Ramadhan Mobarak

[elison]

As far as physical benefits, there is no proven(or even correlative) benefits to fasting.

Infact there's only downsides,it's main effect is slowing down your metabolism, which isn't a big deal in general, but in modern society this can lead to un-needed weight gain, which as I'm sure most fat people know is an exponential problem(i.e. metabolism slows, gain weight, weight gain makes it harder to raise metabolism, slows again...rinse repeat until you're 1600lbs) though most people reach an equallibrium point far before then, since weighing more causes you to burn more calories for the same activities, and you reach a point where the actions required for survival(work,etc) consume the same amount of calories you eat and you stay there. Yay for tangents.

My point being, fasting has no benefits, the downsides aren't serious(barely mild) , but it specifically does not cleanse your body.

The symbolic meaning of fasting as has been pointed out is the true reason. Just like the Hajj, every Muslim(is supposed to) travel to Mecca, and every Muslin(is supposed to) fast for Ramadan.

You can take two completely opposed people and they can still talk about their Hajj or Ramadan, and as we all know, common ground is the first step to negotiation and tolerance.

Every Muslim is supposed to fast during Ramadan and travel to Mecca at least once in his/her lifetime, ONLY if they are able to. If someone is in debt, whether it be $20 you owe a friend, or $15,000 in credit card bills, you aren't allowed to travel to Mecca until you've cleared those debts.

As for Ramadan, there are rules and regulations for it. To a capable Muslim male/female that are more then able to fast for 14 hours a day and has no reason not to fast, it is obligatory for that certain person to fast. In other words, if you aren't sick, pregnant, have some kind of disease, are dying, etc, you are obligated to fast during Ramadan. If you miss some days because you become sick with the flu during Ramadan, you are more then allowed to not fast for that day/week, but you have to make up however many days you didn't fast directly after Ramadan.

[Darus Grey]

Every Muslim is supposed to fast during Ramadan and travel to Mecca at least once in his/her lifetime, ONLY if they are able to. If someone is in debt, whether it be $20 you owe a friend, or $15,000 in credit card bills, you aren't allowed to travel to Mecca until you've cleared those debts.

As for Ramadan, there are rules and regulations for it. To a capable Muslim male/female that are more then able to fast for 14 hours a day and has no reason not to fast, it is obligatory for that certain person to fast. In other words, if you aren't sick, pregnant, have some kind of disease, are dying, etc, you are obligated to fast during Ramadan. If you miss some days because you become sick with the flu during Ramadan, you are more then allowed to not fast for that day/week, but you have to make up however many days you didn't fast directly after Ramadan.

I'm fully educated in being a Muslim, hence my use of "Supposed to", thanks anyways ;0. My point was the primary reason for a lot of what the Prophet(pbuh) did and said was to provide this level of common ground for all Muslims regardless of where they live.

[elison]

I'm fully educated in being a Muslim, hence my use of "Supposed to", thanks anyways ;0. My point was the primary reason for a lot of what the Prophet(pbuh) did and said was to provide this level of common ground for all Muslims regardless of where they live.

I was just trying to educate everyone else, who isn't a Muslim, what goes on and the rules and regulations of certain events in the faith.

[Sigi]

I have a question for the guys and gals going through the fast: are there specific exemptions for people that work in conditions where you NEED to hydrate yourself or risk severe bodily damage or do you still maintain the fast?
I mean, I remember working in a plywood plant and literally having to drink a gallon of water and weak gatorade a night to keep from getting heat-stroke (talking 106F constant temperature + standard 75% to 80% humidity)

[Tyr]

I have a question for the guys and gals going through the fast: are there specific exemptions for people that work in conditions where you NEED to hydrate yourself or risk severe bodily damage or do you still maintain the fast?
I mean, I remember working in a plywood plant and literally having to drink a gallon of water and weak gatorade a night to keep from getting heat-stroke (talking 106F constant temperature + standard 75% to 80% humidity)

It's a general rule in Islam that if a particular act will be of detriment to your physical health, you should avoid it or in the case of it being mandatory, it's status as obligatory is removed based on those circumstances and another set of rules come into play. In Islamic law, there are exceptions which incorporate these things, but to an extent.

I would assume someone in the case above would make up their fast on another day (outside of the month of Ramadhan, but before the next Ramadhan). If it's something you're doing 7-days a week, obviously you wouldn't be able to fast at all - there's a way around it, I'm sure, but 2AM in the morning I won't be looking it up. =P

[fren.]

I have a question for the guys and gals going through the fast: are there specific exemptions for people that work in conditions where you NEED to hydrate yourself or risk severe bodily damage or do you still maintain the fast?
I mean, I remember working in a plywood plant and literally having to drink a gallon of water and weak gatorade a night to keep from getting heat-stroke (talking 106F constant temperature + standard 75% to 80% humidity)

My sister in law didn't do it when she was pregnant for obvious reasons, so I don't see why not. I broke it the other day because I literally hadn't drank anything in almost 20 hours (slept for 5 of those)

[Rhinox]

slightly off-topic but are there really 3 laws or obligations that include revenge and providing sanctuary for people if they ask even if they are you're enemies? I saw that somewhere but seeing if its true

[archibaldcrane]

So it's kinda like when Fievel's whole spread-out-across-america family sings "Somewhere Out There" in An American Tail? Kind of a shared experience?




Do you all look at the same bright star while you do it?

I loved that movie.

[Lordwafik]

So it's kinda like when Fievel's whole spread-out-across-america family sings "Somewhere Out There" in An American Tail? Kind of a shared experience?




Do you all look at the same bright star while you do it?

I loved that movie.

Stars don't shine all that brightly over the sun in the daytime, so the answer is no

[elison]

Stars don't shine all that brightly over the sun in the daytime, so the answer is no

BUT THE SUN IS A STAR

[archibaldcrane]

Wait, but if Muslims in America are fasting during the day, and Muslims in Australia are fasting 12 hours later (and upside-down, no less) doesn't that kind of fuck the whole "shared experience" thing up?

Someone should tell Mohammed that the world is round.

[Lordwafik]

Wait, but if Muslims in America are fasting during the day, and Muslims in Australia are fasting 12 hours later (and upside-down, no less) doesn't that kind of fuck the whole "shared experience" thing up?

Someone should tell Mohammed that the world is round.

Someone has a stick up his ass. I guess with that logic, "New Years Day" can't exist, because it's only daytime for half the people in the world

Don't get me all worked up, I just may blow up on you !!! *chortle*

BUT THE SUN IS A STAR

Indeed! And stars don't shine over our sun (a star) during the daytime except in special circumstances (like doomsday).

[elison]

blow up on you !!!

That's my line :/

[GraveRobberX]

Fasting for me is easy
Funny thing is me being morbidly obese made it easier..go figure that shit out
I don't do Ramadan/Fasting as much, like I used too, lost a lot of faith in my religion...(different circumstances)

Being Pakistani...the food to break fasting in the nighttime is amazing

My mom is a god damn specialist:

Desi Egg rolls, either filled with a mix of cabbage/spicy chicken/peas/carrots or grounded beef (spicy)/green onions/jalapeno

Pakora: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pakora
Its a batter mix of whatever concoction you can come up with
Onions/Mixed Vegetables/Potato pakoras is a given
Others inlcude eggplant, fish, chicken, beef
My mom has mastered this.....we even have "Americanized" our pakoras by putting boiled/cooked hotdog pieces into the batter mix...very tasty

We have something called Rooh-Afza: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rooh_Afza
It is so f'n delicious when mixed with milk, or mixed into water with lemon juice

Hell if your in NYC (Corona, Queens), you can come spend time @ my house and enjoy paki delights..I like being a gracious host ^-^

[Shuemue]

hotdog pakora sounds disgusting >_>

will stick to vegetable and chicken

[Elesirdur]

Pakora: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pakora
Its a batter mix of whatever concoction you can come up with
Onions/Mixed Vegetables/Potato pakoras is a given
Others inlcude eggplant, fish, chicken, beef
My mom has mastered this.....we even have "Americanized" our pakoras by putting boiled/cooked hotdog pieces into the batter mix...very tasty

Ah, so that's what those are called. I get those sometimes at an Indian/Pakistani grocery near my office with a lunch counter, where they're labeled as "dumplings"; I love them with a cup of coffee or sweet tea.

[Penthesilea]

I had a professor once who suggested we try to fast for Ramadhan, but I couldn't make it. I have to eat every 1.5-2 hrs

Tyr, you mentioned bad breath. Are you not allowed to chew gum? I think I'd cheat and totally fail at Ramadhan.

[Tyr]

Tyr, you mentioned bad breath. Are you not allowed to chew gum? I think I'd cheat and totally fail at Ramadhan.

Not really. I'm a compulsive gum-chewer, so I asked a wide number of people and actually looked this up a few years back - as far as I can recall, the only instance in which you can chew gum is if you put the piece of gum in your mouth before Fajr (the start of the fast) and it had completely lost all of its flavor before the fast begins. Seeing as how that's very ambiguous (unless you woke up at 2 AM and started chewing, it's hard to really tell when the flavor's gone), it's very difficult.

For stuff like that, I just try to play it safe. I'm of the philosophy that, if you're going to fast for 12 hours or so, and put all that effort in, why bother with something-anything risky that could potentially break it?

[Faris]

Anything that enters the body is considered to break your fast. Anything coming out of your body is ok. Some people think that donating blood or vomiting can break your fast. but it doesnt. Chewing gum is considered to break your fast, it creates extra saliva, or so i heard.

[Lordwafik]

^ semen breaks it