By Ames Bettis

Staff Writer

    Ramadan is the name of the ninth month in the Islamic calendar, which follows the Lunar calendar. Ramadan is a month of fasting and cleansing for Muslims to honor Allah. The idea of Ramadan comes from Muhammad meditating in a cave and receiving it from God. Muslims are expected to fast during daylight hours.

    ”That means you’re giving up food and water from the time the sun rises until the sun sets.”Fakhria Luna, a R.J. Reynolds High School history teacher who celebrates Ramadan, said. “So you can’t drink or eat anything. You can’t have water, which people are very shocked by, you can’t chew gum or have candy, anything like that. It’s a cleansing of your soul and physical self, and you do it in hopes that God will, hopefully, reward you when you get to heaven.”

    Muslims are allowed to eat before the sun rises at 6:30 am and sets at 6:00 pm. This can vary from year to year. Depending on where you live and when the sun sets. In Winston-Salem, this is an eleven and a half hour period of no eating or drinking. 

    “As a family, we wake up at 4:30 in the morning, and then my husband and I have a pretty good breakfast; we will have eggs, toast, and water,” Luna said. “The point of it is to understand the reason why you’re doing it and then being thankful for whatever is in front of you.” 

    The reason Muslims fast and do this is to prove to God they can beat any challenge he puts in front of them, and that they are deserving of going to heaven. 

    “I have made that mental decision every morning. We pray, we make the intention, we tell God, ‘I am doing this to better myself and in hopes that you accept this as a way for me to better myself.’ Then after this ordeal, I will be in heaven and not have to worry about hell because of the sacrifice I have made with Ramadan,”  Luna said.

    Ramadan can be a difficult time for Muslims to balance fasting with other typical responsibilities: busy lives, jobs, school, and family obligations.

    “While teaching, it is hard to follow the not drinking part, because at least half the class I will be talking, having conversations, and doing discussion-based questions, so I do get thirsty. That is a little bit hard sometimes.” Luna said.

    Ramadan ends with Eid al-Fitr, a three-day festival and celebration honoring the sacrifice Muslims make during the month of Ramadan. Its celebration ushers in the start of normal eating and drinking for Muslims.

    “Eid al-Fitr is a big celebration for my family where we eat and drink lots of food,” Luna said. “With us returning to normal, we feel a sense of accomplishment from Ramadan.”

    While Ramadan requires discipline and balance, it also provides a time for observers to reflect on the more meaningful parts of life. 

    “The best thing about this month is that it really teaches self-control and perseverance,” Luna said.