Fasting and praying mark Muslim 'month of blessing'

By: Rie Nakanishi

Posted: 9/15/08

The month of Ramadan has come, and SJSU Muslim students have started rejuvenating their spirituality through prayer, self-sacrifice and, most prominent, fasting.

"When Ramadan comes, to me it's a month of blessing," said Lubna Shaikh, a senior fine arts major. "In this month, any goods you do are rewarded multiple times."

She said this holy month in the Islamic culture is to focus on what's important in her life, worshipping Allah and trying to be a good person, and fasting helps her clear her mind.

According to the Holiday on the Net Web site, people start the fasting ritual by waking up before sunrise to partake in an early breakfast called suhoor. Neither food nor drink is allowed during the daytime. After sunset, people break their fast with an evening meal called iftar. At the end of the month, Ramadan concludes with a three-day celebration, "Eid ul-Fitr."

"The main change (in your daily routine) is you wake up early in the morning and eat," Shaikh said.

Although an early breakfast is not mandatory, it is highly recommended to maintain nutrition and energy for your body, she added.

Fasting during Ramadan is not simply starving oneself, Shaikh said.

"There is a reason why you are not eating," she said. "It's not just like, 'I didn't eat because I didn't have time to eat.'"

One of the main accomplishments of starving oneself during Ramadan is putting one's self in the shoes of people who don't have as much food as others do, said Jamal Bin, a senior finance major.

Being in an environment where one has access to food everywhere, there are temptations, said Hala Hyatt, a junior child and adolescent development major.

"There's definitely a temptation. It's a test," Hyatt said.

However, at the same time, being hungry and tempted reminds Hyatt that she is giving up what she wants in devotion to God.

"It is a character building. It makes you stronger," she said.

To stay away from temptations, Bin said he tries to avoid any place that sells food.

"When you are really hungry, every food you smell, you'll like it," Bin said. "If you convince yourself you are not going to eat, you are not going to eat because you already told your mind."

Although a lot of Muslims fast during Ramadan, it is not mandatory. There are some exemptions, such as health issues, pregnancy and traveling, Hyatt said.

"But for some of the situations, you are required to make up the fast or you are required to feed a hungry person," Hyatt said.

The SJSU Muslim Students Association is hosting a charity event, "Fast-A-Thon," to encourage Muslims and non-Muslims to fast for a day and donate the money that is saved during fasting to the charity, Islamic Relief. The event will be on Sept., 23 at the University Room in the Cafeteria Building.