[alexmax]

Originally Posted by heavy_rotation

I feel sorry for the poor women who have to cover themselves up in black.

Hmmm, this is a difficult one. I, myself, don't wear black or cover my face as I feel uncomfortable communicating with people because I feel cut off and I also understand and agree with the various security issues this clothing presents. But I know many of my friends who very happily cover up and defend their right to do so vigorously so I wouldn't say they have to but more they want to.

[TheGladiator]

My two neighbours were feeling so sorry for me, they have decide to fast too.

Being the cynical person i am, i suspect its something to do with joining in to eat every evening. We tend to have several family members round to break the fast and its lovely doing so with 4 or 5 white non-Muslims too. And we don't even live in a particulary multi-cultural area.

[zx50]

Originally Posted by Perfection

Weak willed? I would have thought in a country where food is everywhere, readily available, advertised via every medium, plus others constantly eating in front of you, fasters need to be pretty strong willed, more so even than countries with blistering heat like Africa.

Plus it's not a punishment, so no 30 days! and pretty easy if you are up for it. Personally I haven't found it at all difficult this year. Admittedly I'm not exactly overly exerting myself

I think it's absolutely insane to deprive your body of what it needs. Your system's running while not having what it needs to carry on comfortably running. But, this is your choice. You can die of severe dehydration you know.

[Pet1986]

Originally Posted by TheGladiator

My two neighbours were feeling so sorry for me, they have decide to fast too.

Being the cynical person i am, i suspect its something to do with joining in to eat every evening. We tend to have several family members round to break the fast and its lovely doing so with 4 or 5 white non-Muslims too. And we don't even live in a particulary multi-cultural area.

We have a huge party for Eid and most of the street comes which consists of muslims, christians, catholics and jews.....

[Perfection]

Originally Posted by zx50

I think it's absolutely insane to deprive your body of what it needs. Your system's running while not having what it needs to carry on comfortably running. But, this is your choice. You can die of severe dehydration you know.

Funnily enough I haven't died of dehydration because of fasting for about 15 or so years. Neither do I know or have heard of anyone dieing as a result of Ramadan fasting induced dehydration.

I do appreciate your point that people die of dehydration though. They also die of a lot of other things.

Fasting is not a punishment. If your suffering from dehydration and there is immediate risk to your health, you can break the fast and drink or eat, or even both

[adopter]

Originally Posted by batgirl

What I do often see on this forum is that anything that isn't a 100% positive endorsement of religion is treated by many religious people as a vicious attack. So when you say nonsense about some aspect of religious practice, they respond as if you're planning to line them up and shoot them.

It's quite interesting to watch actually.

Batgirl you might like this http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-T_NL0izBsL...hn+Stewart.jpg

[adopter]

Originally Posted by zx50

I think it's absolutely insane to deprive your body of what it needs. Your system's running while not having what it needs to carry on comfortably running. But, this is your choice. You can die of severe dehydration you know.

More people die of over hydration than dehydration.

[Shak2005]

I really havent had any problems fasting so far. if u eat healthily like having lots of fruit and veg in morning and drink lots of water, then its not hard at all. i feel a little thirsty but dont feel hungry at all during the day.

I got hayfever so i stay in all day anyway and keep myself busy and time flies by.

Fasting makes u feel for the poor people around the world who dont get to eat or drink for days. At least we know we get to eat in the evening.

[spottybanana10]

Originally Posted by heavy_rotation

I feel sorry for the poor women who have to cover themselves up in black.

This is their choice to wear black! And if you mean women who cover their face, that is again their choice!

Wearing a black headscarf isn't that bad in the heat tho, I've done it for years and
am pretty used to it. It hardly gets THAT warm in this country anyway thankfully!

[Ulsterguy]

Originally Posted by Shak2005

Fasting makes u feel for the poor people around the world who dont get to eat or drink for days. At least we know we get to eat in the evening.

You don't have to fast to feel for those who are going hungry in the world.

[primer]

i don't feel sorry for people fasting, nor do i admire them, its just (another) form of religious mortification designed to demonstrate one's piety and earn brownie points with an imaginary god.

[trevgo]

Originally Posted by primer

i don't feel sorry for people fasting, nor do i admire them, its just (another) form of religious mortification designed to demonstrate one's piety and earn brownie points with an imaginary god.

It is reassuring to know there are still sane people around. Thankyou for this.

I watched the programme last evening about the Amish and how many are leaving for ex-Amish evangelist Christian churches. Just bewildering how deluded supposedly intelligent human beings can be.

Reminded me of this thread.

[Titan9]

Originally Posted by adopter

Perhaps Allah (PBUH) favours cricketers.

Peace be upon him (PBUH) is honorific and only applies to prophets and messengers of Allah i.e. Muhammad (PBUH), Jesus (PBUH).

[batgirl]

Originally Posted by adopter

Batgirl you might like this http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-T_NL0izBsL...hn+Stewart.jpg

You know me too well.

[batgirl]

Originally Posted by primer

i don't feel sorry for people fasting, nor do i admire them, its just (another) form of religious mortification designed to demonstrate one's piety and earn brownie points with an imaginary god.

It's an excellent *team building* exercise too, if you think about it. People who invent religions aren't daft.

[Perfection]

Originally Posted by batgirl

You know me too well.

It's not difficult working people out from their posting history

[PrestonAl]

why would anyone want to fast? Are they overweight, don't they know crash diets don't work.

[epicurian]

Originally Posted by Perfection

It's not difficult working people out from their posting history

Not sure why you'd want to draw attention to that fact.

[Titan9]

Originally Posted by PrestonAl

why would anyone want to fast? Are they overweight, don't they know crash diets don't work.

Why would would anyone want to post on DS forum?

[batgirl]

Originally Posted by Perfection

It's not difficult working people out from their posting history

Big news. Thanks.

[PrestonAl]

Originally Posted by Titan9

Why would would anyone want to post on DS forum?

for discussion of topics. Care to answer my question?

[Titan9]

Originally Posted by PrestonAl

for discussion of topics. Care to answer my question?

You should know by now, you've had 13 pages to go through.

[DianaFire]

Originally Posted by PrestonAl

for discussion of topics. Care to answer my question?

Fasting was pretty popular in the UK. Our first meal of the day is named after it.

[Middleotroad]

Originally Posted by ACU

You only have to fast, once you reach the age of puberty. The sick, travellers, pregnant women, and women having their period dont have to fast.

You can not drink, eat, smoke, have injections whilst fasting.

If you break your fast, or dont fast, then it is not as simple as giving money to charity. You have to make it up at a later date. The only way you can give to charity, and thus not fast is if fasting will make you ill.

When you live in a country with no sunset/sunrise, you do not follow mecca time, you follow the country nearest to you with a sunrise/sunset.

The Athletes participating in the Olympics, can miss their fasting. However they will have to make up the missed fasts at a later time. This also applies to women that didnt fast due to being pregnant, having their period, and to people who are travelling/ill.

Someone mentioned Amla and Tahir, that are playing cricket for South Africa. They are not fasting during match days. Its very difficult to fast for 18 - 20 hours and play sport for most of the day. These guys will make up the days they have missed at a later date.

The times when you close your fast, vary depending on the mosque you go to. Some close their fast at 1.30am others later at around 3am. Neither are wrong, as their is a window of when you can close your fast, as long as you close your fast in that window, then you fine. You have to close your fast before sunrise. Obviously most people tend to close it as late as possible. Thus the fast lasts between 20 - 18.5 hours.

There are some medical benefits to fasting.

I dont know any Muslim asking for sympathy, its optional if you want to fast you can. If you dont want to then dont. It does focus the mind some what, and you do tend to think about people that are less fortunate than you. For us its easy, at around 9:15pm we can eat, however for may they dont have that option. They dont know where their next meal is coming from.

As has been noted by a few posters, Ramadan is observed by most muslims, even those who are otherwise lax in the following of their religion.

I'm therefore curious about how optional the fasting is, in practise. How much pressure is there on the average muslim to strictly observe the fasting codes? If they choose not to fast, or to break the fast by drinking water, are they regarded by the more religious as not being a proper muslim?

Some people have mentioned the policeman who collapsed while chasing some young criminals, presumably because he was dehydrated. Would this policeman's strict total fasting in this situation be viewed as virtuous by many muslims? Or if he decided to drink water on duty as a result of what happened to him would that be regarded as breaking the fast and/or looked at negatively by some?

I mean, is there pressure from the devout towards the rest of the community to not take fluids when it's moot as to whether this is a danger to their health?

[PrestonAl]

Originally Posted by Titan9

You should know by now, you've had 13 pages to go through.

So you wont then, fair enough. Troll on.