I remember back when I first started fasting in the month of Ramadan. I was in the 4th grade and fasted for maybe 2 or 3 days in the whole month. I started fasting full time when I was in the 5th grade. Well, full time minus one day. There was a class party one day and I decided not to fast because I didn’t want to miss out on the food. Although I wasn’t even required to fast back then, I still look back on that situation and mentally shake my head, wondering how I justified not fasting because of a class party. It made perfect sense when I was 10 though.

Back then, if someone asked me why I was fasting, I probably wouldn’t have been able to give more than a generic answer. To my young self, Ramadan meant I couldn’t eat from dawn until dusk and not too much more beyond that.* Now, I really try to do my best to utilize the month as it is about a lot more than not eating and drinking during the day. I look forward to Ramadan because every time it comes around, it’s at a time when I need a spiritual recharge, when I need to be reminded about what’s important in life and not let all the little things affect me in a negative manner. I increase my reading on religious matters and try to gain knowledge in this month. Also, I really do try to watch what I do or say and how I am with people. In essence, I try to be a better person.

This year I’m trying to focus on getting rid of one particular bad habit - I worry too much. After I have done everything I can for a situation, I need to let it be and not constantly dwell on it. I need to keep the faith and understand that whatever happens, happens and that’s the way God intended for it to be.

I have found myself struggling lately to keep the above in mind and not succumb to worry and to over-analyze a situation. Ramadan is already half way over and I have been doing my best to work on this internal issue of mine. Here’s hoping that I can achieve this goal and find other ways in which I can improve myself, InshAllah, before the month’s end.

Next Ramadan: I’ll try to work on my sarcasm and get it under control.

I can’t make any promises though.

*The Wikipedia article on Ramadan explains the meaning of this month quite well.

So I’m a few days late in this post but I still felt the need to acknowledge that it is now Ramadan, the holiest of months to Muslims.

They say that the only thing that some Muslims get out of this month is the feeling of starvation from dawn to dusk. I think that’s how it was for me the past two Ramadans.

I want it to be different this year so I will be striving to work on my spiritual side and get closer to Allah (swt) (or, y’know, ‘God’ as the masses call Him ;))

Muslims go by a lunar calendar and according to most scholars, the lunar months begin and end with the actual physical sighting of the new moon by the naked eye. So for me, it means that if the new moon is sighted anywhere in North America, the month begins. These days, we all have a much better idea of when and where the moon can be seen due to astronomy, math, and all that good stuff.

I happened to see the new moon from my house Monday night and it was a beautiful sight. The following was taken Monday night in the Hayward Hills by someone over at Zaytuna Institute:

My aim is to be a better person this Ramadan. Here’s hoping that I can accomplish that.