Ramadan is not easy

There perhaps is no excuse for me this year. Just recently I began to have become sick with a small flu, and even though it was not as bad as it would have been if my immune system was bad I eneded up breaking fast. I share this experience because I would assume the greater portion of you are an extended family of mine (no matter how our views differ). I understand that if one is ill one can break fast, but perhpas breaking fast is not the point here.

I recall a Muslimah on television here in the States who gave a brief introduction about Ramadan and one of her lasting impression in that interview was that "Ramada is easy for Muslims." I tend to disagree. Perhpas for born Muslims the month of Ramadan is easy because one is born into the faith, but for those who revert back to the faith its still a system to aclcimate into.

To reject daily necessities especially water during the Day break of Ramadan is diffult for several reasons:

1) Depending on your daily duties the fact that our bodies are 3/4 water if we do daily activities that requires us to sweat a whole lot this will cause early dehydration, if this is not remedied one can cause themselves to overheat and have heat stroke.

2) A normal meal system is usually three meals a day. In Ramadan one has to eat early in the moring prior to sunrise to eat a nutrious meal. Even though one can last the whole day with one "early" meal it is still required that one must eat a "middle" meal such as lunch to sustain a balanced diet.

3) Not having consistent system of food intake can cause the immune system to falter. This happened in my case. Because the weather is changing in California from Summer soltice to Autumn and then winter all these climatic changes can make up susceptible to sickness.

The great importance of Ramadan is for us to recognize this and to appreciate these daily necessities that we give up during the day break til iftar. I am always ever aware of God's blessings to mankind but more so this year. When I was sick I really felt icky and really drained. My strength has really staggered and I really felt aggitated lately.

I do have one concern which is contracting gastritis again. For those of you who do not know that, let me just say that is the worse stomach illness you can get perhaps second to ulcers. Gasteritis is the acid build up in your stomach which sits in your stomach eating away at the lining of your stomach. Because when I was high school there was a time where I didn't eat until the evening time (because cafeteria food sucked really bad) the acid build up during the day ate away at the lining of my stomach so much that the lining was thin to where the acid would also eat away at the internal tissue in my stomach.

This causes great pain and gas build up which would cause nausea and extreme pain. Let me tell anyone of you who contract this would cry like a baby or would be in great pain as this is something that is very stressful, painful and could possibly lead to an ulcer. This is my fear and even though I've long recovered from this its still a concer for me.

At the hospital I work there is another Muslim who came into our E.R (emergency room) who also fasting came in disoriented because he was fasting and perhaps was working in extreme heat. So those of you who think fasting is easy think again, but then again I hoghly doubt those who are saying fasting is easy are working in extreme conditions.....

Thank you sisters for your kind words Insha'allah it will become easier in time and with faith in Allah...

Israfil wrote: I recall a Muslimah on television here in the States who gave a brief introduction about Ramadan and one of her lasting impression in that interview was that "Ramada is easy for Muslims." I tend to disagree. Perhpas for born Muslims the month of Ramadan is easy because one is born into the faith, but for those who revert back to the faith its still a system to aclcimate into.

I know A lot of ppl born into Islam and they Also find it difficult to fast because even thou they were born into Islam they dnt practice Islam so wen it cums to fasting its hard for them.

It's like they're reverting back to Islam as well.

It just takes time, faith and will power.

and so far from the sounds of it it seems like you have dat.