A month of fasting brings both challenge and rewards. Three Muslims explain how they combine its spirituality with their busy lives
Tonight, after sunset, hundreds of millions of Muslims across the world will embark on Ramadan, the ninth and holiest month of the Islamic calendar, in which it is believed the Qur’an was revealed to the prophet Muhammad. For 30 days, many Muslims will be fasting – no food, no water – from sunrise to sunset, getting on with life while taking on one of the greatest acts of faith. Not eating, or drinking even the tiniest drop of water, is hard.
It is more difficult still in the long days of a British summer, where the morning meal (sehri) has to be eaten by 2.30am and the fast can’t be broken with the evening meal (iftar) until after 9pm. But it can definitely be done. Some will keep working out, playing football or heading to the gym, even after a day at work or school. Others will dedicate more time to meditative prayer or studying the Qur’an. As so many of us will attest, the challenge is mental rather than physical. Feeling weak or lethargic by the end of the day is common, but the body adjusts and willpower is extraordinary – as with any sort of training, fasting gets easier as you go on.
Continue reading...from Lifestyle | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2VKuRpe