The Holy Month explained
Rayana Ajam debunks five common myths about Ramadan.
For those of you who have no idea what Ramadan is about, its significance dates back to 609 CE, the time when the Holy Quran was first ever revealed to the Prophet. Around the world, Muslims fast during Ramadan, observe extended prayers, give to charity and engage in pretty much any activity that may involve spiritual reflection. Ramadan is a month of gratitude and patience. Its purpose is to allow us to reflect and appreciate everything we would usually take for granted.
Whenever Ramadan is approaching, I’ve had to mentally prepare responses to many of my non-Muslim friend’s questions. Even though I love talking about the nature and purpose of observing fasts, after years and years of explaining myself to baffled friends, I’ve come to feel like a bit of a broken record. Islam is the second-largest religion in the world and Ramadan is incredibly important to Muslim people, so it’s about time that everyone in Australia becomes familiar with the protocols around fasting and that we debunk the myths regarding Ramadan… maybe then I can stop explaining myself!
So, here are five common myths about Ramadan, debunked.
MYTH #1: No food or water for 30 days? Can’t you die from that?
When Muslims say they fast for 30 days, they do not mean thirty days straight because yes, one could possibly die from that. Muslims fast between the hours of sunrise and sunset. This means waking up early before sunrise to eat and then breaking our fast and sundown. Because Ramadan this year has commenced post-day light savings, Muslims in Sydney, Australia fast for an average of 12 hours a day. In places such as Iceland and Greenland, Muslims fast for up to 20 or 22 hours a day. Due to the shorter days, Muslims in Australia only really miss out on their lunch meal as they wake up to eat breakfast before sunrise and eat dinner after sunset.
MYTH #2: Ramadan is a good weight loss program
The purpose of Ramadan is not to detox the insides of your body but to detox your spirit and soul. You may unintentionally end up losing a kilogram or two, but hardly anyone I know has lost mass amounts of weight. The core purpose of Ramadan is not to deprive yourself of food and water but to be grateful for the necessities we would usually take for granted.
MYTH #3: Just have a sip. I won’t tell anyone
Unfortunately, a fast is broken when someone has intentionally consumed food or water. Regardless of whether no one is looking, fasting is an inflexible practise of abstaining from consuming food and water. One's fast is also broken when they vomit or engage in sexual intimacy. Groups of people such as the elderly, the young, ill or diabetic people, those who are pregnant, menstruating or even travelling are not required to fast.
MYTH #4: Fasting is all about refraining from food and water
Fasting is about demonstrating self-control which impacts their ability to self-discipline. Practising self-control is not only about refraining from food and water, but also refraining from backbiting and swearing, or anything that could be subject to the immoral use of the voice.
MYTH #5: The month of Ramadan falls in the same month every year
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. Unlike the western Gregorian calendar which consists of solar months, the Islamic calendar consists of lunar months. Lunar months are shorter than solar months hence why Ramadan often falls earlier in the year as time progresses.
***
The word Ramadan is derived from an Arabic word that means “intense scorching heat”. Islamic scholars suggest that this “scorching heat” symbolises the love God has for his creations. During the month of Ramadan, many Muslims spend their time devoting themselves to God and often end the month having had a spiritual and mental cleanse. If any of you have Muslim friends, feel free to chat to them about their experiences and join them for a day or two of fasting!