I am assuming that the practice of fasting through the daylight hours during Ramadan originated in the Middle East – correct me if I’m wrong.
For Muslims in America, the month of Ramadan occurs during the longest days of the year. Right now, for instance, the sun has been setting around 9pm in California.
Is the length of the day until sunset, during Ramadan, shorter in the nations of its origin than it is here?
Also, how is it dealing with low blood sugar all day? Does one’s body adjust to it because it’s a yearly thing? Do people cut each other a little extra grumpy-slack during this time? Does one eventually acclimate to having to concentrate and focus at work despite the fast? I’m curious because low blood sugar can be an issue for me.
This year, Ramadan is occurring just after the summer solstice. That’s not always the case, as it’s a lunar calendar. Ten years ago, it occurred mid-October to mid-November.
To the extent that Saudi Arabia (the origin of Islam) is closer to the equator, there is less seasonal variance in daytime/nighttime hours than there is in the U.S. or Europe.
I found a website that gives the sunrise and sunset times for any city in the world. Today, for example, New York City has about 15 hours of sunlight while Riyadh has about 13 1/2 hours. So the days are shorter, but not by a lot.
The origin of Islam, which Ramadan is the holy month of, is with the revelation of the Prophet Mohammed, pbuh, which of course occurred in the area of the cities of Mecca and Medina in what is now the Saudi Arabia.
The clarification that the calender is lunar has been made, but it is useful to add that in countries of Islamic majority where there is daylight savings time, it is the habit to suspend this for the Ramadan period.
If one has the habit of fasting, it is certainly the case it is easier, but as the month has been in the summer months for now, no it is not easy for people.
It is frequent to have work hours reduced to almost half of the normal day and for some to sleep in the afternoon.
It is also the case that if someone has a genuine health problem, that one does not have to fast, as it is clear from the Quran that fasting must not at all put life in danger.
Also if one has the discipline to take Suhour, that helps.
But the Ramadan Fast is much easier in the winter months.
Things generally slow way down in Muslim countries during Ramadan, people eat at night then wake up early to eat another big meal before sunrise and then tend to sleep through a big part of the morning. The work pace is akin to the US between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. I’m in Afghanistan right now and things don’t get going until noonish.
People cut each other a lot of slack at Ramadan. Nobody expects much in terms of productivity during this time, and bug meetings, etc. are scheduled around it.
Keep in mind, though, it’s not just some big long grind. It’s a festive time, where everyone is going through this shared experience together. People encourage each other and make it kind of fun. And you always have special food and celebrations to look forward to at night.
I don’t think that’s the common practice. It’s supposed to be a month long period of self-denial, not give up stuff during the day and then party after the sun goes down. People obviously can’t go an entire month without eating, so food is allowed after sunset. But other activities (like eating meat, smoking, sex, listening to music) are also supposed to be given up for the month and those are round the clock.
I have heard from numerous reports that food consumption actually goes up in Muslim nations during Ramadan, due to heavy eating and festivities after nightfall. Have there been any studies of this, and does it jibe with personal experience?
In most Muslim countries I’ve been to, people tend to gain weight during Ramadan. Most people that I know treat it as a big party at the end of the day. It’s kind of like a month of Thanksgiving dinners. Then they get up while it’s still dark and eat another huge meal.
I don’t know much about what it’s supposed to be, but that’s pretty much exactly what it is in practice. Granted, it’s more “family and special holiday food” party than “all night rave” party. But once the long hard days are over it’s festive and celebratory-- in every sense a holiday season.
It’s also not a big deal if you slip up. You are supposed to make up that day later, which kind of sucks when you are doing it alone. But you aren’t going to get struck from the sky by lightening or anything. I think it’s be bad form to go out to lunch at the Chinese buffet, but if you absent mindedly pop a mint in your mouth it’s more of a “Oopsie” than a “Oh no!”
There’s often a big divide between the supposed purpose of a religious rite and the way it ends up being practiced. I’m sure when the early Church founders were establishing the observance of Lent, they didn’t plan on drunk tourists flashing their boobs for glass beads.
In my experience, a lot of Muslim countries become much more active at night with people staying up later and visiting, etc. The day gets started a lot later, too.
