say out of amazement: Is fasting a form of cure? He would say: It is the best cure, for my master, the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, ‘صُوْمُوا تَصِحُّوا’, meaning, ‘Fast; you will become healthy.’ (Mu’jam Awsat, vol. 6, p. 146, Hadith 8312)

When Ramadan 1339 AH fell in May/June time, and A’la Hadrat رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه could not find the ability to fast in the hot weather due to prolonged illness and severe weakness, he gave a ruling regarding himself that it is colder in the mountains and it is possible to fast there, therefore, it has become Fard upon me to travel there in order to fast. Thus, with the intention of keeping fasts, he moved to the hills of Bhowali, Naynital District. (Tajalliyat-e-Imam Ahmad Raza, p. 133, summarised) And it was not the case that it was his habit to eat his fill during the fasts; he would eat even less during Ramadan as compared to other days.

Eating only once during Ramadan

The Khalifah of A’la Hadrat, Maulana Muhammad Hussain Meerthi رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه states: I observed I’tikaf from the 20^th of Ramadan. A’la Hadrat رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه came to the Masjid and said, ‘Yes, you desire that I also observe I’tikaf, however, (due to being engaged in religious duties) I do not find the time.’ Eventually, on the 26^th of Ramadan, he said, ‘I will also become a Mu’takif from today.’ Maulana Muhammad Hussain Meerthi رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه states: In the evening (he would break the fast with a date, etc., however) I never saw A’la Hadrat رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه eating food. At the time suhoor, a small plate of rice pudding and plate of chutney would be brought, and he would eat them. One day, I said, ‘Master! What is the link between the rice pudding and the chutney?’ He replied, ‘Beginning food with something savoury and ending with something savoury is the Sunnah, hence, the chutney is brought.’ (Faizan-e-Hadrat, p. 113, selected)

سُـبْحٰـنَ الـلّٰــه! The embodiment of Sunnah, A’la Hadrat رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه would eat the savoury chutney before and after eating the sweet rice pudding, in