Badahdah: Holy month not a time for sleeping

Muslims around the world greet the holy month of Ramadan with utmost respect and happiness. It is compulsory for Muslims to fast in this month to purify their minds and make them spiritually and physically healthy.
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) told his companions on the last day of Shaaban: “O people! A great month has come to you; it is a blessed month in which there is a night (Lailat Al-Qadr) that is better than a thousand months; Whoever tries to attain the pleasure of God by performing any of the optional deeds shall receive the same reward of performing an obligatory one in other days, and whoever performs an obligatory deed shall receive the reward of performing 70 obligations.”
The Prophet (peace be upon him) added: “It is the month of patience, and the reward of patience is Heaven. It is the month of charity, and a month in which a believer's sustenance is increased. Whoever gives food to a fasting person to break his fast, shall have his sins forgiven, and he will be saved from the Hell, and he will get the same reward of that fasting person, without lessening the latter’s reward.” Millions of Muslims from Saudi Arabia and other parts of the world perform Umrah during Ramadan because the Prophet (peace be upon him) pointed out that an Umrah in this holy month is equal to a Haj in reward.
“We have to change ourselves to make this Ramadan a different experience,” Mohammed Badahdah, assistant secretary-general of the World Assembly of Muslim Youth, told Arab News. “We have to make special preparations for Ramadan and change the atmosphere to get the maximum benefit out of it and achieve the end result of becoming pious and God-fearing Muslims,” he added.
Badahdah, an internist, urged Muslims to change their lifestyle during Ramadan. “We should control our food intake following the advice of the Prophet (peace be upon him), who said we should keep a quarter of our stomach empty. If we follow this advice, especially during Ramadan, it would save us from many diseases and make us healthier.” About 60 percent of diseases are stomach-related.
He also urged Muslims to engage in good deeds to get maximum reward. “We should read the Holy Qur’an and understand its divine teachings and apply them in our daily lives. We should also compete with one another in charitable activities to support the poor and needy. We should not waste food during iftar and suhoor parties and remember that millions of our brethren around the world live in hunger.”
Badahdah said Ramadan is not a time for sleeping. “We should know that most important battles during the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him) took place in this month.” Fasting in Ramadan is another symbol of Islamic unity.
“We have to hold iftar parties at mosques and other public places to break fast together. This will have great social impact. We should also make use of this time to resolve our conflicts and differences with relatives, friends and neighbors,” he added.
“Fasting is essential not only for humans but also other creatures to maintain their health,” said Fuad Kawther, an engineer involved with dawa work. “Many Western health clinics consider fasting the best way to protect human health and treat certain diseases,” he told Arab News.
“We fast during Ramadan not because of its health benefits but because of our faith in God, who has instructed the faithful to stop eating and drinking and having sex with spouses in the daytime of the holy month. It strengthens our faith in God. Muslims all over the world, including those in the West, fast during Ramadan,” he said. He rejected suggestions that fasting is a kind of punishment.