Eating Disorder Recovery During Ramadan
Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar, is highly anticipated by Muslims worldwide. However, Muslims recovering from or suffering from eating disorders may approach the month with dread. Fasting all day and eating at night can dredge up, triggering eating disordered thoughts and habits. This Ramadan, beware of your intentions and remember that there are ways to observe Ramadan without sacrificing your mental health.
By: Samreen Khan
Ramadan is a holy month of blessings and grace for the Muslim community. It is a time to devote themselves spiritually to Allah and cleanse themselves of any wrongdoings enacted during the year. Contrary to what many non-Muslims believe, most Muslims look forward to fasting during Ramadan, and it is seen as a beautiful time that allows one’s faith to flourish. The focal point of Ramadan is fasting for 30 days from sunrise to sunset – precluded by a meal before dawn called suhoor and broken by an evening meal called iftar. Along with fasting physically, Ramadan is a time to abstain from unholy deeds and thoughts and cleanse one’s spiritual being.
However, observing Ramadan can become distressing and even triggering for Muslims with eating disorders. The prospect of fasting may reignite the eating disorder voice in your mind, making you vulnerable to relapse. The practice of fasting and eating one large meal a day can make fullness feel like an unfamiliar, unwelcome sensation, leading to episodes of binging, purging, or prolonged restriction.
Before fasting this Ramadan, ask yourself: Who am I really fasting for? Is it for my eating disorder or Allah? Does the prospect of fasting bring you a feeling of gratitude for the peace you may find in the coming month? Or are you already beginning to wonder about what your scale might say afterward? If you feel unsure about the intentions behind your fast, there is a high chance that your eating disorder may hold more influence on your decision than you think.
It is well-known in Muslim communities that the Qur’an excludes a variety of people from fasting, including those that are ill, traveling, menstruating, or pregnant. Yet many Muslims who struggle with mental health issues experience feelings of guilt when they cannot fast during Ramadan. But Ramadan is not meant to bring you grief or hardship. It is intended to be a month of faith and enrichment, filled with gratitude and connectivity. If your eating disorder inhibits your Ramadan experience, it may be time to give up the fast.
There are countless ways to observe Ramadan without fasting. Making a habit of reading or reciting the Qur’an daily, if you do not do so already, can allow you to enhance your faith. Most mosques host community iftar several times during the month. Helping out in preparation for these events is an amazing way to connect with your community and support those who can fast. Provide fidyah for those who cannot afford or make their meals, whether through an institution, a mosque, or directly on your own. Bringing food to the less fortunate is always met with blessings in Islam.
And, of course, observing the last ten nights of Ramadan in anticipation of Laylat-al-Qadr by praying can exemplify your devotion to Allah and bring you closer to Him. Laylat-al-Qadr is the holiest night of the Islamic year, as it is known as the night the first verses of the Qur’an were delivered. Many Muslims worldwide engage in worship all night long instead of sleeping in observation of this sacred night.
If you cannot fast this Ramadan due to your eating disorder, you are not any less of a Muslim than those who can fast. Allah knows your intentions and character, and He will reward you accordingly. There are many other ways to practice your faith, connect with your loved ones, and enrich your spirituality during this month. View this not as a failure, but as a motivator for a full recovery – someday, recovery will bring you the ability to fast once again, and you will view it not as a burden, but as a blessing.
At BALANCE eating disorder treatment center™, our compassionate, highly skilled team of clinicians is trained in diagnosing and treating the spectrum of eating disorders, including anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, compulsive overeating, and other disordered eating and body image issues. In addition to our full-time Day Treatment Program and Weeknight Intensive Outpatient Program, we offer nutrition counseling with a licensed dietitian, meal support, and various other groups and resources to assist those seeking help for food concerns. Click the button below to learn more about our programs and services.
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This post was written by BALANCE Blog Contributor, Samreen Khan (she/her/he/him).
Samreen is a senior high school student with an ardent drive to de-stigmatize mental illness and eating disorders. Born and raised in the Bay Area, she experienced the harmful effects of “fitspo” culture firsthand for most of her childhood. Throughout her own recovery journey, she became passionate about deconstructing diet culture and raising awareness about eating disorders in her everyday life. Samreen began extending her own ideology of intuitive eating and body neutrality to others by publishing her own writing online when she was fourteen, and has since received several awards for her prose and poetry. She has conducted research on the biological and evolutionary implications of familial mental illness, and is currently taking college-level Sociology and Psychology courses with hopes to delve further into the social and cultural constructs that bolster disordered eating, especially within marginalized communities. She’s grateful for the opportunity to combine two of her strongest passions — writing and mental health — by working with BALANCE!