Disclaimer: In Real Life is a platform for everyday people to share their experiences and voices. All articles are personal stories and do not necessarily echo In Real Life’s sentiments.
The holy month of Ramadan has always ignited a deep sense of curiosity among non-Muslims.
We wonder about many things during the fasting month like, “How early do Muslims wake up for Sahur?” and “What is it like to abstain from food and water for a day, let alone a month?”
With that in mind, I decided to step into the shoes of our Muslim friends and I tried fasting for the first time this Ramadan.
While it was only for a day, I found that it was filled with challenges, temptations and trying times – which I learnt greatly from.
1. Waking up early is extremely hard
I know my Muslim friends have to wake up early for sahur, but on Champions League nights, I wouldn’t even be in bed by 4:30AM – now you’re telling me I have to be up by then?
Since Fajr (the first of the five daily prayers) begins around 5:30AM, I had to be up an hour earlier to prepare for sahur.
I was determined to not miss it (and risk unleashing my inner hangry monster) and forced myself to get out of bed.
For the meal, I prepared some oatmeal with berries, bananas … and some leftover chicken from last night’s dinner.
As I started the day, I told myself: “Remember to nap if you’re tired!” But as the day went on, it eventually turned to “Nah, I should be fine. I don’t need afternoon naps”. Of course, I was wrong.
A few hours later, to no surprise, I found myself nodding off at work! It’s admirable how my Muslim colleagues can wake up early and still have the energy to go through an entire day of work.
At the same time, it also helped me gain a bigger sense of understanding when my colleagues are feeling more tired than usual.
2. It’s lonely to sahur alone
Since no one else in my family was fasting, it felt lonely to sahur on my own while everyone else was asleep.
The loneliness kicked in when I took a bite of the sweet Medjool dates and had nobody to share the excitement with.
At that time, I thought about how our Muslim brothers and sisters must have felt, those who are living far away from their families or have loved ones who have passed on.
That moment made me understand why my Muslim friends enjoy having Sahur or Iftar with their family or friends. I realised it will always be better when you have someone to share it with.
3. Fasting goes beyond abstaining from food and water
The temptation is one of the things Muslims have to deal with during Ramadan.
It couldn’t be more true for me after coming across all sorts of ASMR recommendations on YouTube.
Even pineapple chunks on pizza sounded like the best thing ever.
I had to deal with food cravings that stemmed from habits. Most days, I’d start my day with coffee.
Even though I wasn’t feeling too thirsty in the morning I fasted, I craved coffee because I’d normally have it while working.
I had to stop and ask myself a few times whether the things I craved were driven by habit or temptation.
While many associate eating and drinking to be a huge part of fasting, I found it harder to abstain from negative thoughts and actions.
When you’re faced with difficult problems or when feeling frustrated, it is definitely tough to tell yourself to take a step back and exercise patience.
4. You’ll feel guilty eating in front of someone who’s fasting
A funny situation happened when my Muslim friend (who wasn’t fasting that day because it was that time of the month) ate a chocolate bar in front of me.
When she caught me looking, she couldn’t stop apologising, and it cracked me up. It was a funny reversal in roles when a Muslim apologises to a non-Muslim who’s fasting.
It reminded me of the many moments when I drank water in front of my Muslim friends or accidentally invited them for lunch. While they’d always say “it’s okay”, we still can’t help but feel guilty right after.
5. I learnt the true meaning of thirst
Before the fasting challenge, the times I’ve felt parched were whenever I went to a futsal session without bringing water and refused to buy overpriced 100 Plus.
But not being able to drink from sunrise to sunset? That was like those bottleless sessions but amplified x1000.
I immediately thought about my Muslim friends who have to meet or speak to people on a daily basis. For example, call centre operators, sales executives, waiters, teachers and more. My respect for them increased tenfold.
6. Hangry moments are real
As the hours progressed, I obviously got more tired. There were a few moments in the day that tested my patience.
Surviving a hangry moment was more difficult than abstaining from food and water. I remember raising my voice a couple of times at my brother and getting annoyed a little too easily.
This just served to remind me that Ramadan was also a time to practise patience and being kind when facing a difficult situation. Besides that, it also made me reflect on how I treated others during trying times.
You can learn a lot from Ramadan, even if you’re not a Muslim
Ramadan has a deep spiritual purpose. Aside from having my self-discipline tested, it also taught me the importance of having good intentions during difficult and stressful times.
While working tirelessly and surviving a hot day, how do we treat others around us? Do we maintain a cool head when things don’t go our way? It’s a test of character and a time of reflection.
It may have been for only a day, but I discovered important lessons that I will keep with me forever.
From appreciating Ramadan in a new light to understanding the true intentions behind fasting, there is so much that non-Muslims can learn from this holy month too.
For more stories like this, read: Eating in Front of a Faster: Yes or No? Malaysians Weigh In and 4 Non-Malays Share Stories Of Their Experiences Being Mistaken For Malay During Bulan Puasa
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