A Date, Please

It’s that time of the year again (I’m posting this two week late) it only feels like yesterday that we had observed the month of Ramadan and as cliche as it sounds, I can’t believe it’s here again and before we know it – it will be gone and we’ll be celebrating Eid!

For those of my lovely readers who don’t know what Ramadan is; I will try and explain as much as I can.

Dates that are eaten to break the fast

W H A T  I S  R A M A D A N?


Ramadan, is a month in the Islamic Calendar year. It is a month of fasting, Muslims fast from an hour or so before sunrise until sunset. During the day, you are not allowed to eat nor drink or I’d like to add chew gum (I remember asking my Dad as a child that we don’t swallow gum so can we still have that?).

This month lasts for around 29 or 30 days dependant on the sighting of the crescent moon. Therefore, it becomes a lovely coincidence if Ramadan begins on the same day for everyone across the world and this rarely happens.

W H A T  D O  Y O U  D O?

Ramadan is a month of cleansing, it is not just about not eating or drinking anything but it is also for the mind, body and soul of a person. A simple example is trying not to use foul language, trying to see the good in everything and everyone by attempting to not argue with someone no matter how much you want too and omitting ill thoughts that may be crawling in your mind for another.

It is about family and friends.

Sometimes, in our everyday lives, we are so busy that we might end up ignoring our loved ones around us and Ramadan helps to bring us all back together. You would normally find a lot of gatherings occurring at the time of Iftaar (the breaking of the fast), it becomes an excuse to get together.

However, more importantly, Ramadan is not also about remembering God as much as you can but also remembering those less fortunate than us. The whole purpose of fasting and keeping ourselves hungry is to remember those who have no choice but to remain hungry. In this month, Muslims tend to give to charity a lot as compared to other months.

Personally, I am always shocked to actually see how much time we spend during the day thinking about food!

E X E M P T I O N S


This is the fourth year in a row that I am not observing any fasts because of pregnancies and breastfeeding. The elderly, the sick, the pregnant woman and the breastfeeding mother are all exempt from fasting.


Some women do go onto fast and well done to them but it is not obligatory – you have to take many things into consideration of which one is your health which takes precedence.


Instead, you have to give to charity the amount of money that would help feed a person at Suhoor (food before beginning the fasting day) and at Iftaar. You don’t necessarily have to choose a charity but if you know someone who genuinely is less fortunate and cannot afford food then you can help them by either providing them with meals or with the means for it.


The first year I didn’t fast, in the beginning I felt guilty but then reminded myself that I am doing something good as because of me someone will not be going to sleep hungry.


E I D


Eid is the festival that marks the end of Ramadan but that will be another post for another day!