What is Ramadan (Ramzan, رمضان)?
Ramadan will begin next week. “Not even water?” tends to be the first question asked with a sense of pity. Yes, Muslims abstain from food and drink from dawn to dusk during the month of Ramadan. Most Muslims will, however, tell you that that is the incorrect sentiment to have. For many, Ramadan is the most precious month of the year that far outweighs the other months. It is less about physical fasting than it is about spiritual fasting of the soul such as abstaining from wrongful acts, anger, violence, gossiping, backbiting, arguing etc. It is the time of year for a full detox of the health and mind. We live in a society where everything is easily accessible, and one in which there is an excess of food and resources. This month allows us to cut back on living extravagantly and to try and understand what it is like to live with only what we need. We focus on being mindful; mindful of our eating habits, how we spend our time, the way we interact with others, our ...
