For those that do not know, Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim lunar year, during which strict fasting is observed from sunrise to sunset. For Muslims all around the world, Ramadan is one of the greatest times of the year. It is a time in which we purify ourselves. We do our best to become better people. We pray and ask for forgiveness more than we do the rest of the year. We learn patience. And most importantly, we feel the pain that the homeless and hungry feel on a day-to-day basis… but for us, it’s only short-term.
A lot of changes happen during Ramadan. With that, there are so many social media accounts and pages dedicated to what are known as “Ramadan Struggles” or should I say #RamadanProbs. I decided to make my own tribute, and it didn't take long for me to brainstorm an entire list (but there are so many more). Here are just a few of the many struggles Muslims go through during our holiest month of the year:
1. Not knowing when the first day of Ramadan will be because we work off of a lunar calendar.
2. Counting down the minutes to Maghrib.
3. Waking up early in the morning and having the day drag on and on.
4. Not making plans with friends during the day.
5. Wanting to exercise but not wanting to die of dehydration.
6. Bad breath – no, we can’t even brush our teeth in the morning (sorry…).
7. Feeling your stomach grumble all day.
8. Getting the question "OMG you can’t eat for a whole month?!" And having to explain that you just can’t eat between sunrise and sunset.
9. Working around food all day and having it in front of you.
10. Accidentally waking up late for suhoor and having to eat really quickly before Fajr.
11. Drinking as much water as you can before fajr and then having to pee so it's pointless and your stomach hurts afterwards.
12. Wanting to distract yourself from being hungry by sleeping all day long and then being upset that you wasted the whole day.
13. That automatic scare and guilt when you accidentally eat or drink something because you forget you’re fasting so you spit it out quickly.
14. Having your Twitter feed be all Muslims during the night (or should I say morning) because everyone else is asleep.
15. Having a really messed up sleep schedule after Ramadan.
16. For girls: Actually being happy to be on your period for a week.
17. For girls: Dealing with the awkwardness when you're asked why you aren't fasting.
18. For girls: Fasting all day and then getting your period 15 minutes before Maghrib and having to make up the whole day all over again.
19. Not going to the beach when Ramadan is during the summer.
20. Telling people "No I can't even have water".
21. Ramadan in the summer is the worst... Heat + long days = not fun.
22. For girls: When you go back to the blad and if you go out during the day not wearing an abaya or jellaba you hear old men saying "Allahuma inni sayim" repeatedly (like LOWER YOUR GAZE BOY).
23. Helping cook and/or smelling the food all day and not being able to eat it.
24. Thinking of all the food you want to eat for iftar all day and then barely eating at iftar time.
25. Craving fast food and breaking your fast with it and then immediately regretting it afterwards because you feel awful.
26. Doing your best not to listen to music and watch your language.
27. Trying not to keep calm and not have a temper because it will break your fast.
28. Trying to read and complete the whole Qur’an during the one month… more Qur’an more hasanat.
29. Going to bed when people are starting to wake up.
30. Having a difficult time falling asleep after Fajr because the sun is coming out.
31. Getting asked “You pray ALL night long?????” after you say you’ve been at the Masjid for hours and try to explain Taraweeh.
32. Wanting to go out and do stuff after iftar and Taraweeh but realizing you are in America and everything is closed by then.
33. Wanting to make plans for Eid but not knowing what day it is exactly because we go by the moon.
34. That weird feeling on Eid morning when you are able eat food but you feel like you aren't supposed to eat even though it's called Eid al-FITR.
35. Missing Ramadan and all of these “struggles” the day after Eid and wanting the year to fly by so that it can all come back again.
