Tibb-e-Nabawi diet, article # 4
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كُلُوا۟ وَٱشْرَبُوا۟ هَنِيٓـًٔۢا بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ
Islamic fasting Vs. Intermittent fasting:
When praised by the West (for its health benefits such as weight control, detoxification and improved metabolism), it is so sad that even the Muslims started to adopt intermittent fasting, but with the principles mentioned in Hadith, we have a much better, well disciplined system.
The Sunnah of Fasting: A Divine Prescription Beyond Human's Wisdom
Apart from the 30 fasts of Ramadaan (plus 6 of Shawwaal), we have Ahadith for fasting on every Monday & Thursday, similarly we have Hadith for fasting on the white days (13th, 14th & 15th of every lunar month).
عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَتَحَرَّى صَوْمَ الاِثْنَيْنِ وَالْخَمِيسِ
Narrated A’ishah (رضي الله عنها): “The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم used to be keen to fast on Mondays and Thursdays.” (Jami` at-Tirmidhi, Hadith 745)
وَعَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَا يُفْطِرُ أَيَّامَ الْبيض فِي حضر وَلَا فِي سفر. رَوَاهُ النَّسَائِيّ
Ibn Abbas Radi Allaho Anh said that it was the custom of Allah’s messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم that he would not skip fasting the White Days*, whether at home or while traveling. (Nasa’i transmitted it; Mishkat al-Masabih 2071) -
* Literally meaning “the days of the white (nights),” these refer to the 13th, 14th, and 15th nights of the lunar month—when the moon is at its fullest and the night is brightest with its light.
Islamic way of fasting is to stop eating before the Azan of Fajr & breaking the fast at Maghrib, it is usually a fast of 13-14 hours (depending on timezone & season) while intermittent fasting is the opposite; which recommends to begin the fast at 7:00 pm in the night & breaking it at 11:00 am (next morning ~ a fasting of 16 hours).
When you will fast from Fajr to Maghrib, it will provide a better cleaning & detoxification. Unlike the modern intermittent fasting, the Islamic method is divinely structured as a time frame chosen by Allah ﷻ, guided by insight that surpasses human logic and scientific reasoning:
🔹 Begin fasting before Fajr (before dawn prayer)
🔹 Break the fast at Maghrib (at sunset)
In this system, one also benefits from foodless hours during sleep in the night, so your fasting time per day comes out as 13-14 + 6-7 hours of sleep, adding further to healing and cleansing effects.
By any means, if you want to adopt fasting for health purposes, don’t go for intermittent fasting, rather our recommended Sunnah-Based Routine is :
- Fast every Monday and Thursday
- Add the three White Days each month
This totals to around 11–12 fasts per month — a rhythm that aligns with divine guidance and ensures moderation, balance, and sustainability.
Avoid fasting more than these 11–12 days in a month, as going beyond that will lead to weakness and fatigue.
As believers, we must submit to Allah’s commands with full trust, acknowledging that our limited understanding cannot fully comprehend the boundless knowledge behind Allah's decisions.
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