Ramadhan

According to the Islamic calendar, today marks the first day of Ramadhan, a religious observance in the Islamic faith. This period symbolizes the coming of the first chapter of their religious book, the Qur’an, to Earth and it being given to the prophet Muhammad (pbuh- peace be upon him...its common to say this). During that time, Muhammad was ordered to fast for a month to bring him closer to Allah, so now millions of Muslims all around the world join together and commemorate the sacrifice that Muhammad made.

Already called to prayer five times a day, for this 30-day period during the year, followers of the Islamic faith will fulfill another obligation, of fasting, as well. Starting from the first call to prayer at 4 a.m., until sunset, everyone following “Puasa” (fasting) will refrain from eating, abstain from drinking, avoid doing anything that is useless or wrong (including sexual intercourse, which is forbidden), and avoid hurting people whether in actions or words. It is a time to cleanse the body and the soul. During this time they pray to Allah to thank him for everything they are given, work on improving their personality and behavior, and take the opportunity to empathize with those less fortunate than themselves.

So what does all this mean for me, a perpetually hungry, Christian woman from America?

It means that for the next 30 days, I will be getting up at 3:30 a.m. to eat something before the first call to prayer, will fast all day, and then will break my fast with my host family at sundown. It means that I will be thanking God for all of the opportunities that I have been given. It means that I will be considering everything I have and will be praying for all of the people that go without some or all of those things every day of their lives. It means that I will think about the flaws that I find in my personality and in my behavior and I will try to change them to better myself and society. And it means that even though it has been a very long time since I have fasted, I will be joining my coworkers, my students, my neighbors, the majority of the Indonesian population, and Muslims worldwide, in what I expect to be an intense, but worthwhile endeavor.

Yes, I know you’ve previously heard me complain about being stuffed like a bird on Thanksgiving, but now you will get thirty days of complaints about me being hungry (“lapar”) and tired (“capek”). I’m fickle…what are you gonna do?