Instructor Fatima Patel, a brand new Muslim resident to Bishop’s Stortford along with her younger household, on what Ramadan means to her…
This month marked the beginning of Ramadan, a holy month within the Islamic calendar. It’s a particular month because it requires all ready Muslims all over the world to quick from dawn to sundown.
Many religions practise the act of fasting. For Muslims throughout Ramadan, fasting means to abstain from consuming and consuming altogether throughout sunlight hours.
I can learn your minds straight away. You are pondering: “Gosh, not even water?” I’ve heard this repeatedly in my lifetime. I’m additionally guessing you are pondering that fasting from dawn to sundown sounds extremely onerous.
Details and details about Ramadan you could find out for your self on the web in the event you’re . I might prefer to share my understanding and expertise of Ramadan having participated in all of it my life.
Why do Muslims quick?
There’s a vary of the reason why fasting is prescribed for Muslims. Ramadan is a time for religious reflection and self-improvement. It’s a time to work on private development, change habits and refocus priorities.
I’ve met Muslims who’ve managed to give up smoking, break the dependency on caffeine – for me, it’s a time once I pressure myself to scale back my sugar consumption, which is way wanted as I like candy issues. It provides my physique a break from the dangerous stuff and a time to heal.
However what fasting actually provides me is a chance to practise gratitude. If you end up stripped of the privilege of consuming as you would like all through the day, you bear in mind the numerous all over the world who’re far much less lucky and also you out of the blue recognize the smallest of issues. Even water doesn’t style fairly so boring and bland.
Is fasting onerous?
I’d be mendacity to you if I stated it was the best expertise of my life. However I’ve taken half in a lot tougher actions. I have been fasting for a lot of my grownup life, so my thoughts and physique have grow to be accustomed to it.
It’s as a lot a psychological problem as it’s a bodily one. I strongly consider fasting has helped me to be extra disciplined; this implies doing one thing even in the event you don’t really feel prefer it. I really feel that is one thing we will all relate to: finishing laborious admin duties, that little bit of DIY you’ve got been avoiding, committing to an train routine.
Life is filled with onerous issues and finishing duties we’d not wish to. Fasting throughout Ramadan has helped me to grow to be a extra disciplined particular person.
Is Ramadan nearly fasting?
Whereas most individuals who don’t observe Ramadan will affiliate it with fasting, it’s about a lot extra. I’ve requested lots of my Muslim household and pals what Ramadan means to them and these have been among the responses: generosity, neighborhood, appreciation, household, unity, simplicity and gratitude. In fact, the phrases starvation, thirst and tiredness additionally cropped up. However I wish to talk about a few of these additional.
Simplicity – Life may be very a lot go, go go! However in Ramadan we sluggish all of it down. It’s a much-needed time to simplify life and hold commitments and distractions to a minimal. A good friend described it as a time to detox the thoughts, physique and soul. I’d agree as a result of maybe surprisingly Ramadan is a time when my thoughts is at its calmest as I stay in a somewhat uncomplicated means.
Household – I definitely affiliate Ramadan with household. Having been introduced up in a Muslim family I’ve fond recollections as a toddler of Ramadan being a time when everybody within the household took a step away from their busy schedules and got here collectively for chatter, video games, prayer and meals. As of late, as an grownup with a household, throughout Ramadan we get pleasure from easy pleasures collectively – a stroll, movie, cooking – and we are going to all the time eat the sundown meal collectively with none distractions.
Unity – There’s a actual sense of unity throughout Ramadan amongst everybody that’s fasting. There’s something somewhat endearing to know that tens of thousands and thousands of Muslims all over the world are experiencing the thrill and hardships of Ramadan all ttogether. I suppose we’re all pondering we’re all on this collectively as one giant neighborhood.
How can Ramadan relate to me?
I’m most definitely not advocating that anybody makes an attempt to affix in with fasting throughout this time. However what I would really like you to contemplate is becoming a member of the numerous Muslims which might be fasting all over the world who’re exhibiting self-discipline. How are you going to present self-discipline?
I would really like you to method life with the identical spirit. Lace up and go for that run, drop that further spoonful of sugar as a result of you understand you may, full that one thing you are all the time laying aside. Inform your self you are able to do onerous issues, inform your self “I’m going to get on with this even when I don’t really feel prefer it”.
I invite you to affix in with Ramadan by additionally refocusing priorities and altering habits. Possibly you would spend rather less time on devices, sleep earlier – take into account one small change that can enhance your psychological or bodily well being.
Lastly, take part with Ramadan by spending high quality time with these which might be vital to you. Possibly you would meet up with a good friend, examine in with a neighbour, invite household over for a meal.
Ramadan can sound super-serious and boring, and regardless of the hardship of fasting for a complete month Ramadan is a particular time for Muslims the world over. This yr, make Ramadan a particular time for you too.
* Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. A commemoration of Muhammad’s first revelation, the annual observance of it’s thought to be one of many 5 Pillars of Islam. It lasts 29 to 30 days, from one sighting of the crescent moon to the subsequent. This yr it runs between the evenings of April 1 to Might 1.
