Ramadan Timetable UK and Ireland 2014 Ramadan Timetable UK and Ireland 2014

Suhoor is the early morning meal which you must take part in before your early morning prayers (Fajr) just before dawn break. Like breakfast Suhoor is your most important meal of the day during Ramadan. It is your only opportunity to stock up on energy to last you throughout the day. Think of yourself as a battery, if you're not charged well enough then you're bound to run short of power and become exhausted at some point during the day. You need enough energy to sustain yourself and get through the day without running short for Iftar.

Consume high in energy food, such as bread, whole wheat, high-in-fibre cereal, low-in-fat milk, fruits, dates, bananas, yogurts, pancakes and tomatoes among a whole host of other things. Do try and fend off any cravings you might have for coffee or tea as it will only dehydrate you and will not help whilst you're fasting. Most important of all drink plenty of water even though you may think you're full, an extra glass of water won't hurt, remember you'll be going without food or water for almost ¾ of the day. Water does wonders to the body, keeping you and your brain hydrated at all times. I recommend this article for further reading on drinking water during Suhoor.

This Ramadan Dont break your fast with Israeli Dates!

This year Ramadan Timetable UK and Ireland has teamed up with 'Check the Label - Boycott Israeli Dates' campaign. We need to work together in raising as much awareness as possible on the dates that we use to break our fasts with.

It is 'Sunnah' to break your fast with dates and water as did our prophet Muhammed (pbuh) but what justice will you be doing if the very dates you were breaking your fasts with were supporting the killing and occupation of your fellow Muslim brothers and sisters in Palestine? It has become second nature to alot of Muslims to check food whether it is Halal (allowed) or Haram (forbidden) for Muslim consumption. But do we really give it a second thought when we pickup a box of dates in Ramadan? - The truth is no because we already know dates are perfectly fine without really checking the type and from where its come from.

But a new type of epidemic is now upon us, it comes in the disguise of our favorite fruit and is widely used during Ramadan in fulfilling our religious duty. It is almost like a test to see if we follow through it blindly or if we are careful and pay attention to what is going on around us this Ramadan. It is a sad fact that most of the dates we buy from our local stores are actually a produce of Israel from occupied Palestinian land.

Not only will we be doing much injustice this Ramadan but we'll also be supporting the occupation in Palestine without realising. We need to check the label each time we purchase a box of dates from wherever it may be. It is about time we gave it a second thought and checked it thoroughly like we would with any other type of food, dates are no exception now that you have read this page.

This page will briefly explain what you need to look out for, the type of dates that are from Israel and from the occupied Palestinian lands that we need to avoid.

Food has a great significance in Islam. It is associated with one’s relationship with God. Chapter 20, verse 81 of the Qur’an states: "Eat of the good and wholesome things that We have provided for your sustenance, but indulge in no excess therein."

The physical body is a gift from God; it is given to humans as an amanah (in trust) to take care of for a fixed period. How much food is consumed and the choice of food has a direct impact on the physical and spiritual well-being of the person. The food that you consume affects your behaviour and personality. Wholesome, natural and healthy food assists the development of a good personality. Overeating has long been frowned upon in Islam as it is thought to increase worldly appetites and cause sluggishness, thereby ‘dulling’ the soul, hampering spiritual growth and increasing physical ailments.