Every year, no matter where we are, we all come together during this month. It is a month that unites people from all corners of the world to one focus on one thing - faith. This, however, does not mean that we shouldn’t focus on it during the rest of the year. It’s always been a special time during the year for me because despite fasting for 20+ hours, and thinking that you will collapse, there is that one moment when your whole family gathers around the table, that is priceless.
As I am studying abroad, I have spent Ramadan being alone in a dorm room, and that works as well, but I think that the importance of this month is for all of us to be close to each other. Not only does it strengthen me as a person, but it also makes me feel blessed to share this moment with billions of Muslims around the world.
I believe that Ramadan this year will be a difficult one for Muslims around the world, especially with the unrest in the Arab world, but hopefully we will be able to look past this.
Celebrating Ramadan in Sweden is probably very different from being in a Muslim country as we do not share the beauty of hearing the adhan or call for prayer, which makes us aware that it is time to break the fast, instead we are all glued to our smart phones or the window. But that is a blessing in itself, the fact that technology has come so far so that we can actually keep track of our prayer timings around the world.
People always ask me how I manage to go on with my day without having eaten anything, and the thought of 20+ hours of fasting is troublesome and the first days aren’t easy, but somehow our bodies adjust and we are given strength to carry on with our daily chores, while having someone dive into his burger sitting next to us.
Honestly, it doesn’t bother me at all, and if the starving children of Africa can do it, why wouldn’t we?
