Page 1 of Ramadan starts Sunday - which means fasting time for muslims

The islamic month of ramadan starts on sunday. During ramadan muslims do not eat or drink from sunup to sunset. No smoking or sex is allowed as well!

So i will be trying to fast from sunday. Its difficult. I think I have never managed to do all the fast in the month (28-29). Due to a stomach illnes (Chrones) I have not managed that many in the last few years.

And before any say that you should lose loads of weight. You don`t - you put weight on. When its time to eat all the special food comes out - somosas, pakoras, kebabs etc.

So you won`t spot any muslims* eating in public this month. The ones that do not fast do not eat in front of other muslims out of respect, to make sure that they dont salivate or do a Homer ("food -eergh")

*If you don`t know what a muslim looks like ask the police. Its the guys with beards.

Good luck. As a Christian, I don`t know as much about your Faith as I probably should, but I certainly respect it.

Let us know how you get on?

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Some say I`m from Biddenden. Some say my name`s Sue. Some say I`m really Marge on a mission.

With the work I`m doing at the moment, I couldn`t hack it - esp. not drinking fluids all day. Mind you, I`m not a muslim so it`d be a bit daft of me anyway.

colour me ignorant, but how can not eating be good for your body?

hmmm, so i guess we`ll have a month of fireworks followed by a short break then
another month of fireworks...great :/

Ste.

........is that gasoline i smell?

Quote:
colour me ignorant, but how can not eating be good for your body?
Good question redtom. The theory goes as follows:

1. It gives the stomach a rest. During normal operation the stomaach is constantly trying to digest all the new food it receives. Sometimes its leaves some undigested food. You remember the film Beverly Hills Cop where one cop says to the other "it says here that in the average male there is three pounds of undigested meat in his stomach". When the stomach is not getting the new food it is able to digest the older food.

2. It is supposed to detoxify the body as once the undigested food is digested the stomach attacks and absorbs the toxins in the body - not to sure on the accuracy about this.

3. Spiritual. You know, just a little bit, how a person who is starving feels. Makes you thankful for what you have got. I certainly feel that way when I am finally allowed to eat.

4. Self control. It is supposed to teach you self control. If you can stop yourself from eating and drinking then your Willpower should increase.

I remember someone telling me that a health farm in germany was doing fasting as a health option.

The actual not eating is good for as long as you do not stuff your face with fatty food come sunset.

There is a system in place to help you when you stuff your face. As you may be aware muslim are supposed to pray 5 time a day Sunrise, noon, 1hr before sunset, sunset and 1hr after sunset. The physical action of praying is bending over, sitiing down and then getting up. A little bit of exercise.

In the morning you get up before sunrise and eat whilst you can. You then pray for 5-10min. The physical action helps digets the little food you have eaten.

In the evening after sunset and you have stuffed yourself sill there is a long prayer, 45min to1hr, to help digest the vast amounts of samosas you have eaten.

I am doing my best to make this as diplomatic as possible (and probably failing miserably), however it never ceases to amaze me the lengths that intelligient people go to, in order to rationalise religious dogma.

Fair enough, you say that there are some reasons why fasting may be good for you. If it is so good for you, don`t you think there would be a government, or worldwide, campaign to promote such practises in the population (like the 5 a day initiative, or the "reduce salt intake" campaign)?

I would suggest that the real reason muslims fast for Ramadan has very little to do with their personal health and far more to do with adhering to social and cultural norms, not to mention the cumulative impact of years of religious indoctrination.

As seems de rigeur these days, i suppose i should offer the obligatory line about how i`m not picking on muslims in particular, just the whole notion of trying to give logical and rational explanations for practises that are anything but.

Isn`t it about time muslims stopped believing in fairytales & came into the real world.

Todays The Day. Tomorrow can wait...

I bet you say that to all the catholics during lent too........and those crazy f***ers in asia who crucify themselves.....

It isnt just muslims who have the monopoly on doing seemingly weird stuff in the name of religion. Take Tom Cruise for example....

mmmmm....vegetable Pakoras - lovely!!



why take life so seriously..its not like you are going to make it out alive