Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, Muslims worldwide observe this month of fasting. While fasting from dawn until sunset Muslims are supposed to refrain from consuming food, drinking liquids and sexual relations.
Ramadan is a time of spiritual reflection, improvement and increased devotion and worship. Muslims are expected to put more effort into following the teachings of Islam. The fast begins at dawn and ends at sunset. In addition to abstaining from eating and drinking, Muslims also increase restraint, such as abstaining from sexual relations and generally sinful speech and behavior. The act of fasting is said to redirect the heart away from worldly activities, its purpose being to cleanse the soul by freeing it from harmful impurities. Ramadan also teaches Muslims how to better practice self-discipline, self-control, sacrifice, and empathy for those who are less fortunate; thus encouraging actions of generosity and compulsory charity (zakat).
It becomes compulsory for Muslims to start fasting when they reach puberty, so long as they are healthy, sane and have no disabilities or illnesses. Exemptions to fasting are travel, menstruation, illness, older age, pregnancy, and breast-feeding. However, many Muslims with medical conditions insist on fasting to satisfy their spiritual needs, and healthcare professionals must work with their patients to reach common ground. Professionals should closely monitor individuals who decide to persist with fasting.
While fasting is not considered compulsory in childhood, many children endeavour to complete as many fasts as possible as practice for later life. Those who are unable to fast are obliged to make up for it. According to the Quran, those ill or traveling (musaafir) are exempt from obligation, but still must make up the days missed later on.
Heracles was woken up by the smell of food and footsteps outside his room. He groaned and covered his head with his cat plushie.
Is this the time of the year again?
On the left, Gupta stirred and made a small noise at the back of his throat. The smell of food got stronger and foot steps got louder. Heracles sighed and ignored the door opening and a big figure walked in.
"Wake up Gupta, it's time for suhoor." the Turk shook the Egyptian beside Heracles. Gupta groaned. "Already?"
"Yes, come on. I made your favorite. You have to fill your stomach, so get up. And be careful, don't wake that brat."
"I'm already up you stinky old man." Heracles murmured in his pillow, loud enough for Sadiq to hear him.
"Oh, you're awake. Want to eat with us?"
"No thank you. I'll sleep for a bit more."
"Fine then. Gosh, get up Gupta, or the food will get cold." Sadiq pulled Gupta from the bed and the Egyptian groaned, clinging to Heracle's arm. "No. I don't want to. I still want to sleep."
"You can't. You have to eat so you can survive the whole day. Come on now, there isn't much time."
"I'll starve the whole day then. I don't want to get up, on this ungodly hour even." He waved Sadiq's hand away and snuggled close to the Greek.
"Stop being such a Heracles, get up."
Being such a Heracles was a term made up by Sadiq which means being a brat. Sadiq was amused by this but not Heracles.
"Mmm, fine fine fine." Gupta released Hearcle's arm and stood up, dragging his feet out to the room. "Why does he get to sleep? It's just not fair." Gupta mumbled, looking back his shoulders and Heracles stuck his tongue out at him. "I'm not Muslim, sweetheart."
"Stop complaining, Gupta. Ramadan is a holy and beautiful month of the year and you should not complain, it's a month for you to improve, realize, cleanse..."
"I know, I know. You always repeat the same thing for every year." Gupta closed the door behind him and followed the Turk into the kitchen.
"I won't if you stop being such a Heracles." Sadiq chuckled and pulled out the chair.
"It's bad that you always refer Hera as a brat. He's not really a brat, no?" Gupta said and grabbed a piece of Konafah. "Ooh, delicious."
"Would you prefer it if I change it to 'being a Gupta'?" Sadiq asked, grabbing a piece of Konafah for himself too.
"No..."
"Well then."
The two ate in silence; Heracles' snores could be heard from the bedroom. The sky was still dark, the streetlight shone a bright yellow outside and the whole world was quiet, only sounds of the two Muslims eating and drinking and Heracles' snores.
…
"Good morning Sadiq! Do you want to go grab something to drink? My treat!" the Dane shouted from his apartment, waving his arms frantically to get Sadiq's attention. It was already noon, and Sadiq was already hungry. He hasn't touched a single drop of water or even a bit of food since suhoor. And now Mattias was inviting him for a drink, his stomach growled and he sighed.
"I can't. I'm fasting." he shouted back. Mattias's eyes widen and his face turned a bright shade of red. "Oh, shit, sorry, I didn't know. I'm so so sorry. I'm such a bad person."
"No, it's fine." Sadiq smiled at him.
"You know, you and Gupta are the only Muslims in this neighbourhood so I tend to forget that, I'm so so sorry. I'll invite you next time, when will you stop fasting?"
"After a month."
"A month? Gosh, I don't think I can wait that long." Mattias scratched his head. "I think I'll go find Berwald then... maybe he'd want to drink with me..."
"You know that I stop fasting when the sun sets right? I can go and grab something with you once the sun sets. Not alcoholic drinks though, you know I can't drink those."
"Ah yes, such an interesting religion. Well then, I'll just wait till the sun sets and yell for you again. Bye then~"
Mattias disappeared from the window after Sadiq gave him a small wave.
…
"Gupta! Come eat lunch with us!" Feliciano skipped over from his desk and asked the Egyptian lying face down on his own desk. "What's wrong? Are you sick?" Feliciano touched his hand to the Egyptian's head. "No you don't have a temperature. Could it be that you have a stomachache?"
Gupta shook his head. "No, I'm fine. I just... I can't eat lunch with you Feliciano, I'm fasting. So could you please go away and leave me alone."
Feliciano fiddled his fingers and bit his lip. "Oh, I'm s-sorry. I didn't know. I'm so sorry."
"No... it's fine. Run along then, go eat your lunch and leave me here."
Ludwig appeared beside Feliciano and pulled him away, apologizing to Gupta before leaving.
"Hey dude! I brought Big Mac! Do you want to share it with me, Mattie?"
"Yes please..."
Gupta's stomach growled as he smelled the delicious scent of the greasy burger. He tried not to think about it and tried not to smell the delicious scent of it but he's failing miserably. He also tried to not listen to the slurping of coke and chewing of food by the noisy American and his twin. It was torture, pure torture. He took a peek at his watch and saw that he still had a few hours to go. He groaned and buried his face in his arms.
"Hahahahaha, this baby is so delicious! I feel sorry for the people who can't eat this! Hahahahaha!" Alfred laughed, taking another gigantic bite on his burger.
"Alfred, you can't eat here. Gupta's fasting. It's very rude to eat in front of someone who's fasting." Feliciano said in hushed voice, looking over to Gupta who's lying on his desk. Alfred stopped eating and slowly walked out of the classroom, pulling Matthew along with him. When they were out of the classroom and out of the fasting Egyptian's earshot, Alfred shook Feliciano. "Why didn't you tell me earlier, gosh that was so terrible of me. I should apologize to him. I'm such a horrible person. And I even said those things, oh I feel so bad. I deserve to be hanged."
Feliciano patted Alfred's back. "I know, I asked him to lunch just now too, I know how you feel. We're the most inconsiderate people ever."
Gupta, inside the classroom, started counting seconds to the time when he could finally eat again.
…
Heracles sipped on his Mountain Dew as Gupta and Sadiq walked into the house, looking horrible as ever. "What happened to you two? You look horrible."
"Ramadan happened." Sadiq snapped. No food and drinks in his stomach made him cranky and frustrated as hell.
"Geez, chill. I'm sorry." Heracles shrugged and sipped on his drink. "Can you stop that you jerk? We're hungry and thirsty as fuck and you're here drinking like an asshole." Sadiq snatched the drink away from the Greek and slammed it down the table.
"Hey! I was drinking that!"
"Well stop that. You know what? Maybe you should start fasting with us so you'd know how we both feel." Sadiq said angrily, eyebrows knitted together.
"Gosh, stop that, you two. You guys are giving me a headache." Gupta muttered, collapsing on the nearby couch, rubbing his forehead.
"I am not fasting with you. I love my food."
"I love my food too, but for my religion I will."
"You do know that you should control your temper when you're fasting right?" Gupta murmured into a pillow and glared at them both.
"And to think I even made you food." Heracles crossed his arms across his chest and turned away, back facing the shocked Turk.
"You did?"
"Yes you stupid old man, and here you are, yelling at me.."
"Gosh… I'm sorry. I didn't…"
"Yeah you should be. Now go eat, the sun just set. Go on, fill that bottomless pit you call your stomach." Heracles waved his hand in front of Sadiq's face.
"T-Thank you Hera… and I'm sorry for screaming at you." Sadiq apologized, wrapping his arms around Heracles.
"Oh goody, food. I'm starving." Gupta jumped up from the couch and headed to the table.
"Go on, the food is getting cold." The Greek removed the Turk's hands away from him and nodded his head towards the table.
"Fine fine. Do you want to eat with us?"
"Nah, I already ate."
Since it's fasting month for the Muslims in my country, I came up with this idea. If there's any mistakes in this, do forgive me.
Sources:
wiki/Ramadan
wiki/Turkish_cuisine
/2011/10/28/top-10-delicious-and-unique-egyptian-foods/