I would like to ask my Muslim friends how you manage the fasting and praying - especially if you live and work in a non-Muslim country in the Northern hemisphere. I specify that, because I am aware that in Muslim countries life slows down a little during Ramadan, people may work short hours etc.
I have fasted during Ramadan myself (although I have tended to break my fast earlier in the evening in time with our usual evening family meal) - so I know that it is doable and the body adjusts to the change in eating pattern.
But fasting AND the lack of sleep which arises from the prayer times in the summer, THAT seems really, really hard to me!
Today's prayer times at out local mosque are as follows:
Following this, by the time you have prayed Isha, you may be in bed by 11.30, perhaps asleep by midnight.
Then (assuming you haven't done any additional night prayers!), you have to get up, say around 2.00 or 2.15 at the latest, to eat Suhoor before praying and beginning your fast.
Assume you are in bed again by 3.15 and go back to sleep. But you need to get up at, say, 7.00 to go to work.
It must be impossible to get what we might call a 'good night's sleep'. 2 hours between Isha and Suhoor and perhaps 4 hours after Fajr.
Do you manage to nap during the day?
Or catch some sleep before the evening meal? (Assuming you aren't the one doing the cooking)
How do you manage?
My Muslim social work colleague tends to work half days during Ramadan - to give herself time to reast and cook in the afternoon. I can certainly understand why she does that.
What strategies do YOU have?
Thanks. :thankyou:
Peace glo
Here I stand.
I can do no other.
May God help me.
Amen.
Come, let us worship and bow down •
and kneel before the Lord our Maker
[Psalm 95]
lucky me I have my holidays these days
but yes my mother has to manage a lot. my father comes bac from masjid at around 11 pm. we have to wake up for suhoor at 3:15 as fajr is around 4. She has to leave again at 7am. She has to walk 1 and a half km towards and from her school and then prepare for iftaar... thats hard i guess..
But at your place it kinda looks hard. May Allah make it easy for all !
And He gives you of all that you ask Him; and if you count Allah's favors, you will not be able to number them; most surely man is very unjust, very ungrateful.
The first few days were hard but now I sleep really well and my energy is recuperated (seriously) after reading Fajr Salaah, then Qur'aan. I'm reading from the beginning to the end, hence trying to complete it this month. I read at least 4 pages after Fajr, then I read Surah Yaseen.
Then, I sleep and Subhan'Allaah, it is by far, the best sleeps I have throughout the year!
After Isha & Taraweeh and Before Sehri, I may have a nap or not. Doesn't bother me
format_quote Originally Posted by glo
Is Taraweeh obligatory during Ramadan? And when is it prayed (in relation to Isha and Fajr)?
I thought it was but now I've learnt it isn't (courtesy of Brother Hamza Asadullah). It is prayed after the first part of Isha Salaah and before Witr (the last part of Isha Salaah), therefore before Fajr Salaah
Hope that helps, dear glo
Last edited by Qurratul Ayn; 08-02-2012 at 07:03 PM.
Reason: Correction made due to misinformation
Al-bint, sounds like your mother is a hard-working woman!
Is Taraweeh obligatory during Ramadan? And when is it prayed (in relation to Isha and Fajr)?
Greetings Glo,
It is not obligatory but a very emhpasised Sunnah during Ramadan and is said to be the essence of Ramadan. Therefore all Muslims should try their utmost to pray the Tarawee prayer and not miss it without a valid excuses. The reward of praying Tarawee is immense:
"The one who observes the tarawih salah at night during Ramadan with complete faith and devotion only for the sake of the recompense of the hearafter, will have all of his previous sins forgiven by Allah." (Bukhari, Muslim)
Its only for a month, so whoever complains can remember that. One month full of blessings and sacrifice for an eternity full of happiness and bliss inshallah
It is not obligatory but a very emhpasised Sunnah during Ramadan and is said to be the essence of Ramadan. Therefore all Muslims should try their utmost to pray the Tarawee prayer and not miss it without a valid excuses. The reward of praying Tarawee is immense:
"The one who observes the tarawih salah at night during Ramadan with complete faith and devotion only for the sake of the recompense of the hearafter, will have all of his previous sins forgiven by Allah." (Bukhari, Muslim)
Assalamu alaikum, Brother Hamza. Who is reported to have said the quote in the hadith you quoted? I found this hadith, Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle said: "Whoever establishes prayers during the nights of Ramadan faithfully out of sincere faith and hoping to attain Allah's rewards (not for showing off), all his past sins will be forgiven." (Book #2, Hadith #36) But it does not specify 'tarawih', I presume it means tahajjud.
What is your perspective on this hadith: Narrated Zaid bin Thabit: The Prophet took a room made of date palm leaves mats in the mosque. Allah's Apostle prayed in it for a few nights till the people gathered (to pray the night prayer (tarawih) (behind him.) Then on the 4th night the people did not hear his voice and they thought he had slept, so some of them started humming in order that he might come out. The Prophet then said, "You continued doing what I saw you doing till I was afraid that this (tarawih prayer) might be enjoined on you, and if it were enjoined on you, you would not continue performing it. Therefore, O people! Perform your prayers at your homes, for the best prayer of a person is what is performed at his home except the compulsory congregational) prayer." (See Hadith No. 229,Vol. 3) (See Hadith No. 134, Vol. 8)
Does the part underlined contradict the hadith you quoted?
I would like to ask my Muslim friends how you manage the fasting and praying - especially if you live and work in a non-Muslim country in the Northern hemisphere. I specify that, because I am aware that in Muslim countries life slows down a little during Ramadan, people may work short hours etc.
Hello, glo. Good questions. I get up about 45 min before fajr (as much as I can) for tahajjud and a light meal before fajr. I try to drink about 64oz of non-caffienated liguids during the night to replace liquids I lose through sweating during the day and I try to limit my outside work to the mornings. One of my problems is that by mid-afternoon my ability to focus on my computer work goes down quite dramatically, presumably due to lower blood sugar levels.
But fasting AND the lack of sleep which arises from the prayer times in the summer, THAT seems really, really hard to me!
Fajr here in Mississippi is at 5:02 and isha is at 9:19, so that is not too much of a problem for me.
My simple answer is: I am not a weakling, I can go on 20 hours without eating/drinking. Life is tough anyways, a fast is nothing so better man up to endure it, and it really is not that much of an endurance, I guess the 21st century laziness has only harmed me partially. Hence I do not find any difficulties in doing things I love to do.
Others who are not as rugged or are more sensitive might have other approaches to deal with the long fasting hours.
Last edited by CosmicPathos; 08-03-2012 at 02:55 AM.
Help me to escape from this existence
I yearn for an answer... can you help me?
I'm drowning in a sea of abused visions and shattered dreams
In somnolent illusion... I'm paralyzed
^^^ indeed Allah swt is preparing us to be warriors- disciplined but compassionate, methodical yet highly spiritual ... They can't break our spirits with the mundane. we are sharp and detoxed ready at a moment's notice0 we understand first hand of those who experience deprivation around the clock but we're balanced the best of every world.
My simple answer is: I am not a weakling, I can go on 20 hours without eating/drinking. Life is tough anyways, a fast is nothing so better man up to endure it, and it really is not that much of an endurance, I guess the 21st century laziness has only harmed me partially. Hence I do not find any difficulties in doing things I love to do.
Others who are not as rugged or are more sensitive might have other approaches to deal with the long fasting hours.
Thanks for your reply, CosmicPathos.
As I said in my OP the fasting hours don't seem too hard to me and I know that the body adjusts after the first few days.
My query was more relating to the combination of long fasting hours AND lack of sleep due to the prayer times which fall within the (few) hours of darkness.
And how people manage going through their normal day's work being hungry AND tired.
I have spoken to several Muslims who have told me that in the afternoon they become very tired and it is difficult to stay alert and productive at work. Concentration and strength wane and the body calls for a rest.
Living and working in non-Muslim countries that may no be easy to do ...
Thanks for your reply, CosmicPathos.
As I said in my OP the fasting hours don't seem too hard to me and I know that the body adjusts after the first few days.
My query was more relating to the combination of long fasting hours AND lack of sleep due to the prayer times which fall within the (few) hours of darkness.
And how people manage going through their normal day's work being hungry AND tired.
I have spoken to several Muslims who have told me that in the afternoon they become very tired and it is difficult to stay alert and productive at work. Concentration and strength wane and the body calls for a rest.
Living and working in non-Muslim countries that may no be easy to do ...
I dunno that there's a way to manage specifically, we just learn to bare it . No matter what we do we will feel thirst, hunger and be lethargic at some point of the day, no way around it I think lol. People in western countries have it a bit more tough when it comes to working hours, but I don't really see it as a bad thing. The fact that it's an un-islamic society makes one strive that much more for their faith, know what I mean?
Fasting was prescribed for us for a good reason and we understand that this is is about faith, and what Allah prescribed is best for us. Sacrificing sleep and food for a month is really nothing compared to what Allah gives us on a regular basis. Knowing and remembering those things keeps me going when I'm feeling weak. The body does adjust though and it gets easier by the day We also know that each year Ramadan falls at a different time and fasts change in length, so it won't always be long summer hours. For some that's comforting
we have long days too where we live although not as long as UK. but it's really hot here, temperatures above 40 C. Luckily we have ACs.
some people go on holiday during Ramadan while others still work. some may work part-time during Ramadan. For example, some businesses close around 2 pm and reopen later. Some businesses may remain open late into the night. Those that work full-time during the day close a little before sunset. in any case, most businesses open late in the morning which lets people sleep after Fajr.
some people stay up the whole night while others sleep a few hours after the Taraweeh prayer and then wake up an hour or so before Fajr to pray and eat Suhoor. Then after Fajr sleep for a few hours. Those that don't work may sleep past 10 AM. Those who do work may wake up earlier but then take an afternoon nap when they get off work.
In any case, it's the spirituality that keeps you going during Ramadan. The more good deeds you do, the less Ramadan will be difficult. so if you pray more, read the Quran more, and give charity more, the fast and even the heat of the day becomes much lighter.
During Ramadan, we pray Taraweeh after the Isha prayer. It's not obligatory but Ramadan is more beautiful with it. You can pray 8 Rakahs or 12 or 20. Many people pray 20 Rakahs and even recite one whole Juz (1/30th) of the Quran in it, especially if they pray in the Masjid in congregation. In this way, the whole Quran is recited in the Taraweeh prayers in 30 days, although most Mosques will finish it in 29 days, since Ramadan may be 29 days or 30 days.
In addition many people also read over 1 Juz of the Quran by them selves, finishing the Quran in Ramadan. some people try to finish the whole Quran more than once in Ramadan. Those that can take time off from work during Ramadan do so because it's a month where you get more rewards and so they try to pray more, stay up at night in prayer and recitation of Quran more, etc.
All these things make Ramadan more special and beautiful. It's not just having to go without food and drink during the day. There are so many other things you can do that bring you closer to God and make Ramadan more beautiful. And it's not hard at all. Taraweeh, finishing the Quran during the month, fasting, Qiyam-ul-Layl (night prayer), charitible deeds, etc are not regarded as something difficult that we have to endure but as blessings that give us great pleasure.
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and then prepare for iftaar... thats hard i guess..
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Kuntum khayra ommatin okhrijat lilnnasi tamuroona bialmaAAroofi watanhawna AAani almunkari watuminoona biAllahi walaw amana ahlu alkitabi lakana khayran lahum minhumu almuminoona waaktharuhumu alfasiqoona3:110 Ye are the best of peoples, evolved for mankind, enjoining what is right, forbidding what is wrong, and believing in Allah. If only the People of the Book had faith, it were best for them: among them are some who have faith, but most of them are perverted transgressors.
need to look into it again...
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