Non-Muslim Ramadan Diaries - The Halfway Point!

We are now more than halfway through Ramadan, and I promised to give you an update on some of the deeper things that I have learned, over and above the fasting.

This week the temperature was turned up in a big way, and on Wednesday it hit 36.7 degrees in London. That’s hot! In fact, it’s the highest temperature ever recorded in the UK, and weather records here go back to the late 1700s. It was the first time I noticed that I was getting really thirsty. Riding home on the tube that evening was tough: the carriage was packed, everyone was sweating and it felt like we were in an oven. When I got home, I drank about a litre of water straight away. I was very thankful that I didn’t need to wait another couple of hours like my Muslim friends would have had to.

But it’s interesting, because although it was hot on that train, I felt an inner sense of calm. I actually felt it all day. I didn’t get annoyed by the little things that sometimes do annoy me. I didn’t get annoyed by people who were pushing and shoving. I didn’t get annoyed by the fact that it was so hot and I was so thirsty. I started thinking about others, and how it was hot for all of us. In a strange sort of way, it felt to me like there was a collective consciousness and we were all in it together. Call it spiritual, or religious, or the universe, or whatever term you choose to use. To me it was just a sense of inner calm and peace. Being hot, tired and sweaty actually felt pleasant, in a strange kind of way.

Ramadan is a time for deep religious reflection. All Muslims should pray 5 times a day, but I know that doesn’t always happen. However, there is an extra sense of importance to adhere to the 5 prayers during this holy month, and to read the Qur’an daily. Indeed, many try to read all 114 chapters of the Qur’an during the month of Ramadan.  That's a big commitment.

In addition to my colleagues at Alchemiya, there are a couple of Muslim guys at the other company where I work, Welcome Gate. I spent some time this week talking with both Abdi and Irfan to gain more of an understanding of what Ramadan means to them. They agreed with my assessment of the inner calm and the sense that we are all in it together. They both felt very strongly that Ramadan is a time for sharing. Sharing with the poor. Sharing with neighbours. Sharing with extended families. Understanding what it is like for everyone, as opposed to the relatively well-off lifestyle that we in the West are fortunate to enjoy. There is a tremendous sense of community – not just among Muslim people, but all people – and a feeling of duty to help others. Inviting people to share in their food, and to keep their food simple.

There is an incredibly strong sense of charity, and it is recognised in the press that the month of Ramadan sees a higher level of charitable contributions by Muslims than the rest of the year. Interestingly, it has been acknowledged in the media that, as a group in society in the UK, Muslims have a significantly higher level of charitable giving than the rest of the population and than most other demographic groupings.  

I’ve mentioned this before, but only in passing. The hardest part of Ramadan, especially when it falls at this time of the year, is the lack of sleep. For both Abdi and Irfan, and indeed every other Muslim I have spoken with, they typically get home from the mosque after the Isha prayer around 12.30 a.m. They usually get to bed by 12.45 but are up again at 2.15 to eat something before Fajr, the dawn prayer. Back to bed by about 3.30 and then it’s up again by 7.00 latest to go to work. So that’s just 5 hours sleep a night, in two separate tranches. They told me it gets really hard after the Zuhr prayer in the mid-afternoon just to stay awake, but they fight through the tiredness and keep going. That’s stamina.

In the end, I think that Ramadan engenders a sense of appreciation in people about what is really important in this life. Making a few sacrifices each day, and continuing them for a whole month, really requires a strong discipline and sense of will. And in doing that, Muslim people feel more at peace with themselves and more connected with humanity, and with Allah, their God.

There is no question that I will continue my fast and complete the month. It’s been a fascinating experience, and in my next post I will reflect on the reactions I’ve had from non-Muslims when they’ve learned that I am fasting. Until then…