Ramadan Kareem and Ramadan for Non-Muslims
I wrote this post in 2007, when I was living in Kuwait. It has become an annual tradition to repeat it.
Ramadan will start soon; it means that the very thinnest of crescent moons was sighted by official astronomers, and the lunar month of Ramadan might begin. You might think it odd that people wait, with eager anticipation, for a month of daytime fasting, but the Muslims do – they wait for it eagerly.
A friend explained to me that it is a time of purification, when your prayers and supplications are doubly powerful, and when God takes extra consideration of the good that you do and the intentions of your heart. It is also a time when the devil cannot be present, so if you are tempted, it is coming from your own heart, and you battle against the temptations of your own heart. Forgiveness flows in this month, and blessings, too.
We have similar beliefs – think about it. Our holy people fast when asking a particular boon of God. We try to keep ourselves particularly holy at certain times of the year.
In Muslim countries, the state supports Ramadan, so things are a little different. Schools start later. Offices are open fewer hours. The two most dangerous times of the day are the times when schools dismiss and parents are picking up kids, and just before sunset, as everyone rushes to be home for the breaking of the fast, which occurs as the sun goes down. In olden days, there was a cannon that everyone in the town could hear, that signalled the end of the fast. There may still be a cannon today – in Doha there was, and we could hear it, but if there is a cannon in Kuwait, we are too far away, and can’t hear it.
When the fast is broken, traditionally after the evening prayer, you take two or three dates, and water or special milk drink, a meal which helps restore normal blood sugar levels and takes the edge off the fast. Shortly, you will eat a larger meal, full of special dishes eaten only during Ramadan. Families visit one another, and you will see maids carrying covered dishes to sisters houses and friends houses – everyone makes a lot of food, and shares it with one another. When we lived in Tunisia, we would get a food delivery maybe once a week – it is a holy thing to share, especially with the poor and we always wondered if we were being shared with as neighbors, or shared with as poor people! I always tried to watch what they particularly liked when they would visit me, so I could sent plates to their houses during Ramadan.
Just before the sun comes up, there is another meal, Suhoor, and for that meal, people usually eat something that will stick to your ribs, and drink extra water, because you will not eat again until the sun goes down. People who can, usually go back to bed after the Suhoor meal and morning prayers. People who can, sleep a lot during the day, during Ramadan. Especially as Ramadan moves into the hotter months, the fasting, especially from water, becomes a heavier responsibility.
And because it is a Muslim state, and to avoid burdening our brothers and sisters who are fasting, even non-Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, touching someone of the opposite sex in public, even your own husband (not having sex in the daytime is also a part of fasting), smoking is forbidden, and if you are in a car accident and you might be at fault, the person might say “I am fasting, I am fasting” which means they cannot argue with you because they are trying to maintain a purity of soul. Even chewing gum is an offense. And these offenses are punishable by a heavy fine – nearly $400 – or a stay in the local jail.
Because I am not Muslim, there may be other things of which I am not aware, and my local readers are welcome to help fill in here. As for me, I find it not such a burden; I like that there is a whole month with a focus on God. You get used to NOT drinking or eating in public during the day, it’s not that difficult. The traffic just before (sunset) Ftoor can be deadly, but during Ftoor, traffic lightens dramatically (as all the Muslims are breaking their fast) and you can get places very quickly! Stores have special foods, restaurants have special offerings, and the feeling in the air is a lot like Christmas. People are joyful!
There were many comments on the original post, and, as usual in the history of Here There and Everywhere, the commenters taught us all more about Ramadan than the original post. If you want to read the original post and comments, you can click HERE.
This year, Ramadan in the Northern Hemisphere will be one of the hottest, least comfortable ever. Imagine, having to refrain from all food and drink, from swimming, from smoking, from dawn to dusk for an entire month. People still have to work, although at some work sites, hours are reduced. Driving will be horrible, especially toward dusk when people are starving and eager to break the fast.
May God grant his mercy to all those fasting in 2014, may your fast be blessed. may the All Merciful and All Generous listen to your prayers; may the hours of fasting pass quickly and pleasantly, and may you enjoy the blessings of family closeness and religious insights.
The Windsong Lodge in Seward, Alaska
The Windsong Lodge home page shows happy happy people having lunch on a sunny outdoor terrace overlooking a sparkling river. I looked at a lot of different Seward Hotels, but oh, the thought of a balcony overlooking the river just drew me in.
This is what the description of the Lodge says:
Just outside the city of Seward, travel down the winding road to Exit Glacier and you’ll find your paradise away from home, Seward Windsong Lodge. The towering mountains, fragrant spruce trees and the rush of the Resurrection River awaken your senses on arrival.
I could hardly wait to see those towering mountains and fragrant spruce trees from my balcony.
There was nothing wrong with our room. It was spacious, and had furniture made from logs, all rustic and sparkling clean. There was a microwave, a refrigerator, a hair dryer, all the amenities.
This was the view from my balcony.
I did love the cut outs in the balcony railing.
The Lodge offers a coffee bar and pastries, but when we were checking out we saw huge lines waiting for coffee and pastries, and although they had about ten computers, there were lines waiting to use their computers, too. Most of these people were off the cruise ships. We thanked God to have a car, and to know where we could get good coffee and breakfast goodies. We don’t mind paying. We don’t much like standing in a long line for breakfast.
Nice lodge, every seat taken.
Seward, Alaska and Alaska Saltwater Tours
We made it to Seward, a cute little town that almost disappears when the tourist season ends. As you will see, there is a cruise ship here, and most of the cruise ship tourists book with either Major Marine or Kenai Fjords. If you like boats with a lot of people, you will enjoy either of those. If you prefer smaller boats, with fewer people, there is Alaska Saltwater Tours.
“Are you going halibut fishing?” the girl at the Windsong Lodge Desk asked when we said we were going with Alaska Saltwater Tours, little frowny lines forming between her eyebrows. No, no, we replied, wildlife and whale watching, in a small group. I guess the hotel books tours, but mostly for the bigger tour boats. We made our reservations months ago, we were so sure we wanted this boat, the Alaska Saltwater Tour.
Cruise ships berth in Seward:
We had a totally forgettable dinner, the worst clam chowder I have ever eaten, so no photos. The next day, we met up at The Bakery, from where we headed to our boat.
I don’t usually have pastry, but I could not resist that cinnamon roll. It was so huge, I could only eat a little, but they wrapped it in foil and AdventureMan and I were able to nibble on it mid-afternoon, as we watched more and more whale.
Our boat, the Stellar Sunrise, carried 15 people. AdvenuteMan and I believe it is one of the best day cruises we have ever taken. We never dreamed we would see so much wildlife in one day.
Alaska, how I love you. Alaska has a mandatory life vest program for all children. Not only are life vests mandatory, they are also provided FREE. When I think of true love, it is manifestations like this I think of, protecting children, making it impossible for anyone to have an excuse to have a child on board not in a life jacket.
Scenery leaving Seward:
Little otter saying goodbye – later, we saw a RAFT of otter, two by two, about 18 of them floating in a group. They are so CUTE.
Barely out of port, he find humpback whales, puffing and diving:
Its a very low minus tide, and our Captain Tanya finds a grouping of purple and red sea stars – doesn’t it look like modern art?
Mountain goat:
A family of mountain sheep, Dad, Mom and three little kids:
Orca whale!
Penguin like birds, not penguins, but I can’t remember their name:
Throughout the day we had porpoise playfully racing alongside the boat:
Puffins are so hard to photograph, and so adorable!
A slug of sea lions, LOL – don’t they look a little like slugs?
The big bull sea lion roars and chases off a challenger. You would be amazed how loud he can roar:
Another eerily beautiful glacier, with it’s roaring and cracking, deep, loud sounds like the earth groaning. We had a lunch break at the glacier:
Although it is out of sequence, I saved this for the last. Do you know how many times I have tried to get a shot of a whale’s tail? Timing has to be perfect, even if you shoot in bursts. I will admit it, this time I just got lucky, and this might be the best I ever get:
So, all in all, a “whale of a day!”
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