Ramadan is a holiday that all Muslims experience. From the end of February to the end of March, Muslims worldwide abstain from eating and drinking during the day. They also exhibit acts of self-discipline. It is a time for Muslims to grow closer to God and focus on their prayers. It commemorates the revelation of the Qur’an to the prophet Muhammed, marking a very holy time for Muslims. There is an extra focus on charity for Muslims, and they avoid negative behaviors like gossiping or fighting. It is a time for Muslims to reflect on themselves and try to become closer to God. How, though, do people adjust to not eating during the day? What do they do when they break their fast? There are many questions that people have about Ramadan, and Qais Abumuhfouz, a sophomore at Greenwood High School, had some answers.
Qais’s family is from Jordan, but he was born in Kentucky. Qais took part in Ramadan this year, and he never broke his fast during the day. “I just slowly shift my eating schedule closer to night in the days leading up to Ramadan,” said Qais. He said that he was never tempted to eat, as his religion is very important to him. He would pray five times a day during Ramadan. “I got thirsty a few times, but that was it,” said Qais. In order to eat before sunrise, Qais had to get up very early. Most days, he would eat first at 4:30 am, along with some prayers before returning to bed. He then would wake up, go to school, come home, sleep until sunset, then eat again. “Sleep made it much easier,” said Qais. Being able to sleep made him forget about his hunger momentarily, making it easier to go longer times without eating. If Qais had broken his fast, he then would have to make up for his days of fasting at the end of Ramadan and asking for forgiveness from God. There are some reasons for breaking fast, though, that are justifiable (sickness, travels, etc.) that are allowed. Even athletes are not free from these rules – athletes cannot drink any liquid, even if they are working out or playing in a game. For Muslims, this means that most workouts have to be scheduled for after sunset or before sunrise. It is all for good though, to become closer to God. All in all, Ramadan is worth it to Muslims, despite the difficulty in doing it. It is worth a month of discomfort to become more spiritual.
Adjusting out of Ramadan can be just as difficult as adjusting in, says Qais. Going from fasting for more than 10 hours a day back to eating at a normal schedule can be a rough change. “I personally don’t seem to have problems with it, but some of my friends definitely do,” said Qais. Immediately after Ramadan, Muslims go through a festival-esque celebration called Eid al-Fitr, or the breaking of the fast. This is a time of rejoicing and celebration among Muslims, where they have special prayers, but, most importantly, special meals. These meals include items such as Sheer Kurma, a type of pudding, and kank, a pastry. The end of Ramadan is just as important as Ramadan, as it is important for Muslims to pray and worship during this time too. Also, it is not as if people immediately start doing bad things once Ramadan ends because they “can.” Ramadan is not a time to just not do bad things, but a time to learn not to do bad things. It is an important time of the year for Muslims worldwide. Qais says he feels closer to God and more understanding of his culture. This is how Muslims experience Ramadan.
