Ramadan 1433/2012: Race to Goodness

Saum/Fasting is a unique moral and spiritual characteristic of Islam. Fasting means to abstain “completely” from foods, drinks, intimate intercourse and smoking, before the break of the dawn till sunset during the entire month of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic year. In the evening additional prayer is performed. Fasting in Ramadan is obligatory on every responsible and fit Muslim. . This is a pillar of Islam, and any failure to observe it without reasonable excuses is a grave sin in the sight of God. Muslims wake up at pre dawn (about 4:30am) and have suhur which is a very early breakfast. The whole routine of a muslim person changes drastically during this month. Their sleep routine, eating patterns, literally change overnight. The body, mind and soul are tested and trained so that the person can practice self restraint.

The Quran(Muslim holy book) was revealed on The Night of Power/Laylatul Qadr in this month. There is great emphasis placed on reciting as much Quran as possible during this month.

The only obligatory fasting is that of Ramadan – which may be 29 or 30 days, depending on the moon’s positions. Ramadan ends with the holiday Eid ul-Fitr, on which feasts are held. Eid ul-Fitr starts the day after Ramadan ends, and is verified by the sighting of the new moon. Muslims give money to the poor and wear their best clothes.

•  Every time you pass their pc, you find them staring at the Nando’s  or Joburg Halaal homepage.
• When you open your packet of slap chips, you have to get a life jacket because you are drowning, someone was drooling from lissing.
• Every minute that goes pass, your muslim colleague keeps asking what’s the time? Everyone sitting around is so use to question that before he can ask the time, the whole department in chorus tells the time as the minutes change. It almost feels like you working for 1026 “when you hear the beep, it will be 14h00 and 20seconds”.
• When you go for a smoke break, your smoking muslim buddie stalks you, he is not puffing away as usual but standing very close to you and is really invading your personal space.
• When your Muslim colleague thinks no one is looking, he takes 40 winks, before you know it the whole floor is vibrating because the snoring is so loud.
• Your muslim colleague arrives at the crack of dawn and leaves before sunset. Even on a Friday.
• Everyday before you muslim colleague leaves his head is pinned against the window and he keeps asking you, “can you see it?” you reply ”what?” he says “the new moon”.