Now that Ramadan is over, how many of us want to continue developing the discipline that you gained during Ramadan? I do! Some of the habits I developed included reading every morning, not snacking (smile) and a good habit of taking a short 20–30-minute walk after the sun came up so I could get some Vitamin D. I would listen to a podcast or the Ummah Reflects which discussed the word of God.
During his 2023 Saviours’ Day Youth message, the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan said that the electrical energy in the word of Allah is the highest energy of any word. “So, if you don’t read His word, if you don’t converse about His word, then your conversations bring you down, instead of up,” the Minister said.
Furthermore, he said the energy of the word of God will keep you from Satan’s grasp. “If you want righteousness, you’ve got to feed the word of righteousness into your thought process, and it will translate to your actions.” The Minister went on to say, “I want you to feed your minds better food.”
When I read, I am reading scripture or something positive. When I listen to music, I am listening to the Minister’s music or if I listen to hip hop, I will listen to artists who have a positive message in their music. Try listening to Final Call Radio after prayer and see if you become more awake. The Minister stated that the words that he speaks have a certain level of energy that causes a person to wake up.
During the message to the youth the Minister explained that we are “young, gifted and Black” but can be “stupid too” because of some of our actions. When I heard this, I thought of the times I would overeat or spend hours on Facebook instead of taking 30 minutes to exercise. Sometimes we make time for everything else, instead of doing something that may be good for us.
I plan to utilize the discipline I gained during Ramadan and take my workouts up a notch. I plan to continue doing something challenging in the morning, like push-ups, to give myself a sense of accomplishment before the rest of my day gets started. I plan to continue to engage in acts of gratitude by not only praying but doing something that is going to strengthen and preserve my body.
Remember, the Minister said, “Self-discipline leads to the restraining of those passions in our own being that can be used by Satan for the destruction of ourselves and things around us. Self-imposed discipline leads to a healthy society, one where the people truly can rule.” (Ramadan: Fasting Strengthens Discipline, The Final Call, August 25, 2009).
Let’s discipline ourselves. Try listening to something elevating in the morning or throughout the day and see if you are more motivated to increase your level of movement, creativity, and productivity. May Allah (God) bless us all with peace, health, wealth, love, and happiness.
(Dr. Audrey Muhammad is an educator, aerobics instructor and the author of Get Fit to Live: Be Your Best You! available at www.virtuetodaymag.com. Please consult a physician before beginning any new exercise or dietary program).
