Photo by photo by Megan Bell

Khalid Ahmed, 10, discusses his experiences fasting for Ramadan

As soon as the clock struck 4:30 a.m., 16 hours of hunger begins. Yes, hunger. No food. No water. Sixteen hours. I know what you’re thinking, “There’s no way I would EVER do that to myself!” Believe it or not, it’s actually quite easy and for a good reason, too!

Outside of mainstream media, not many people in the U.S. know about Islam. Ramadan is a time where Muslims fast from not just food, but anything involving sins, so no talking to girls, no movies with ANY bad words, no lying, etc. It’s a time to repent for our sins and connect with Allah, or God.

A normal day of Ramadan starts early in the morning, usually 4 to 5:30 a.m. At this time, we usually eat as much as we need for the day and drink a lot of water. As I eat, I am mindful of the clock and wait for the Athan, or a call for prayer. After we pray, I may eat until the break of dawn if I chose. Then, I go to sleep or read the Quran, the holy book of Islam. Other than avoiding eating, drinking and repenting, our day is usually the same as every ordinary day. I break the fast with another Athan as the sun goes down.

When I was about 8, I learned the true reason for why we fast. I was with my mom grocery shopping for food to eat when we break the fast. I remember how hungry I was and how badly I just wanted to eat something and not tell anybody about it. The smell of all the delicious, delectable and scrumptious foods around me were so tempting.The thought of eating a cheesy, crunchy pizza made my mouth water.

That was until we left.

As we walked out of the store, I saw a very young, homeless woman and three kids sitting on the pavement covered in dirt and bruises. One of the kids in particular had a very nasty cough for his age. When my mother saw them, she went back inside and bought each one of them a snack. But when she gave it to them, one of children refused.

“I’m fasting,” The boy said. “I want to endure the suffering children in third world countries go through.”  

That was enough to bring my mother and his mother to tears. At the time, I didn’t understand why they were crying and thought it was immature.

That moment stuck with me until I was about 12. It was then I realized what the boy meant. He understood what I didn’t at the time. No matter how terrible your situation may be, there’s always someone in a worse condition than you. That’s why I fast. To remind myself that there are others in worse situations than me.