24 replies to this topic

[Hydrogen]

I was just asked through PM what this Ramadan thing was all about and thought you guys may want to see the answer as well.

Ramadan is not just a month where you don't eat from dawn to sunset. Looking at it that way would be very superficial and would lead you to some wrong conclusions. Ramadan is the month in which the Qur'an was initially revealed. This is the month in which the great Angel Gabriel would come and review the Qur'an with Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). This is the month where the gates of Heaven are flung wide open and the gates of Hell are shut tight. This is the month where all the devils (shaytaan) are shackled so that they can not affect us.

It's a month of reflection, extra prayer and a month in which we purify ourselves and recharge our spiritual batteries for the coming year. Those who observe Ramadan properly often find that their imaan (faith) levels fly extremely high and that they become more tolerant, more patient and more calm.

A lot of people, including Muslims, get confused that Ramadan is only about not eating during the day time and then getting to eat really good food in the night when breaking your fast. But I would argue that what is more important than that is the spiritual side of things. Ramadan is about perfecing your character and being the best Muslim you can be. The fast is not just a physical fast of staying away from food but also a spiritual fast. It's a fast of your entire body. We must watch what we say about other people behind their backs, watch what we see with our eyes, watch where we go with our feet and watch what we do with our hands. A fast of our entire body means to keep our entire body pure of all the sinful things that we may be doing during the year. It's a time to rid ourselves of all of those things and incorporate perfect character into ourselves...or atleast try to.

Most importantly, it's a time to seek forgiveness from God. God is the most forgiving being in all the world. It comes in hadeeth that when God created mercy, he split it up into 99 parts. He gave one of those parts to the world. That is why the mother bears her young in extreme pain, then suckles him for some years and then provides for him throughout the rest of his life. It's why even when she hasn't slept for days, she will get up to give him a glass of water in the middle of the night. The rest of the 98 parts, God kept for Himself. So if God is so merciful, then what better time to ask for forgiveness than Ramadan?

Sorry for a kind of long explanation, but its not something that can be explained in a few sentances. But as you can see, Ramadan is a greatly spiritual month for Muslims. I hope that cleared up any questions you had about it . If you have any others, just let me know and I'll try my best to answer them, or direct you to someone who does have the answer.

Also, I think Ramadan starts at the same time as Rosh Hashana so Happy Rosh Hashana to everyone out there of the Jewish faith .

[Tetiel]

It's very possible to do, just... gotta ensure you eat as much as possible before sunup. It's rough but it's practically what early humans had to do a lot :\ Eat a big meal and store that energy for a long time. From what I understand though for people that it would be especially dangerous for i.e. pregnant women they are not required to endanger their child

[Suz]

Lol Ian!

Loads of Muslim's do this every year and survive. If anything, it's good to keep them less fat (My god... their food!). They don't eat or drink for the entire day, but they hog themselves at night... so they aren't going to die or anything

On the contrary though, their driving becomes appalling. Low blood sugars... and jesus chirst (or I suppose I should say By Allah!)... accidents everywhere! I left Oman (where my dad lives, which is a Muslim country) the day after Ramadan started... the driving was awful already People swerving in and out lanes... *tuts*

That's right Hydrogen. I'm tutting at you!

[Hydrogen]

I can find that quite dangerous myself. Not eating for hours upon end, and during physical activity can be quite strenuous. I remember back in my school days the people going through this festival(?) could not participate in anything physical. What if your job is something that has alot of lifting in, what do you do?

Generally if you are going to be doing something physical like in PE, you would just opt out of it with a parents note or something. But you should still try to do whatever you can do. And I don't think it's that different when you have a job that requires manual labor either. My Uncle's friend who went to Saudi Arabia during Ramadan came back amazed that these people, althogh they were fasting 14-16 hour fasts, were doing manual labor the entire day only stopping to pray and a small afternoon nap. It's really a matter of what your body gets used to.

It's very possible to do, just... gotta ensure you eat as much as possible before sunup. It's rough but it's practically what early humans had to do a lot :\ Eat a big meal and store that energy for a long time. From what I understand though for people that it would be especially dangerous for i.e. pregnant women they are not required to endanger their child

That's correct. Fasting is not required of pregnant women, women who are on their menstrual cycles, eldery people, travelers, etc. Fasting nor Islam is meant to cause you extreme difficulty .

Lol Ian!

Loads of Muslim's do this every year and survive. If anything, it's good to keep them less fat (My god... their food!). They don't eat or drink for the entire day, but they hog themselves at night... so they aren't going to die or anything

On the contrary though, their driving becomes appalling. Low blood sugars... and jesus chirst (or I suppose I should say By Allah!)... accidents everywhere! I left Oman (where my dad lives, which is a Muslim country) the day after Ramadan started... the driving was awful already People swerving in and out lanes... *tuts*

That's right Hydrogen. I'm tutting at you!

Actually...I think that's how it always is . No joke . It's how it is in India too... If you can get away with it, then go for it because the police have the others to deal with . Man, in India...the lane markers weren't followed...and sometimes even the side dividers weren't followed!!! It was like a complete free for all every part of the day . I almost died on multiple occasions .

[Sasha]

I can understand the not eating part. I've often forgotten to eat during the day and done lots of physical activities without problem.
But not drinking either? That's tough. One needs to have a really strong faith in order to go through it for a whole month a year.

[Suz]

That's correct. Fasting is not required of pregnant women, women who are on their menstrual cycles, eldery people, travelers, etc. Fasting nor Islam is meant to cause you extreme difficulty .

I was under the impression that they had to make up for it at a later date? I was told that a couple of days ago by an Omani

Actually...I think that's how it always is . No joke . It's how it is in India too... If you can get away with it, then go for it because the police have the others to deal with . Man, in India...the lane markers weren't followed...and sometimes even the side dividers weren't followed!!! It was like a complete free for all every part of the day . I almost died on multiple occasions .

Nah Definitely worse during Ramadan. And India SO doesn't count, they're bad drivers all the time! Go to a country where they're usually not so bad and THEN say that



I'm still tutting!
And using IE (just to piss you off!)

[Hydrogen]

I was under the impression that they had to make up for it at a later date? I was told that a couple of days ago by an Omani

Nah Definitely worse during Ramadan. And India SO doesn't count, they're bad drivers all the time! Go to a country where they're usually not so bad and THEN say that

I'm still tutting!
And using IE (just to piss you off!)

yeah they have to make it up later...and it was pretty bad when I went to Saudi, my egypt friends showed me what they drive like in egypt...its scary as hell...and they say if you dont drive like that then you will never be able to park anywhere or do anything...

and IE sucks man...wtf is wrong with you people http://www.firefox.com - use it!

[Silk]

*stomach grumbles* 14 hour days!
Can't go to the gym, can't work cause of limited concentration - the only thing I can do properly is sleep which is just a lame way to pass a Saturday. Past years were bearable as they were in October/November, when the days were much shorter.

I guess your faith is stronger than mine, Hydro. I can't do this for a whole month.

Edited by Silk, 15 September 2007 - 10:16 AM.

[Sweeney]

I can understand the not eating part. I've often forgotten to eat during the day and done lots of physical activities without problem.
But not drinking either? That's tough. One needs to have a really strong faith in order to go through it for a whole month a year.

I believe you can drink.
Possibly only water, though.

[Silk]

I believe you can drink.
Possibly only water, though.

No drink whatsoever.

[pyke]

No drink whatsoever.

Cripes, that must be pretty bad if you're out on a hot day

Happy Ramadan to you all whom are celebrating (is that the right word?)!

[nox]

sounds like an awesome way to bark up your metabolism

[Black Flame]

Wow I never how...I don't what the word is...sacred Ramadan is. Then again before I read that, I had VERY little knowledge of Ramadan. The only knowledge I did have was last year when Zulf explained it to me a bit when I was brand new here. Prior to that, I had no knowledge.

Thanks Hydro for the explanation.

[Suz]

yeah they have to make it up later...and it was pretty bad when I went to Saudi, my egypt friends showed me what they drive like in egypt...its scary as hell...and they say if you dont drive like that then you will never be able to park anywhere or do anything...

and IE sucks man...wtf is wrong with you people http://www.firefox.com - use it!

Egypt's driving test- drive 10 meters foward, 10 meters backwards. End of.

*IE* *IE* *IE* *IE* *IE* *IE* *IE* *IE*

Cripes, that must be pretty bad if you're out on a hot day

Happy Ramadan to you all whom are celebrating (is that the right word?)!

They stick to the airconned area's obv DUH BRANDON!

[Hydrogen]

sounds like an awesome way to bark up your metabolism

Actually its kinda funny, but fasting really helps your body in many ways. If you want, read this: http://serendip.bryn...1/wcarroll.html

In conclusion, it seems that there are many reasons to consider fasting as a benefit to one's health. The body rids itself of the toxins that have built up in our fat stores throughout the years. The body heals itself, repairs all the damaged organs during a fast. And finally there is good evidence to show that regulated fasting contributes to longer life. However, many doctors warn against fasting for extended periods of time without supervision. There are still many doctors today who deny all of these points and claim that fasting is detrimental to one's health and have evidence to back their statements. The idea of depriving a body of what society has come to view as so essential to our survival in order to heal continues to be a topic of controversy.

Basically what it says is that in moderation, fasting is extremely good for your body. If you go to the extreme with it, then it can be really bad just like anything else taken to an extreme. Everything in moderation .

[Crayon]

Its also feeling with the poor. Its been 3 days i've been fasting and im doing great I wake up at 4:00AM and eat for 30 Minutes, get a drink of water and back to bed. Last night I didn't eat though so Im kind of hungry right now :pIm also losing alot of weight.

Edited by Crayon, 15 September 2007 - 12:51 PM.

[padora]

sounds like an awesome way to bark up your metabolism

It actually lowers your metabolism

[foogie]

HOOPLAH!



lol. anyways, I think it would be easy for me to do... seeing as I don't eat anything untill dinner time... no breakfast, no lunch, just dinner.


well, interesting I suppose..... whatever rubs your buddha.

[DudeOnline]

I do have a religious question for you Hydrogen. Is Ramadan like the month of December for Christians, as far as their faith soars, but the rest of the year, it drops down?

I do have to say one thing about Muslims. You will never see a group of Muslims shouting into a megaphone in a busy intersection "Pray to allah, or you will die!" for that you have my utmost respect.

[Hydrogen]

I do have a religious question for you Hydrogen. Is Ramadan like the month of December for Christians, as far as their faith soars, but the rest of the year, it drops down?

I do have to say one thing about Muslims. You will never see a group of Muslims shouting into a megaphone in a busy intersection "Pray to allah, or you will die!" for that you have my utmost respect.

It depends my friend...

There are many types of Muslims out there. For some, I'm sure they are only practicing during Ramadan. So during Ramadan their faith might be extremely high but after it, they return to their previous ways. Though it's not the most ideal situation as the way we are in Ramadan is technically how we should be during the entire year, it's better than nothing in my eyes. God willing, next year they won't lose that faith and will continue on with the new way they had been living while in Ramadan.

And as much as I would like to have that last statement be true, sadly there are a small minority of Muslims who do say that. Just a few days ago I read about the people who had kept the South Korean Christian workers captive. Allegedly, they had forced them to convert to Islam at gunpoint. Now, Muslims all across the world know that this is not the way shown to us by our Prophet and definitely not the way which God wants. God says in the Qur'an that he doesn't count anything which isn't genuine and isn't from the heart. Is it really genuine if it's at gunpoint?

The way the message of Islam was spread for 1400 years ago, before the Taleban's supposed "enlightenment" about Islam was through honesty and in the most gentle of ways. The story of Indonesia is a great example. Indonesia is the largest Muslim nation on Earth. The country became Muslim because of 8 tradesmen who traveled to Indonesia to set up shop. The locals were so impressed with their honesty in business that they converted by the hundreds of thousands!

[Sida]

My dad and his side of the family do this. I'm not religious so I don't take part (and it's only my dad that lives here, so I don't see the others).
I must admit though, I never knew the story behind it. Kinda bad really

Edit: About the driving in Egypt, when I was on a school cruise we saw cars randomly driven into trees and stuff all over the place. You can pass your test there by showing your ability to drive forwards and backwards once (That's what we were told there atleast).

Edited by SidaZoid, 19 September 2007 - 11:39 PM.

[padora]

Exactly... a fast metabolism is better. Slower is worse, and thus this would er bark your metabolism up.

Wait...

If fasting makes your metabolism go down...

How does it bark your metabolism up?


*confizzled*

[Noitidart]

Physical activity is actually really possible. I am still working out, just at night though and to increase the protein i have to take shakes with taruine and glutamine or i cant lift

[Sky]

Lol, I wanted to give this Muslim kid in my class some candy and he said he was fasting! I felt bad for him!!!!!

Edited by Sky, 20 September 2007 - 12:49 PM.