Fabia Shahzadi
For all the billions of Muslim around the world, ‘Ramadan’ is a month of blessing signified by prayer, fasting and charity. This month targets our devotion to Allah (God) and our self made sacrifice. It is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and is observed with the first sighting of this holy month’s crescent moon. During Ramadan we try to abstain ourselves from food, drinks and other pleasures from dawn till dusk and instead focus of purifying our souls through prayers. This holy month marks peace just like the Islam religion. Over the time, some prevalent myths have been identified which actually has a different perspective to it.
Myth 1: No matter the existing circumstances, all Muslims MUST fast.
Fact: Even though the thirty days of this month is a pledge to fasting, it is not mandatory for everyone. Children unfit for fasting, pregnant women, the elder citizens and any individual with medical condition that does not permit them from fasting are unbound from this ritual. However, it is mentioned that a person is to compensate these undone fasts once they are fit again.
Myth 2: While fasting, swallowing anything including your own saliva can result in a discontinuity of fasting.
Fact: This is a clichéd question which is often asked by teenagers widely. No! Swallowing your own saliva will not break your fast. Secretion of saliva is a natural process by the body. This does not cancel your fast.
Myth 3: Fast only concerns with the starvation of food and drinks.
Fact: Fasting is not only about abstaining oneself from any food or beverage. It is about devoting one’s full attention to the virtues of our religion. It is about shunning ourselves from any distraction; music, lust, argument, addiction etc.