The Department of Health has funded a guide, produced by a voluntary group called Communities in Action, to eating healthily during Ramadan and avoiding any physical ill-effects from fasting. Next Monday, Jews observe Yom Kippur, a 25-hour fast during which no food or water is consumed at all, as they observe other fasts during the year. The Department of Health does not issue Jews with a guide to healthy fasting and how to avoid keeling over, but let that pass. The booklet purports

to promote public health and tackle ‘health inequalities …within Muslim communities.

Fair enough. Promoting public health is, after all, a core objective of the Department of Health, and eradicating ‘inequalities’ is one of the government’s pet obsessions. The booklet starts with information about the physiology of fasting, foods that will help and foods to avoid. But then, it starts making references to

the Holy Qur’an,

and to

‘the most commonly consumed foods by Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).

Then it provides quotations from

‘the blessed Prophet’.

Then it provides a chart giving the Ramadan times for the month.

Then it provides Islamic religious exhortations; for example:

In chapter 7 verse 31 Qur’an is categorical ‘Eat and drink freely: But waste not by excess, for He does not like the wasters.’ Islam thus creates a sense of responsibility in people to take a healthy living lifestyle as normal and through fasting in the month of Ramadan teaches one to learn to manage and practice spirituality and not to eat excessively. Essential part of spirituality in food is that one is grateful and thankful for the food one gets. The blessed Prophet once said: ‘God has a right over you; your body has a right over you….’ To strike a balance between the needs of the physical body and one’s spiritual needs, one must on the one hand consume the right type and amount of food and on the other hand develop excellent inter-personal skills. The blessed Prophet Muhammad said: ‘I have only been sent for the perfection of character’. Fasting in the month of Ramadan is an opportunity to make signifi cant changes in one’s lifestyle and develop resolve to make healthy living choices.

Then it proclaims the spiritual values to be gained from fasting.

In other words, this booklet is an Islamic religious tract. Why is the Department of Health funding it?