What do you imagine if you hear about Ramadan? Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim year. In the Islamic calendar, they use the calendar based on the cycles of the moon.
During Ramadan, Muslims must fast, (no drinks and no food), restrict from having pleasures, and pray in order to get closer to God, which is Allah, from sunrise to sunset. Furthermore, they must refrain from smoking, consuming medications, having sexual activities, gossiping, fighting and lying. It is considered as the most sacred month of the year in Islamic culture. This is also the time for families or friends to stay and celebrate together.
There are five pillars in Islam and fasting during Ramadan is the fourth pillar of Islam. Based on these pillars, Muslims practice their religion. There are five Pillars of Islam:
1) Shahada: Faith in the Islam religion
2) Salat: Pray five times every day, facing the direction of Mecca
3) Zakat: Give support to the needy
4) Sawm: Fast during Ramadan
5) Haji: Visit Mecca at least once during one’s life
One of my friends, who is from Saudi Arabia, told me that Ramadan is not only about food or drink, but also it is for us to feel for people who suffer from hunger. By fasting for a certain time, we are able to be aware of poor people who cannot eat and drink as easily as we do. This fact made me to want to try Ramadan, even though I am not Muslim.
I have had different thoughts toward the Muslim religion and Ramadan before I heard this. I started fasting with my friends on May 17th. Before I started fasting, I was very nervous and I didn’t know whether or not I could resist the temptation to eat or drink.
On the first day, we started to eat around midnight and around 3 a.m. so that we will not be hungry during daytime. I just stayed home and spent time like normal days. I thought I was going to feel hunger or thirst, however, it was not as hard as I expected. But I am sure that I would have been thirsty if I had had to work or do sports during the daytime.
Since that day, when the sun was gone, we broke fasting and we started eating and drinking. We were allowed to eat and drink, (even to smoke), from that time until around 3:30 a.m. The specific time changes every single day due to the sunset and sunrise.
As I mentioned before, the people in my neighborhood stay and celebrate together, such as my friend who has been cooking and celebrating with his friends together, he sometimes shares his food with me.
Additionally, I also heard that during Ramadan, Mosque provides free food for anyone who needs it and suffers from hunger.
It has been more than 2 weeks since I started fasting, but I think it is not that hard. And I am sure that I am going to be able to continue this until May 15th. I believe that it is a good opportunity to experience a new thing even though you are not involved in the religion.