise, retain and recollect tahfeedhul Qur’aan – all of which are critical steps in the process of memorising alQur’aan.
Welcome to part 5 in our quarterly series ‘Ready for Ramadhan’, as we seek to improve our mental and physical health.
Weekly focus: hifdh & brain foods
This is a topic of importance primarily for mothers and teachers, but students too (especially young adults) need to understand the importance of brain food during tahfeedh: it provides nutrients and minerals that keep your brain operating in a healthy way.
In fact, one of this blog’s popular posts (for close onto 18 months!) has been: Memory Enhancers: top 10 foods ! which details a listing of foods that are great for your brainpower.
It’s time to bring in more perspective and options to the drawing board, so even if you’re a picky eater, there’s bound to be a favourite food in one of these recommendations, in shaa Allah:
6 foods to help improve your memory brain power
10 foods to boost your brainpower
In general, it’s been said that staying hydrated and including almonds and apples regularly into ones diet is vital for improving mental concentration.
Some cultures have dietary specifications for hifdh students. A common examples is the following combination prescribed by Hakeems: To chew three almonds, three sugar lumps, three raisins and three black peppers, before having breakfast.
In addition to this, most Indian spice / grocery stores stock an item called ‘chaar magaj’ – a mixture of blended nuts, seeds, etc. which can then be milled and half a teaspoon added to a glass of warm milk at breakfast time. It’s an acquired taste for many, but I know of hifdh graduates that couldn’t go a day without their ‘brain drink’!
The key is to go for wholesome, fresh produce and refrain from processed foods and those containing colourants, additives and preservatives.
In the same manner that we seek to purify and maintain clean hearts in which to preserve alQur’aan, let us honour the mental and physical strength and abilities that Allah most High has blessed us with.
So, for the moms and teachers: here’s a golden opportunity to make those much needed dietary improvements for the aspiring huffaadh in your midst!
Share some love and drop a comment or an email today!
Stay inspired!
Rayhaanah
Fee Qalbee’s 2012 ‘Ready for Ramadhan?’ series: Part 1 , Part 2 , Part 3 , Part 4
*’Ready for Ramadhan’ is a series of pre-Ramadhan posts which seeks to assist hifdh students, hafidhaat, teachers and parents alike. Each Tuesday a new post addressing different questions / concerns is posted. Fee Qalbee welcomes your questions for future posts in this feature! Please direct your correspondence to Hafidha Rayhaanah
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