Thursday, August 12, 2010

So, it's this time of year again.

Guest Post By Fasting But Not Furious.

Ramadan approaches, and Muslims worldwide are preparing for their annual (lunar) month-long fast.

To many non-Muslims this may mean grumpy corner-shop owners, not being able to get an evening taxi for love nor money, or the almighty shopping exodus towards Eid.And the not being able to get a restaurant table for love nor money.But to many Muslims, it is a time of reflection, inspiration, sacrifice, focus, family, and of God.

And so it will be for me again, albeit not with the full dedication it takes to not eat or drink (or for some orthadox muslims, swallow their own parched saliva) during daylight hours for a whole month.
My fast will include abstaining from certain food stuffs and drink stuffs, doing a liquid fast once a week (where I will only have fluids during the day), and during the last 10 days of ramadan will be hopefully fasting on alternate days.

Why am I, a non-muslim, doing this? Well for me, it is a time of relfection, inspiration, sacrifice, focus, family, and of God.

I hope to write about this, my struggle to resist that can of diet coke (cool, bubbly coke. Fresh, yummy coke...) , my search for meaning in my spirituality, my quest for a cleaner body and mind, and more focus.

Day 1 starts tomorrow, so my first decision starts tonight at a meal out with friends... do I partake one last time, or get a good start on abstaining???

3 comments:

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

ramadan means you have to fast every day unless ur too young or old, sick or travelling, what your doing is made up and not what ramadan is about.

Jamila said...

@ Annonymous - I am aware that most muslims will fast every day, but everyone is free to do as they wish... and my wish is to give certain items up and fast certain days only for several reasons - which will be in a new post when I am able to post it. I could do this any time of the year, but I *choose* to do it at the time of Ramadan because that is my choice. Ramadan is also about acceptance and understanding (amongst many other things), which is worth keeping in mind at all times of the year.