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Question on Ramadan
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05-06-2015 8:40pmAs-salamu Alaikum
Firstly let me say that I am not a Muslim and while I would like to believe that there is a God and something better after we pass from this world, I am also fine with the possibility that this is it and when we die we cease to exist.
In saying that I have been interested in Islam for a while now and have been reading the Holy Qur'an and the life of the Phrophet (pbuh). With the Holy month of Ramadan due to commence shortly I was thinking what it must be like to fast and how this is done, especially with Ramadan falling during the summer, where there is such a long gap between sunrise and sunset and especially for new converts who would not be used to fasting.
I myself am up each day around 04:15, so going by the times given on the Islamic-Relief.ie web page I would be able to have breakfast and take on some water before sunrise.
However I would usually be going to bed around 21:30 each evening Monday-Friday, which is 30 minutes before the time given for sunset. This gives me around 6 hours sleep per night.
I am sure there are Muslims who would have a similar schedules and am wondering how fasting in accommodated.
Do people just stay up later to break their fast and have less sleep for the month and just accept this. How would this affect their alertness to do their job/function during the day?
Do they break their fast a little early each day but maybe fast for longer than the month to make up for the time and hope Allah understands their intentions were good?
Do they maybe go to bed for a couple of hours in the evening if possible then awaken to break their fast and then return to bed?
I understand that there is no "one size fits all" answer. I am more curious as to what would be considered to be permitted and would any form of concession be allowed?
As I said I am just curious and hopefully my questions do not offend.
Shukran0
Comments
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Wa Alaikum As-Salaam
They are all very valid questions and Ramadan, esp. in the summer can be challenging. It's not supposed to be easy, but equally, it's not supposed to be so tough so as to affect your health, and allowances are permitted in certain circumstances.
Although the fast does end at sunset, it starts at the Fajr prayer which is a good bit before sunrise. There are a few different calculation methods used to figure out the Fajr time - some are based on the angle of the sun relative to the horizon, some are based on when a specific fraction of the night duration is reached, and different calculations work for different parts of the world. Islamicfinder is a very popular and reliable website used to look up times, and that would put the fast start time at around 2.45am this year.
Most Muslims make an extra effort to attend Taraweeh prayers in their local mosque during Ramadan, which take place 1-2 hours after sunset, so it's often close to midnight before we get to sleep. So the usual routine is eat after sunset, pray, snooze for 2 hours, eat, go back to sleep and wake up at 7-8am, and a lot of people have a snooze for an hour or two before sunset as well to make up for any sleep lost. During the weekends I sometimes stay up until 2 and then have long lie in afterwards. I suppose everybody copes differently and people organise their days to whatever works for them. Efficiency at work can be affected (although you can be surprised with how well you can still function once your body is used to it - a lot of the Algerian football team were fasting during their game against Germany in the last world cup, and they pushed them all the way). Some people just get on with it, some people will take some annual leave during Ramadan, and if somebody genuinely feels that their performance at work will be compromised, they can not fast during Ramadan and make up for it afterwards (e.g. at weekends, or later in the year when the fasts are a bit shorter). I know of at least one surgeon who does the latter, and that's understandable given that they need every ounce of concentration for the job. The last Olympics were on during Ramadan as well, and scholars issued rulings that it was fine for athletes to not fast and make up for it afterwards. Other examples would be pregnant and breast-feeding mothers are permitted to not fast, people with various medical conditions (e.g. diabetes) are also exempt from fasting, but they would still be expected to pray as usual.
Specifically regarding opening the fast sooner if you have to sleep early - I haven't heard of that being allowed. I think it's a case of either you can do it in full, or if not, you have to make it for it afterwards - but once again, there's nothing stopping you from sleeping earlier, waking up for a quick bite and then going back to bed again.
It must be some advantage to have done it year after year, but I don't think fasting is that much more difficult for new converts. Reason I say that is because we are creatures of habit, and our bodies adapt quickly - the first couple of days of Ramadan are always the hardest, but once your body learns that food/water aren't going to be readily served, it quickly learns, and as soon as Ramadan is over, our bodies quickly forget and very soon we're back starving for lunch at 1pm.
I hope that's of some help, feel free to ask any more questions.0 -
TommyKnocker wrote: »As-salamu Alaikum
Firstly let me say that I am not a Muslim and while I would like to believe that there is a God and something better after we pass from this world, I am also fine with the possibility that this is it and when we die we cease to exist.
In saying that I have been interested in Islam for a while now and have been reading the Holy Qur'an and the life of the Phrophet (pbuh). With the Holy month of Ramadan due to commence shortly I was thinking what it must be like to fast and how this is done, especially with Ramadan falling during the summer, where there is such a long gap between sunrise and sunset and especially for new converts who would not be used to fasting.
I myself am up each day around 04:15, so going by the times given on the IE Islamic website. I would be able to have breakfast and take on some water before sunrise.
However I would usually be going to bed around 21:30 each evening Monday-Friday, which is 30 minutes before the time given for sunset. This gives me around 6 hours sleep per night.
I am sure there are Muslims who would have a similar schedules and am wondering how fasting in accommodated.
Do people just stay up later to break their fast and have less sleep for the month and just accept this. How would this affect their alertness to do their job/function during the day?
Do they break their fast a little early each day but maybe fast for longer than the month to make up for the time and hope Allah understands their intentions were good?
Do they maybe go to bed for a couple of hours in the evening if possible then awaken to break their fast and then return to bed?
I understand that there is no "one size fits all" answer. I am more curious as to what would be considered to be permitted and would any form of concession be allowed?
As I said I am just curious and hopefully my questions do not offend.
Shukran
Hi Tommy,
Fasting is amazing. It is actually easier to fast in Ramadan than any other time of the year. This is due to a special blessing in fasting during Ramadan. The first few days maybe tough due to the fact that we have not sufficiently prepared for Ramadan by fasting before the month arrives but after a few days ones body adapts very well and one does not feel the pangs of hunger or thirst as much.
Ramadan just like any other Islamic month is set by the lunar calendar and therefore is around 10 days or so earlier each year. Currently Ramadan is in the middle of Summer but eventually after a few years Ramadan will reach spring and then winter where the fasts will be shorter.
The fasting times are set by dawn and dusk. It can be challenging at first to have a proper sleep routine due to the fact that the days are so long at the moment but there are always ways around one. One thing Muslims can do is to fast a day or so a week before Ramadan begins as is recommended by the Prophet. The other is to give up caffeine and have our sleep routine so that we are waking up for Fajr prayer at the earliest time so we are used to getting up for dawn. The time of dawn is also a blessed time where supplications are more readily accepted by God as one sacrificed ones bed for the pleasure of God.
So getting into the routine of fasting and getting up at dawn will help one during Ramadan. During Ramadan it is recommended to have a nap after midday prayer for around 20 minutes. It is also recommended not to over eat when breaking fast as this will make one very tired and feel lazy. It is recommended to eat good wholesome healthy food and plenty of water. It is also recommended to take a water bottle to the night prayer. After the night prayer one should sleep immediately.
If following these advices after a couple of days one will adapt very quickly and have a very productive spiritual month. This is the tenth day of fasting and I feel like normal already. I feel heightened awareness of God and of myself and what I need to do to better myself. Ramadan is a truly magical time. It cannot be explained with words. The only way is to experience it for ones self.
If you have any questions then please do not hesitate to ask.0
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