“Not even water?” is a phrase that Muslim students hear every year and, for some, makes them groan. During the holy month of Ramadan, WS Muslim students fast from sunrise to sunset. When talking about Ramadan with non Muslim students, questions may arise regarding what fasting truly entails.
“Literally every single year I get asked ‘not even water?’ This is one of the most common misconceptions people have about fasting. I have to explain to them that yes we can’t eat or drink throughout the day,” said sophomore Faiza Chowdhury.
While there is a prominent Muslim community at WS, many students don’t know what Ramadan is and often misunderstand what it represents.
For many non-Muslim students, Ramadan is reduced to one main idea: not eating or drinking. However, fasting is only one part of a much deeper spiritual practice.
“Ramadan is all about getting closer to God. It’s like we feed our soul instead of our stomach by building a better relationship with God,” said sophomore Roqiya Tajzai.
During this time, many Muslims experience unique situations with non-Muslims who are unaware of the rules and regulations of fasting.
“One of the strangest things people assume is that we fast for 30 days, like we don’t eat or drink for 30 consecutive days,” said sophomore Amna Murtaza.
These situations often lead to Muslim students stepping up and educating their friends about fasting.
“I had a friend think that we eat all night from sunset to sunrise and I had to explain to her we only eat two meals, one before sunrise and the other at sunset when we break our fast,” said Tajzai.
Because Ramadan consists of fasting, extra prayers, and social gatherings, sleep can be a constant struggle.
“I feel like a lot of people don’t really consider the amount of sleep that you lose during Ramadan. From fasting, going to mosque to pray, and reading the Quran all while balancing school and extracurricular activities,” said Murtaza.
Though fasting can seem challenging, it has numerous benefits both spiritually and physically.
“Fasting teaches us discipline. We feel what people who are less fortunate feel. It also helps us be on our best behavior and gives us an opportunity to improve character,” said Chowdhury.
While there are common misconceptions about fasting, WS Muslim students agree that the best way to overcome this is to bring awareness and educate people about what Ramadan is.
“WS can break these stereotypes by being more educated about why we fast because Ramadan is more than just not eating. It’s about connecting with your faith in God,” said Tajzai.
