Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

altmuslim

Home
Muslim
When You Cannot Fast, Here’s What You Can Do

When You Cannot Fast, Here’s What You Can Do

Last updated on: May 21, 2018 at 10:39 pm by Guest Contributor

When You Cannot Fast, Here’s What You Can Do 2018-05-21T22:39:13-04:00 Guest Contributor

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Image source: Lateefa Spiker

This is Day Six of the 2018 #30Days30Writers Ramadan series.

A chronic illness has prevented me from fasting for several years now. Initially I felt like I was missing out on Ramadan because I wasn’t doing it “properly.” I went to extremes – packing the month with extraordinary intentions to ‘make-up’ for not being able to fast. As the years pass, I am learning how to experience Ramadan beyond the outer forms and cultivate a deeper appreciation for the essence of this blessed month.

1. Develop Gratitude

Develop gratitude for whatever hinders you from fully participating – this has been incredibly hard for me to do, and I’m still working on it. Illness can be very difficult to be grateful for, particularly if it is accompanied by pain. Mevlana Rumi refers to our trials as guests:

Darling, the body is a guest house;

every morning someone new arrives.

Don’t say, “O, another weight around my neck!”

or your guest will fly back to nothingness.

Whatever enters your heart is a guest

from the invisible world: entertain it well.1

Some guests may stay longer than expected, but we never know what blessings are hiding among the luggage they bring with them! Allah has decreed that I cannot fast, and He/She knows what is best for me.

3. Set Intentions

During working-life it can be difficult to think past the grumbling-stomach’s countdown of how long until iftar. Doing the obligatory prayers, squeezing in some supra-obligatory offerings and reading the Quran leads to a full and exhausting day. So, the abstaining-from-abstaining person can really make the most of setting intentions during this month. The danger here is in going overboard.

I have yet to complete reading the Quran in the one month. Or finish the mountain of books I start off with. Keep intentions manageable and simple. This year I’m doing an ecourse on the Ninety-Nine Names of God,2 which includes Quran verses and simple practices that I can do throughout the day.

3. Offer Assistance

One of the best aspects of Ramadan is the community time – we make more of an effort to break our fast together and pray together. If you’re not fasting (and if your health allows for it), offer to cook for those who are fasting and working. Go shopping for a fasting neighbour. Even offer ready-meals on busy weekdays. Ramadan is not an excuse to have a feast at the end of every day(!), but little gestures can be such a gift and an ease for our lives.

4. Be Kind

During Ramadan we make extra efforts to be conscious and aware of our voice, manner and behavior. It’s easy to be kind to those we know and love, but what about extending this to work colleagues who challenge us, neighbors who disturb us and strangers who cross our daily journey? I recall one Ramadan as I navigated challenges in my work place, I decided to approach everyone with loving kindness. The effect was extraordinary – colleagues, who would normally always act from a place of defensiveness, started being more open and helpful. The more I was able to open and act from my heart, the more I found others responding.

These lines from Shams always speak to me:

To the best of your ability,

look at your enemy

with consideration and love!

If you go to someone’s door

with caring love,

it pleases him or her –

even if he or she is an enemy –

because when he or she is expecting hostility

and harshness from you,

but instead sees your love,

he or she will be pleased.3

This may not always be possible, especially with very difficult relationships, but practicing consideration and love in easier quarters may help carry us through some of the more challenging spaces. My teachers remind me that I can cultivate a vibration of love that affects my heart and my environment – but ultimately, I must start in the mirror. Being kind and loving to myself has been one of the most difficult aspects of my journey, and not just during Ramadan

5. Enjoy Yourself

Ramadan is truly a joyous time: Sharing food and tummy rumblings, praying and cooking together, posting inspiring and motivating reflections on social media (or images of delicious food to tantalise and tease). Sometimes Ramadan is wrongly attributed to experiencing hunger and deprivation. This is not the entire meaning of Ramadan – we cannot limit our empathy and compassion to one month a year.

O you who have attained to faith! Fasting is ordained for you

as it was ordained for those before you,

so that you might remain conscious of God.4

Fasting is a means to bring us into nearness with our Rabb, our Sustainer, and as we develop this nearness, Ar Rahman, the Infinitely Compassionate, will bring joy and ease into our hearts.

I wish you a blessed month, full of spiritual abundance and bodily health.

1Mathnawi V: 3644-6, translated by Kabir Helminski

2Link to http://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/ecourses/course/view/10221/ninety-nine-names-of-god

3Rumi’s Sun: The Teachings of Shams of Tabriz, translated by Refik Algan and Camille Adams Helminski

4Quran 2:183, The Light of Dawn, rendered by Camille Adams Helminski

30 Days 30 Writers

30 Days 30 Writers (2018)

About Saimma Dyer

Saimma Dyer is a children’s publisher and freelance project manager. When not busy organising interfaith events, she can be found exploring the Divine Feminine and how to be a Sufi Feminist. You can read more about the author here.

Previous Post

May 20, 2018

The Priority Fast - Getting the Most from Your Ramadan

Next Post

May 22, 2018 For the Drinker, the Partier, for Everyone - Make Ramadan Judgment Free

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category 2012 Elections 30 Dayd 30 Writers (2017) 30 Days 30 Writers 30 Days 30 Writers (2015) 30 Days 30 Writers (2016) 30 Days 30 Writers (2018) 30 Days 30 Writers 2017 Ali Asadullah Ali Eteraz Alper Bilgili Arthur Richards Asides Asma Uddin Black History Month Briefings Charles Turner Commentary Cyrus McGoldrick Eman H Aly Fatimah Popal Hajj Hajj and Dhul Hijjah Hesham Hassaballa Hisham Hellyer Ibrahim Abusharif Inas Younis Irfan Yusuf Jalal Baig Junaid Afeef Laila Alawa Laila Alwala Mas'ood Cajee Muqtedar Khan Nakia Jackson Newsmakers Parvez Ahmed Podcasts Rabia Chaudry Rafia Zakaria Ramadan Reviews Safiyyah Ally Saud Inam Shahed Amanullah Svend White The Opinionated Oncologist Visions Wajahat Ali Zahed Amanullah Zahir Janmohamed Zainab Khan

Select a Month November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004 March 2004 February 2004 January 2004 December 2003 November 2003 October 2003 September 2003 August 2003 July 2003 June 2003 May 2003 April 2003 March 2003 February 2003 January 2003 December 2002 November 2002 October 2002 September 2002 August 2002 July 2002 June 2002 May 2002 April 2002 March 2002

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who was known for interpreting dreams in Babylon?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Joseph Daniel David Moses