# Day 3: Mindful Fasting to Feed Your Soul | Ramadan Strong **Author:** Sarah Sultan **Series:** Ramadan Strong **Published:** 2019-05-08 **YouTube:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_h4NAuV_3I **URL:** https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-3-mindful-fasting-to-feed-your-soul-ramadan-strong **Topics:** Acts of Worship, Sharia ## Description Mindfulness can allow us to tap into a resource we often ignore—the power of the present moment—to enrich our experience and strengthen our connection with Allah throughout this month of Ramadan. ## Transcript **[0:00]** This is Sara Sultan here with Yaqeen Institute and today I just wanted to talk to you briefly **[0:23]** about the concept of mindful fasting which is a way to feed your soul during the month of Ramadan using the idea of mindfulness. Mindfulness was defined by a professor at Harvard University named Ellen Langer in a **[0:41]** really simple way where she said that life consists of moments and nothing more. And so when you make the moments matter, then it all matters. And so the idea of taking advantage of the present moment is important in our daily lives **[0:57]** for sure, but it's never more important than during the month of Ramadan when our deeds are multiplied so tremendously. And so when we can take advantage of each moment during the month of Ramadan and be mindful and aware of each moment and how we're utilizing it, then we're setting ourselves **[1:14]** up for success. And so the idea of mindful fasting can really enrich our experience this Ramadan insha'Allah. So what does mindful fasting really mean? So simply put, it just means focusing in on what is and not what isn't, right? **[1:34]** It means focusing in on when you're feeling hungry and you feel the pangs of hunger in your stomach, instead of focusing in on what isn't, like it is not time for Maghrib yet to break my fast. You're focusing in on what is that I am experiencing this feeling of hunger, but I'm also grateful **[1:51]** that I know I will be able to satisfy that hunger later on. And that every time I'm experiencing this, this is a struggle from Allah that I'm getting rewarded for, right? So in focusing in on what is instead of on what isn't, suddenly that moment becomes really **[2:09]** rewarding and reconnects you with Allah. Another way to consider it too is what does fasting truly mean? So fasting isn't just abstaining from food and drink. It also includes so much more of what we do. So for example, fasting with our eyes, right? **[2:29]** What we're choosing to see, what we're choosing to look at. Fasting with our hands, what are we allowing our hands to click on on our computer throughout the month of Ramadan? Fasting with our mouths, not just in terms of food and drink, but also what's coming out of our mouths and how we're interacting with the people in our lives, especially the **[2:45]** people closest to us. When we can be mindful of how we use each present moment, and when we can be mindful of how we use each part of ourselves throughout this month of Ramadan, then every single moment, no matter what we're doing, can become an act of worship and can reconnect us with Allah **[3:04]** in a very empowering and fulfilling and really meaningful way, insha'Allah. And so just focus in on the present moment, focus in on what is, and that's the concept of mindful fasting, and insha'Allah, it'll be something beneficial for us throughout **[3:19]** this month. JazakumAllahu khayran, wassalamu alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh. ## Other Episodes in "Ramadan Strong" - [Day 30: Farewell, Ramadan | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-30-farewell-ramadan-ramadan-strong.md) - [Day 29: Beware of Ramadanitis | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-29-beware-of-ramadanitis-ramadan-strong.md) - [Day 28: Practicing Istiqama for the Long Haul | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-28-practicing-istiqama-for-the-long-haul-ramadan-strong.md) - [Day 27: Meeting the Best Version of Ourselves | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-27-meeting-the-best-version-of-ourselves-ramadan-strong.md) - [Day 26: A Date with Destiny | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-26-a-date-with-destiny-ramadan-strong.md) - [Day 25: The Value of Seclusion - Ihtikaf | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-25-the-value-of-seclusion-ihtikaf-ramadan-strong.md) - [Day 24: When the Night Draws its Curtain —The Importance of Tahajjud | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-24-the-importance-of-tahajjud-ramadan-strong.md) - [Day 23: Maximizing the Last Ten Days | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-23-maximizing-the-last-day-days-ramadan-strong.md) - [Day 22: Charity in the Last 10 Nights | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-22-charity-in-the-last-10-nights-ramadan-strong.md) - [Day 21: Ten Days Ahead, Another Chance? | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-21-ten-days-ahead-another-chance.md) - [Day 20: The Extra Good Deed | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-20-the-extra-good-deed-ramadan-strong-2.md) - [Day 19: The Man Who Thought He Thanked God Enough | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-19-the-man-who-thought-he-thanked-god-enough-ramadan-strong.md) - [Day 18: When Ramadan Breaks | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-18-when-ramadan-breaks-ramadan-strong.md) - [Day 17: Ramadans of Yore | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-17-ramadans-of-yore-ramadan-strong.md) - [Day 16: Detox by Day and Indulge By Night | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-16-detox-by-day-and-indulge-by-night.md) - [Day 15 | Overcoming the Mid-Ramadan Slump | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-15-mid-ramadan-slump-ramadan-strong.md) - [Day 14 | Praise be to Allah | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-14-praise-be-to-allah-ramadan-strong.md) - [Day 13 | The Need for Consistency and Balance | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-13-consistency-and-balance-ramadan-strong.md) - [Day 11: "...but I've already fallen behind in my Ramadan goals" | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-11-behind-in-my-ramadan-goals-ramadan-strong.md) - [Day 10: Your Qur'an Goals | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-10-your-quran-goals-ramadan-strong.md) - [Day 9: Desire, Dedication, Discipline | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-9-desire-dedication-discipline-ramadan-strong.md) - [Day 8: Talking to Allah | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-8-talking-to-allah-ramadan-strong.md) - [Day 7: The Importance of Documenting Progress | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-7-the-importance-of-documenting-progress-ramadan-strong.md) - [Day 6: Being Excused from Fasting is a Gift From God | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-6-being-excused-from-fasting-is-a-gift-from-god-ramadan-strong.md) - [Day 5: Be Present | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-5-be-present-ramadan-strong.md) - [Day 4: So That You Attain God-Consciousness | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-4-so-that-you-attain-god-consciousness-ramadan-strong.md) - [Day 1: Not Just Another Ramadan | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-1-not-just-another-ramadan-ramadan-strong.md) - [Ramadan Strong: Series Introduction](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/ramadan-strong-series-introduction.md)