Fast

On Tuesday night,, July 9,   Muslims all over world began the annual observance of a month of fasting called Ramadan.  I occasionally heard about Ramadan when I was living in the US, and when I arrived in Malaysia in August of 2012, I heard snippets about fasting, Ramadan and Hari Raya which was just concluding. Now I am privy to a much more intimate view of Ramadan.  During the month which stretches from new moon to new moon, the followers abstain from eating, drinking, smoking, sex, even swallowing saliva, from the morning call to worship at about 6 AM until the evening call at about 7:30 PM.  They  rise early to take some food and liquid which has to sustain them until evening.  I have tried semi-fasting for the past 2 days, but I had breakfast at my normal time around 9-ish and I drank plenty of water all day long which is essential in this heat.  Around 5 in the afternoon hunger sets in and annoys until the  sounds of the muezzin from the nearby mosque at 730- ish  affirm that it is time to open the fast.
All over the island are Ramadan Bazaars which open at 5 in the afternoon and sell food which people buy to take away. The aromas are enticing and the visuals arresting.   To watch so many people, including little children, who have not eaten all day buying food and not nibbling is surprising.  I can not imagine that kind of abstinence in western culture.

Shah holding too much food we bought cuz our eyes were bigger than our stomachs