Abu Dhabi: This Ramadan has brought special joy into the Orabi household. Its youngest members, twins Ban and Sama, have joined their family in observing the Ramadan fast for the first time.
The eight-year-olds from Jordan had previously skipped a meal or two during the holy month, but this year, they are working to abstain from eating and drinking for the entire day. While they were unable to sustain the fast for the whole day in the beginning, a few days of practice has now allowed them to observe a full day of fasting.
“Seeing the dates and kunafa on the iftar table was so exciting. I did feel hungry and thirsty, but I feel good too,” Ban, a Grade 3 student, told Gulf News.
“I initially thought I could drink water if I felt hungry. But then Mommy told me that would end the fast, so I just decided to wait patiently for iftar,” said Sama.
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The girls’ success was a source of much pride for their mother, Banan Abu Eisa, a 45-year-old homemaker.
“The days are long and hot and my girls are not as tough as my older sons (now aged 18 and 16 years) were when they first started fasting. So I was worried, to say the least.
"Still, Ban and Sama want to fast as many days as they can and I will try to help them strike a balance between eating enough food, drinking enough water and getting enough rest,” Abu Eisa said.
For the girls, the hardest parts were the thirst, and rising for the pre-dawn meal.
“But they need to get used to fasting, and they have had good practice since the start of the month. They have also come to empathise with the needy who do not even have access to these basic needs.
"And at the end of the month, based on how much they feel they’ve done, we’ll definitely get them some worthwhile presents,” Abu Eisa added.
In the meantime, Ban and Sama are enjoying their iftars, and the family marked the first day of Ramadan by going out for a scrumptious iftar buff
