Ramadan at the time of Corona: fasting improves immunity

There is consensus on the need to fast to blessed Ramadan in light of the spread of the Crown pandemic, because fasting strengthens human immunity against the epidemic and does not weaken it. As for the injured, ask your doctor. In all this, people of religion meet with people of medicine.

Elaf from RiyadhRamadan is scheduled for this year, and people are busy with measures to prevent the new Corona pandemic. Muslims wonder about the decision on the fast of the Holy Month in light of what doctors and specialists say about the need to strengthen human immunity with good nutrition to fight the “Covid-19” virus.

Earlier this month, controversy over this prevailed on social media, following the spread of false news that the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health was awaiting a fatwa from the Fatwa Council over the permissibility of breaking Ramadan quickly, after It has been proven that drinking warm water and not leaving the throat dry helps resist the virus. So that’s not true for the news.

In Egypt: see a doctor

Dar Al Iftaa in Egypt issued a new fatwa regarding the fast of the month of Ramadan in light of the spread of the Corona virus, highlighting that healthy people have a duty to fast.

Dar al-Iftaa noted that “whoever was right was not infected with the Corona virus and fulfilled the conditions for fasting, and had no excuse preventing him from fasting, he had to fast, but because fasting strengthens immunity.”

She continued: “In the case of the person with the virus, in this case we ask the doctors, and if they see that fasting is harmful to him, then he must obey the doctor’s order, which is an imperative to preserve himself, because staying in this case is subject to fasting. “

And Egyptian Dar Al Iftaa confirmed that “doctors and nurses facing the Corona virus are allowed to break the fast if they are harmed, and the fatwa is based on the doctors’ opinion in this case.”

In a televised interview, Shawky Allam, the Mufti of Egypt, said a high-level medical committee in Egypt’s Dar Al Iftaa unanimously agreed that the Corona virus needs immunity, and “fasting leads to strengthening immunity.”

He added: “Fasting in itself is required by law, and is one of the pillars of Islam that does not fall in any way, except with a legitimate excuse for illness, travel, menstruation and other legal excuses.”

According to him, iftar licenses are explained in the Koran: “There is a license for someone who is ill, and only fear of the corona virus cannot be authorized because of that.”

Regarding the saying, “At the time of the epidemics there are no sexual relations or fasting,” Allam said there is no basis for it, and no one said so.

In Turkey: fast

In Turkey, the Turkish Presidency for Religious Affairs confirmed that fasting does not weaken the immunity of healthy people against the Corona virus, and for this reason it cannot be suspended during the month of Ramadan.

This came in a statement issued on Tuesday, highlighting that fasting is one of the most important principles of the Islamic religion, “and its timing was determined by divine revelation, and that fasting was imposed on every healthy believer, and not he had the legal excuses that would allow him to break the fast in Ramadan. “

The statement issued by the Turkish Presidency for Religious Affairs added that it is not possible to completely suspend this cult, in accordance with the teachings of the Islamic religion, noting that experts in this field confirm that healthy people on an empty stomach do not constitute a reason to increase the risks of the spread of Corona, and that fasting is not weakened Immunity, on the contrary, contributes to strengthening and strengthening it.

The statement noted that patients or those suffering from health problems can break their fast in Ramadan, “and then spend the days that they missed the fast at a later time after recovering, according to the doctors’ advice.”

In Iraq: depending on the degree of injury.

Ali al-Sistani, the supreme Shiite authority in Iraq, said in response to a question on this topic: “If next month of Ramadan you come to a Muslim and fear to develop a coronary if you fast, and if you take all precautionary measures, his obligation is waived from every day that he fears that his fasting person will become ill. ”

Al-Sistani added: “If you can weaken the degree of probability of infection until it becomes something that is not reliable for the sage, even if he stays at home and does not mix with others, using a muzzle, medical paws and caring continued sterilization and the like, and she didn’t have an extreme embarrassment that she generally can’t bear. He did not lose the obligation to fast. “

Al-Sistani continued: “Regarding what was mentioned, doctors recommend drinking water in close periods to avoid the lack of water in the body and the dryness of the throat, since they increase the possibility of infection with the Corona virus, does not prevent the need for fasting, except for those who have reached it, is afraid of getting sick if fasting Did not find a way to reduce the likelihood that fear was not credible to him, even if he stayed home and took other advanced precautions As for others, you should fast, knowing that it is possible to avoid a lack of water in your body if you fast by eating vegetables and fruits rich in water such as cucumbers and melons. Red before dawn. “

In medicine: fasting is an immune mechanism

Additionally, recent studies have said that fasting actually strengthens the human immune system and therefore increases resistance to the emerging coronavirus.

During fasting, the body uses glycogen to produce energy. When glycogen ends, the body passes to fat, knowing that glycogen is the primary way that sugar is stored in the body, stored in the liver and muscles, and is easily broken down for the use of glucose in it. . After running out of glycogen, the body secretes ketones as a by-product of fat for fuel. These ketones are very helpful in the body’s resistance to the flu, according to a study by Yale University.

Another study says that intermittent fasting increases the number of white blood cells important to fighting viruses. Fasting forces the body to use glucose and glycogen to produce energy, and then divides the white cells. On the other hand, the body begins to renew itself and produce new white blood cells, which helps to restore the body’s immune system, knowing that expelling the virus from the body through fasting is one of the natural mechanisms that the body uses to fight infections .

In nutrition: drink water

Dietitians emphasize the importance of eating 8 to 10 glasses of water a day, between iftar and constipation, since water helps to strengthen your immunity against all viruses.

They also affirm the importance of eating vegetables and fruits that contain water, and eating other beverages and vitamins, avoiding coffee and tea, that is, all those that contain abundant amounts of caffeine.

Dietitians prefer that the fasting person avoid drinking fruit juices or convenience stores, with a focus on natural juices, and also avoid consuming sodas and saturated and unsaturated fats, especially industrial fats, and eating more balanced foods that contain the vitamins. , proteins and starches necessary for fasting, To provide the body with the necessary immunity, especially in light of the Corona pandemic.

Finally, allow the fasting person to reduce the use of salt in their breakfast and sahur as much as possible, and replace it with iodized salt.