Talking about Ramadan

[Haarith]

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem
ASALATU WASALAMU ALAYKA YA RASULLALLAH Salla Allahu 'alayhi wa Sallam

Assalamu 'Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

Ramadan Kareem is well known in the western world. Every Ramadan I get asked questions like: "Don't you get a headache?", "What time can you eat again?", "I know you can't eat, but you can drink right?"

This poll is to see if the brothers and sisters get questions about fasting in Ramadan. Do you like being asked about Ramadan? What questions do you get? And how do you answer them?

Please vote and post.
May Allah accept our fasting.

Wassalamu 'alaykum

[Saalik]

Assalamu 'Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu


A worthy poll Brother Harith as it's very likely that we get such types of questions especialy when you are in a multicultural society and have to interact with people of other faith everyday.

The most common question is "Do you feel hungry" and the answer is obviously yes because what is the purpose of fasting, which is a sacrifice, if hunger or thirst is not felt.

I recently got a question from a hindu vegetarian who asked why is drinking also prohibited because they too also fast by abstaining from eating but they are allowed to drink water. On getting the simple answer that it has been prescribed like this he couldn't get it. I told him, apart from spirituality, it also allows our organs to restore and he partially agreed but was curious to know about why abstention from drinking water is also observed. I furthermore told him that the wisdom behind total abstention is to bring the primary instinct (nafs) under control by depriving it of its primary source of strength, he still couldn't accept that. I finally asked him why does he then fast and what is the reason behind that. At this point he adopted an evasive attitude but didn't really answered the question. He swapped to the fact that for them they also have fast of abstaining from eating garlic and onion which are foodstuffs that stimulates the basic instinct.....

I wanted to ask him what is the point of sacrifice for the vegetarian who fast by only abstaining from consuming meat and dairy products. Being a vegetarian does that person ever feel the craving for these foodstuffs when he is fasting That would have been a direct offense, so I observed abstention and continued reading an article which I was reading in a newspaper.

[nida]

Wa'alaykum 'Assalam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

I dont face this situation much because i am a housewife and dont have many non-muslim friends.

Anyhow, sometimes my sons friends mum asked me.... r u fasting?
I replied yes. and then she at her own continues, it is really hard to wake up so early for fast and then pass all the day without eating and drinking. I just smiled and said..... no , it is not as hard as you feel because objective is to attain Allaha Subhanahu wa Ta'ala's pleasure. But i felt that she wasn't satisfied with my answer.

A very impressive poll haarith brother.
It will help to get us know ...... what non-muslims thinks about our fasting. ( they normally think that it is useless act as per my experience)

[Sister Nomee]

Assalamu 'Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

ASALATU WASALAMU ALAYKA YA RASULLALLAH Salla Allahu 'alayhi wa Sallam

A great poll brother Haarith

My colleagues often ask me how I am coping with Ramadan. Last week Police officers came for Cultural training at my workplace and I cooked a meal for 19 officers and they were double shocked that I had cooked for them in the state of fasting and I would not be joining them for Lunch and also that I was not able to drink tea or water.

My new boss tip toes around me and gives me light chores to do but I have asked her not to treat me any different and hopefully now she will be able to have a drink in front of me.

I have in the past been asked "do you lose any weight?, "you must be starving?"

InshAllah over the coming years more awareness will be raised on Ramadan and hopefully less questions.

Wa'alaykum 'Assalam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

[Syed HAQ]

Assalamu 'Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

Mashallah! Bro Haarith good poll created.

Well comparatively here awareness factor of Ramdan Shareef is Mashallah 90% and more, except the guys who travel from different other states.

"do you lose any weight?, "you must be starving?" "don't you feel hungry"

well these questions are asked for me at normal times.....here at hyderabad you will come across these lines,

"when is the haleem treat?"

"what you had at sehri?" (this question coz they feel shocked when we have heavy meals early in the morning)

"when is eid" (which also means when will you fast end)

Jazakallahu Khair!

[Muslimah]

Salam Alaikum all,
Assalato Wassalmo Alaika Ya Rasool Allah


for the last 2-3 yrs i have been with my hindu friends and almost all the friends do ask same question like what time you guys iftar and what time you have meal and stuff and i have been tired of giving same answers to many people.

oh every year i loose weight in ramadan and every year i get comment on it but im cool, no problem at all.

By the way bro hareeth a good thread


Wassalam

[fatma]

Assalamu 'Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

some good answer i will come back to reply this as mar is crying his eye's out as i type and i've gotta go.....!!!!

[sarfaraz]

Assalamu 'Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

When I was in school aged around 10 it was a predominantly white school and they used to ask me what fasting was so I replied "I don't eat or drink for 30 days" they'd used to say is that why you're so skinny. Some literally thought I didn't eat or drink for the 'whole' month (not realising I can eat after sunset )

Nowadays I don't get asked about fasting too much, most people in the company I currently work for seem to be aware of it. The only real question is "you can drink water though right?"

[Shiraz Ashrafi]

Assalamu 'Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

They questions I usually get, especially from white people are usually because they are trying to understand what we are going through, why we do it, what it entails but are respectful about it at the same time.

Most of them know the drill, theres one or two muslims at my workplace whom dont fast so I was asked how come they dont fast, which my reply was I really dont know
But I find most Muslims do fast, even the ones that aren't that religious, which goes to show how big Ramadan really is

[Noor e Naqshband]

Sept 4, 2009 10:46:38 GMT Shiraz Ashrafi said:

Most of them know the drill, theres one or two muslims at my workplace whom dont fast so I was asked how come they dont fast, which my reply was I really dont know

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem

Assalamu 'Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

The exact same happens to me! How am I supposed to know!

A really good poll, and some interesting replies

Fi Aminillah

Wa'alaykum 'Assalam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

[Haarith]

Wa'alaykum 'Assalam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

BarakAllahu fiqum for your replies brothers and sisters.

A friend said to me he read in the newspaper that Muslims are allowed to eat and drink normally for a week in Ramadan and then after Ramadan make up for that week. I was like whoa. I told him that I'd never heard of it and that there are so many different sects in Islam.

Another thing which I needed to clarify was that we can eat till before fajr. Because it's always said that we can eat before sunrise. But to precise it's before dawn.

Another friend asked about the exceptions: if a women's pregnant for example. When I told him he told the group we were sitting in that yes Islam is quite tolerable/social when it comes to these things. And I was like masha Allah.

One time I told 6 friends I was fasting so they all didn't eat till iftar time (starting from midday), masha Allah. Well, they did drink but they said for me they won't eat till I was permitted to eat. On the one hand it's very nice of them, but I don't like people doing things for ME you know.

I have found my non-Muslim friends very respectable towards fasting. I get more static reactions from some family members who seem to find the most silly and little things against fasting: "It's not healthy because you eat all year and now suddenly you don't", "If you really want to feel what poor people feel, you shouldn't eat at all," "You can think about poor people with a full stomach too, why is Ramadan so special?"

I answered that person that it IS healthy, and doctors say it IS healthy for your stomach in particular. We eat sehri and after sunset, so it's not so suddenly as you claim. By the way this same person shows off with the fact that 2 glasses beer a day is healty and that it's proven... but when it comes to the prove of fasting... ...

I further said that after not eating for about 3 or 4 hours you already begin to feel hungry, so yes we can somewhat feel what poor people feel. It's as close as we everyday-eaters can get. You yourself said that it's unhealthy to suddenly stop right?

I further answered that Ramadan is not only about feeling solidarity with the poor, it's also about purifying your soul and body, rectifying bad habits, etc. Why in this month? Because in this month shaytan is shackled thus it's easier for us to withstand temptations plus when everybody is doing this (fasting) it's even more a stimulation.

I furter said that thinking with an empty stomach is different than a full stomach. If you have ever fasted you would have known. How many times do you think about poor people with a full stomach? Why do people celebrate their birthday on a specific day, shouldn't they celebrate it everyday like you claim about thinking everyday about poor people? Now this person is a party animal so I also said: why do you dance in a disco, is dancing in your room not the same? Is eating with your friends the same as eating alone?

All questions this person (actually a close family member) hasn't answered. Some people always find an excuse.

May Allah protect us from such attitude.
Wassalamu 'alaykum

[neha]

Assalamualikum to all
There are lot of hindu neighbours for me,
all used to ask the same question that how could we goonn without food and water for hours!
dont you feel tired ,dont u get some urinary infections.........
and more over i am living in an joint family where i am prone to work all time,
i am the responsible member to see all needs,
so ,many times, they could see me always running around!
i used to reply that Almighty Allah has commanded us to have fast and by His Grace we dont feel tired at all......Thats His special blessing for us in this Holy Month!
These folks too have fasts, but on those days they either dont eat food made from rice or wheat,can have milk and water!
so they itself assure that our fast is really incredible!!
Moreover they really respect us more in this month and usually tell me that, only muslim community help poor and needy a lot by offering zakats!
In some areas the temples slow down their hymns for adaan too., in this Holy Month of Ramadan!

[fatma]

Assalamu 'Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

sorry for the late reply i forgot about the thread

this year i haven't been asked by anyone about fasting but usually i do get atleast one question from a non-muslim regarding when one can eat or not.

i think the main question i've had is from muslim women regarding taraveeh prayers as in women don't have to read them too right!!! to which i reply actually you do and i don't think they are too happy with that reply

some good answers and brother haarith i will pray for your family members that they see the right path of our beloved Prophet Salla Allahu 'alayhi wa Sallam soon Inshallah. Ameen.

[ximike2102]

Ramadan is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, that is in excess or ill-natured; from dawn until sunset.[1] Fasting is meant to teach the Muslim patience, modesty and spirituality. Ramadan is a time for Muslims to fast for the sake of God and to offer more prayer than usual. During Ramadan, Muslims ask forgiveness for past sins, pray for guidance and help in refraining from everyday evils, and try to purify themselves through self-restraint and good deeds.

[qiu123]

i choose the " sometimes" , it is the best choose for me .

[olaannabi]

RAMADAN KAREEM
This is blessed month of ramadan, Alhamdulillahi we have got this year as well. This is an ideal time to purifying our soul from all the sin that we did in the past year.
A month full of enormous spiritual wealth and reward, ramadan is an worthy opportuinity we mustn't lose in anyway at any cost. I have compiled few points that will help us get full benefits of this special month of ramadan.