All in good faith

Since July I've had a mental clock ticking in the back of my head, counting down the days left till Ramadan started.

I have to admit, I wasn't watching it in anxious anticipation. I was and am a bit nervous. A few days in, the apprehension is validated — this Ramadan is hot, the days are long, and I have a killer 2.5-hour daily commute for which to stay alert.

On top of that, it's an extra challenge to try and make the most of the month, as, like a lot of UAE residents, I live away from the family and community that provide the inspiration and support for positive action. This year it's such a temptation to try to merely ‘survive' Ramadan.

What does ‘surviving' Ramadan mean? It means you just scrape through the days — tolerating the minimum of the requisite hunger, thirst and deprivation by sleeping away as much of the day as possible till you can resume life as normal in the evening. I call it going into ‘vampire mode' — where, recharged by copious napping and iftar binges, you come alive after dusk and are ready to play. Sounds kind of like being a teenager again and it can feel that way. With office hours reduced and often even the expectation for work productivity dropped, Ramadan can feel like a month-long time warp, where you're back to being a kid on your summer break. See the temptation?

But, I know better. Ramadan is a once-a-year opportunity to step back from the usual chaos of life and do things that lend peace and fulfilment. Not only are we forbidden from getting up to the sort of mischief we normally may turn a blind eye to — cursing, lusting, being impatient — but Muslims also believe that good deeds receive extra rewards during the month. It's almost like forgiveness is half off — take one step towards God and He comes running to you. And the bonus, thrown in for no additional charge, is that good habits that you form during Ramadan tend to stay with you longer.

Perks of the trade
That's the general idea, anyway. Sadly, for many Muslims it can be hard to fight the good fight once more. As we get older, the demands and distractions of life bog us down and sap our motivation and the energy to make that extra effort.

But hey, one of the perks of being a writer is getting a platform — one you can use to sound awesome, or in my case, use as a public to-do-list for which you are accountable.

Not that many of you readers would know me if you spotted me eating a meat sandwich, smoking a cigar and listening to Marilyn Manson during Ramadan. I am wonderfully nondescript and I've got a poker face that could earn me a fortune if only gambling was allowed. But this way, at least I'll feel bad if I fail myself. So, my Ramadan goals are: take more time in my prayers. Prayer is a daily requirement for Muslims, which means that it can also be very quickly taken for granted. Too easily it can become a rote repetition of movements and words without meaning. But rather than just go through the motions, this Ramadan I'm working on focusing on the meaning behind the words in the formal prayers and in my informal prayers, honestly levelling with God instead of rattling off my wish list.

Necessary benefit
Secondly, I'm trying to read more Quran. It's something we're all supposed to do but tend not to. We figure, hey, I read it once, I'm sure it's all still there. Ah, the lovely double-edged sword of rationalisation. But reading Quran isn't done to simply tick a box once. It actually has great and necessary benefit. Too easily we tend to forget the inspiration behind the rules that are seen as the hallmarks of Islam. The Quran renews our faith, increases our understanding, and reminds us why we're trying to live the way we are. Without that regular exposure to the divine word, our hearts can become numb, our understanding of Islam can grow warped, and our practice can lose its purpose.

Volunteer work
And this year, I've made the intention to do some volunteer work. One of the ideas behind the self-enforced hunger and thirst of Ramadan is that it should spark within you the compassion for the needy that may have gone dormant.

It's been a while since I stepped outside my comfort zone and got my hands dirty doing something useful for someone else. This Ramadan, I need to give not only money to those who need it but also my time and my care.

With my goals and hopes for the rest of the month out there, at least I've accomplished one thing this Ramadan — I've stuck my neck out. I know what I'm supposed to do and now you do too.

So if any of you spot a wry-faced but ethnically indistinct Muslima head-banging while going into debt at a sports shop, that will be me. Do me a favour and give me a kick towards the masjid. Thanks.

 — The writer describes herself as a patchwork Muslim, human chimera and occasional columnist. She works as a writer in Abu Dhabi.

Event:Ramadan in Dubai
‘Ramadan in Dubai', a marketing campaign facilitated by Dubai Events and Promotions Establishment (DEPE), aims at promoting Dubai as a family destination during the holy month. The event is supported by six partners:
Dubai International Quran Award
Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department (various events and programmes that raise awareness about the Ramadan concept, conduct and true values)
Dubai World Trade Centre('Dubai Sports World' activities plus indoor Ramadan majlis) Dubai Cares
Princess Haya Cultural and Islamic Centres (spiritual lectures plus charity campaigns) DEPE (Modhesh World, running for the first time in Ramadan; Modhesh World Ramadan Tent)