In the next few weeks I will be telling you about how spiritually uplifting Ramadan is, and about how I've been able to clear my body and mind in order to connect with my Creator. I will share the experience of breaking the fast communally with other Muslims over fresh dates and the most delicious glasses of water I have ever tasted.
But right now, I'm not feeling any of that. I am too distracted by the pull of my shrinking stomach.
As you might imagine, the first days of fasting take some getting used to. You start to realize what a central place food and drink has in one's life. As soon as you wake up, your reflexes guide you straight for the refrigerator. You might even mistakenly pull your car up into your local Starbucks on the way to work. And God help you if you are a serial snacker--your hand will be continually reaching out for a phantom snack bowl.
It's a good idea to avoid shopping for groceries during daylight hours in Ramadan. Apart from unnecessarily torturing yourself, you'll end up spending twice your average grocery bill as you load your cart with things you wouldn't ordinarily buy. Fasting has a way of making even the most mundane of foodstuffs look like ambrosia.
If you haven't prepared yourself by doing a few practice fasts during the previous month, you're in for a cold-turkey introduction to controlling of one of your most basic and powerful instincts. Even the most rigorous of fasters may slip up in the first few days, accepting a glass of water from a colleague or popping a breath mint. So long as it is done unknowingly, however, there is no penalty and the fast can continue guilt-free. (Though that doesn't stop me from feeling guilty anyway.)
Among other things, Ramadan is an exercise in breaking patterns that we have become used to in the previous year. It is the beginning of putting us back in control of our lives, as opposed to our daily routines being in control of us. Ask anyone who has quit smoking how liberating the process was--not just with respect to the specific addiction to nicotine, but to the feeling that you have ultimate control over your body.
But all this mastery over the flesh does take its toll. I promptly collapsed into my bed in the two hours between the end of the work day and the iftar at sunset. In predominantly Muslim countries, people are given some slack towards the end of the day as their energy runs out. But in America, fasting Muslims must soldier on, catching little bits of rest in between their daily responsibilities. That's just one of the challenges of an American Ramadan.
Did I mention how sweet that water tasted at 7:40 pm?
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Kathy,
Zahara reached out to you to invite you to get to know your neighbors, to broaden your worldview. Unfortunately, again you say that "you see" they can be your friend and then plot to destroy you.
I invite you to search on the web and find tons of condemnation of terror from prominent Muslims. This is another way you can increase your knowledge and not just rely on on major media outlets. Muslims are loud but we need to be louder and overcome a media that prefers Osama and his disgusting ilk and not those of us who have families, contribute to our communities and love our neighbors. We are everyday citizens, just like you. Understanding comes from opening hearts and minds
I have read alot about your faith and yes I read that it is a peaceful religion. Majority of Americans get their information from the television and that is what I am asking of those who condemn the extremist. I wrote responses under the 9/11 blog here. Please read where I am coming from. I lived in NJ on 9/11, I saw the smoke from the towers and know of people who lost their lives. I lived near Maquire airforce base where the plot was spoiled to kill our soldiers. I hear nothing on TV or radio condemning these actions. I see our politicians being polically correct giving the Islamic religions members more rights then the Christians. Our rights are being taken away. Our politicans don't want you heard because they want us fearful so we will vote for change. I don't have to come to your terms or you mine but I am expressing what most non Islamic Americans feel. I do my homework and have been since prior to 9/11 but I still hear silence when it comes to condemning the terrorist. I challenge you and your members to be vocal and condemn the action of the extremist. I don't have a closed mind and I am waiting for the non extremist to make me feel comfortable. Most Americans will not research on the computer for sites condemning the terrorist. What can you do to bring it to them? The only TV station I saw that showed Muslims speaking out was FOX news and no other one. Challenge the media many radio host would probably love to have you on.
Dear Shahed,
I really enjoyed reading your blog on Ramadan and the way you have included some of the humorous points of the fast.
I am an American Muslim currently living in Bangladesh. I am on day 12 of the fast. It is great that you are writing about this. Truly inspirational.
In response to Kathy's comments. Extremist exist in all religions, not only Islam. They are the minority, not the majority. Most Muslims all over the world were outraged by attacks of 9/11. American Muslims and Muslims all over North America were in many ways held accountable for the acts of these extremist Muslims.
It is sad, but American media, especially television news media, is focused on 50% on the state the network is located in, then 40% on the nation as a whole and the remaining 10% on the world. When you devote only that small a portion to international news and events, the views of the vast majority of Americans are skewed. They are skewed because they are grossly uninformed about the rest of the world.
In the U.S. Muslims do not have a controlling voice. We are a very small demographic when compared to the Christians and Jews. While I am sure many Muslim groups have tried to bring out our views on the events you have mentioned here to the forefront of the media, the fact is the American public had already decided that we are culpable. So, why would the media broadcast what we have to say? Media prints/broadcasts only the news that sells.
Lori, I agree with you about the media coverage and most Americans are ignorant to all news coverage. I do my homework and find it frustrating too. What can be done to gain some attention to the non extremist muslims? I hear on the talk radio that again you are silent about the actions of the extremist. The politicans want you quiet too because you would influence their chances of getting elected. They thrive on problems so the non informed Americans (there are many) will vote for change. I am sure if you call many conservative talk shows they would talk to you and they reach many people who are interested in what you are saying. Contact Bill O'Reilly, Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity along with Bruce Jacob from Phoenix Arizona they would love to have a discussion with you. It is all about politics believe me why the news media is silencing you for the democrats want to keep us fearful so the uninformed will vote for a change. Fox covered it once so try to get it covered again. Fight to get your your right to get your voice heard and to condemn the extremist. Is it fear of the extremist that keeps people quiet? Help me understand.
Kathy, I think you need to broaden your news horizons, and it is good that you are reading this blog.
About the rights of christians being diminished ("Merry Christmas" being changed to a general "Happy Holidays" comes to mind), I am with you. America is a majority Christian nation, and there should be no problem expressing holiday greetings as one wishes. Or displaying the Ten Commandments, or what have you. The concern is that political correctness in trying not to offend anyone and include everyone, despite its good intentions, is offending the Christian presence. Even so, this is feigned offense, being that christianity IS the religion of the majority in America.
But America is a "melting pot". "Melting pot" is understood one of two ways: as a pot where your culture melts away into the whole, or creates a multi-cultural utopia. This is a nation of immigrants. The only people who aren't immigrants are the native americans, and even so, their ancestors had migrated here (sidenote: I am a native american convert to Islam, I can claim to be more american than George Washington. Should someone tell me to go back where I came from, I will camp out in their backyard).
We are a nation of immigrants, and refugees. Did not the pilgrims first land on Plymouth Rock for refuge from religious persecution? Does not the U.S.A. continue to accept refugees fleeing from all kinds of persecution? In the first amendment, we are guaranteed freedom OF religion (and not freedom FROM religion, as many an atheist would like).
Muslims (Converts and Immigrants, Islam is the fasting growing religion not just by birth, but also by conversion) denounce terrorism everyday. We are not in control of the media, we cannot say what we want when we want to. The media focuses its eye on whom it wills (and what media you choose to be your eyes). The Grand Mufi of Saudi Arabia has been denouncing terrorism BEFORE the atrocities of September the 11th, and continues to do so, and so have and do too many others.
Not withstanding, there is a minority who have ill will to America and her allies. They do not represent Islam , they do not represent muslims, and they are not all muslims. If I knew who they were, I would turn them in to the authorities, if not taking a piece of them myself beforehand. They are your enemies, and my enemies. This is the view of most muslims.
One cannot have preconceived notions of what people are about, this is called prejudice. When one of your muslim neighbors smiles at you and is friendly with you, do not think he is plotting your demise, this is paranoia. This is a good blog to see what the ordinary, majority of muslims are about.
We (muslims) are not a united body, in that we don't have any "Pope" or formal leadership to speak for us or tell us what to do. We have as many different ways of practicing Islam as there are muslims. And 99.9% want to live in peace with you, and will fight against that .1% with you.
Kathy I wish for you the best of affairs in this life and the next, God bless you,
,Fulaan
"I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.'"- Dr. Marin Luther King Jr.