UAE | General
Faith will get us through, say new Muslims
New Muslims who started fasting for the first time in their lives, said it is difficult, but their faith in God and patience will help them get through it.
- By Alia Al Theeb, Staff Reporter
- Published: 23:34 September 13, 2007
- Those who have embraced Islam said the first day of fasting was difficult since they had not abstained from eating or drinking before, but hope their faith will get them through.
- Image Credit: Alia Al Theeb/Gulf News
Dubai: New Muslims who started fasting for the first time in their lives, said it is difficult, but their faith in God and patience will help them get through it.
Gulf News met a number of new Muslims, some of whom embraced Islam on the first day of Ramadan. A Chinese family of three, mother, father and daughter who embraced Islam two months ago, said Ramadan is an experience although it has been difficult since it is the first time they have abstained from food and drink.
The 26-year-old daughter who chose Fatima as her name, told Gulf News through a translator, that she was feeling thirsty throughout the day and did not eat enough at suhoor because she is not used to eating at dawn.
Patience
Asma, the mother, said she was urging her daughter to eat enough food at dawn because she would not eat the entire day.
"However, I intended to fast and prayed to God to help us and give us the patience to fast," she said.
The family has been learning about Islam for the past two months and is set to go to Haj [pilgrimage] after one week. Although the family does not speak Arabic or English, they have been learning about Islam and Ramadan by reading booklets and attending lectures in Chinese.
Asma said she embraced Islam because she found it to be a clear religion which did not exploit people's feelings or money.
She said in China, she did not have any religion because most religious practices were based on exploiting people's feelings and their money.
"When I came here to work, I attended some religious lectures out of curiosity and read some books and realised that I have one God and I need to be a Muslim," she said.
Asma said she consulted with her husband Mousa and daughter Fatima who also started attending lectures and were convinced that they want to embrace Islam. Fatima said she is interested in learning Arabic which will make it easier for her to read the Quran.
For Amir, a Filipino who embraced Islam yesterday on the first day of Ramadan, the kindness and helpfulness of his Muslim colleagues was a reason behind him embracing Islam.
Amir has lived in the UAE for 18 years and worked as a vehicle technical engineer at Dubai Police where he observed Islamic teachings and practices and learned more about the religion from his colleagues.
After he pronounced his Islam at the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department yesterday, Amir was congratulated by a police sergeant who had brought him to the New Muslims Division when Amir told him he wanted to embrace Islam.
"Since I got up this morning, I have been fasting and hope to continue the entire month. When I was not a Muslim, I used to fast, but most of the times I broke the fast before completing the full month," Amir said.
He said he is very happy that he embraced Islam on the first day of the month of Ramadan.
Have your say
How do you observe Ramadan? Tell us.
Your comments
Ramadan for me is a time for patience. Fasting humbles a person. Through fasting we strive to become better human beings.
Nujodi
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: September 14, 2007, 11:49
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