Ramadan

pushpinpussy · Post by **pushpinpussy** » Thu Apr 23, 2020 6:08 pm

all the best to those who have started fasting today for the next month

DCWat · Post by **DCWat** » Thu Apr 23, 2020 6:21 pm

Can’t be an easy thing to do, particularly in the lighter months and perhaps even more so due to the current situation.

TheFamilyCat · Post by **TheFamilyCat** » Thu Apr 23, 2020 6:25 pm

It will be interesting to see how well social distancing is followed during the period. Imagine if we were in lockdown over Christmas.

IanMcL · Post by **IanMcL** » Thu Apr 23, 2020 6:29 pm

We were in lockdown over Easter and we were good!

TheFamilyCat · Post by **TheFamilyCat** » Thu Apr 23, 2020 6:39 pm

Yes, but Easter and Christmas celebrations are massively different.

Damo · Post by **Damo** » Thu Apr 23, 2020 6:42 pm

TheFamilyCat wrote: ↑
Thu Apr 23, 2020 6:25 pm
It will be interesting to see how well social distancing is followed during the period. Imagine if we were in lockdown over Christmas.

Lockdown at xmas sounds quite appealing

TheFamilyCat · Post by **TheFamilyCat** » Thu Apr 23, 2020 6:44 pm

Lockdown, not lock-in.

Funkydrummer · Post by **Funkydrummer** » Thu Apr 23, 2020 7:12 pm

TheFamilyCat wrote: ↑
Thu Apr 23, 2020 6:39 pm
Yes, but Easter and Christmas celebrations are massively different.

A matter of life and death to be fair !!

Bosscat · Post by **Bosscat** » Thu Apr 23, 2020 7:31 pm

Funkydrummer wrote: ↑
Thu Apr 23, 2020 7:12 pm
A matter of life and death to be fair !!

Very droll

conyoviejo · Post by **conyoviejo** » Thu Apr 23, 2020 7:35 pm

Will all the Muslims be fasting though ? Doubt it..Don't blame them either if their lives depend on a proper meal.

https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/featu ... 26535.html

Burnley1989 · Post by **Burnley1989** » Thu Apr 23, 2020 7:44 pm

One of my applications engineers was a Muslim and was fasting whilst we were working away together for 2 weeks so I decided to fast with him and its bloody tough!

It was a nice thing to do together though and he really appreciated the small effort I had made, I just didn't want to be working with him and eating 3 meals a day whilst he had nothing.

Bosscat · Post by **Bosscat** » Thu Apr 23, 2020 7:45 pm

conyoviejo wrote: ↑
Thu Apr 23, 2020 7:35 pm
Will all the Muslims be fasting though ? Doubt it..Don't blame them either if their lives depend on a proper meal.

https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/featu ... 26535.html

There are quite a few fasting .... usually on the A682, the A56 etc etc etc etc

along with other religeous denominations of course ...

I don't wish to appear be saying only Muslims Fast on our roads

bobinho · Post by **bobinho** » Thu Apr 23, 2020 7:49 pm

fair play to you for joining him, but he didn't HAVE to have nothing... he could've eaten. Its a choice he made.

I imagine it's a very hard thing to do...

Burnley1989 · Post by **Burnley1989** » Thu Apr 23, 2020 7:51 pm

I probably encouraged him as well, he doesn't always do it but likes to where possible. Absolute diamond of a lad

tim_noone · Post by **tim_noone** » Thu Apr 23, 2020 7:52 pm

bobinho wrote: ↑
Thu Apr 23, 2020 7:49 pm
fair play to you for joining him, but he didn't HAVE to have nothing... he could've eaten. Its a choice he made.

I imagine it's a very hard thing to do...

Sometimes you have to walk in another mans shoes.

bobinho · Post by **bobinho** » Thu Apr 23, 2020 8:00 pm

I suppose you do, if you want to understand what drives him to do whatever it is he does. I'm happy simply knowing that fasting throughout the day is difficult and draining, especially if you are doing a very physical job. I don't need to try it to know that... I have been hungry more than once...

Holmeclaret · Post by **Holmeclaret** » Thu Apr 23, 2020 8:09 pm

pushpinpussy wrote: ↑
Thu Apr 23, 2020 6:08 pm
all the best to those who have started fasting today for the next month

Thank you very much. Really appreciated.

Tribesmen · Post by **Tribesmen** » Thu Apr 23, 2020 8:10 pm

I made the mistake to get caught travelling in Java Indonesia during ramadam which was a pain i must say just to get any kind of food during daylight hours

Zlatan · Post by **Zlatan** » Thu Apr 23, 2020 8:53 pm

Burnley1989 wrote: ↑
Thu Apr 23, 2020 7:44 pm
One of my applications engineers was a Muslim and was fasting whilst we were working away together for 2 weeks so I decided to fast with him and its bloody tough!

It was a nice thing to do together though and he really appreciated the small effort I had made, I just didn't want to be working with him and eating 3 meals a day whilst he had nothing.

That’s fantastic. How did you feel afterwards?

fatboy47 · Post by **fatboy47** » Thu Apr 23, 2020 9:05 pm

We had a bus conductor called Ramadan on our school bus.

Well it sounded like that when he said it...cant be certain.

tim_noone · Post by **tim_noone** » Thu Apr 23, 2020 9:15 pm

Zlatan wrote: ↑
Thu Apr 23, 2020 8:53 pm
That’s fantastic. How did you feel afterwards?

At a guess...hungry

Burnley1989 · Post by **Burnley1989** » Thu Apr 23, 2020 9:26 pm

Zlatan wrote: ↑
Thu Apr 23, 2020 8:53 pm
That’s fantastic. How did you feel afterwards?

The first week we were at an exhibition so stood on a stand 8-5, they’re long days anyway and it’s rare you get chance to eat at the best of times. It’s more the drinking for me, I usually drink 2 litres of water during my working day.

You’ve just got to keep yourself busy, I’ve done the odd day since to see if it was an effective way of dieting, it’s actually not that bad thinking about, your body gets used to it I think, probably all in your head.

Elizabeth · Post by **Elizabeth** » Thu Apr 23, 2020 9:27 pm

I liked your post 1989 because I too have done a Ramadan fast many years ago.
I would say the best thing I got out of it was the heightening of my senses.
The easiest way to describe what I mean is to describe two very simple things in life we take for granted, water and fruit.
I was working in an office environment at the time and we had water coolants to drink out of. The sound of the water gushing out was like a waterfall.
Then one day I noticed the beautiful red colour of an apple on a desk
Now I know that some will take the **** but for those who wonder why fasting is done I can only say it gave me a spiritual feeling.

KateR · Post by **KateR** » Thu Apr 23, 2020 9:37 pm

I have lived through numerous Ramadan's in quite a few countries but have never tried the fasting myself. However the food and drink lark is quite bad in some places, also no smoking so those that do found that very hard. The eating habits change dramatically and they typically have very large feasts in the evening to try and sustain them during the day, many try to work night shifts for the whole of the Holy month. I found that most at work set up a special room for none Muslims to go and use for drink/food and you could never bring anything out.

Since tonight was the special night there will be a lot of very full people celebrating and sleeping early getting ready for the hard part starting tomorrow.

Liz, that's called hallucinating due to lack of food and not spiritual due to you fasting, lol, well that's my take on it

Volvoclaret · Post by **Volvoclaret** » Thu Apr 23, 2020 9:44 pm

I'm aware that a shortage of food can make people irritable and can cause rows. I was wondering whether this would be called a Ramadama ding dong.

Elizabeth · Post by **Elizabeth** » Thu Apr 23, 2020 9:48 pm

I didn't tell the full story Kate. I seem to remember the fasting lasting in the region of four weeks and with only a few days to go to the end I was driving back from Clitheroe on the A59 where the McDonald's is.
I lost concentration while manoeuvring on the roundabout and for some inexplicable reason got confused about which exit I was taking. I made a silly last minute decision and caused an accident om the roundabout.
I really wish that had been an hallucination

KateR · Post by **KateR** » Thu Apr 23, 2020 10:02 pm

LOL< I had a friend's husband driving a car round a roundabout in the Middle East, he got hit from behind by a local, the police told him it was his fault and had to pay for the damages on his insurance. He got very indignant and took the local to court, they tried it in the Sharia court, he was found guilty of reversing around a roundabout causing an accident, needed to pay for both cars on insurance but also got a sum he had to pay for the court, Judges and the local had a lawyer! He was not a happy chappy but such is life when you live in these places, needless to say all friends advised him against it and he had no sympathy from anyone and it became one of those great stories.

Elizabeth · Post by **Elizabeth** » Thu Apr 23, 2020 10:11 pm

I bet!
I did read once of an elderly man going the wrong way round a roundabout then deciding to stop and reverse back

MACCA · Post by **MACCA** » Thu Apr 23, 2020 10:24 pm

It'll soon slowly lose its meaning/lesson the more westernised the Muslim gets.
I know several Muslims that are quite happy to celebrate Eid, but are more than willing to bend the rules regards fasting during Ramadan.

They bend the rules quite a lot daily too, and as the years go by I can slowly see more and more doing the same. Many call themselves Muslims, but arent actually strict Muslims.

Suppose the same has happened over time in the UK regards Christmas and Easter.

Have several friends who poke fun at me for attending church yet cant get enough if Christmas and Easter, with the celebrations and time off work it brings.
The hypocrisy makes me chuckle.

KateR · Post by **KateR** » Thu Apr 23, 2020 10:45 pm

Very True Macca,
have seen it numerous place, can't compare Indonesia with Saudi for example. Bible Belt in Southern US full of hypocrites

Burnley1989 · Post by **Burnley1989** » Thu Apr 23, 2020 10:52 pm

MACCA wrote: ↑
Thu Apr 23, 2020 10:24 pm
It'll soon slowly lose its meaning/lesson the more westernised the Muslim gets.
I know several Muslims that are quite happy to celebrate Eid, but are more than willing to bend the rules regards fasting during Ramadan.

They bend the rules quite a lot daily too, and as the years go by I can slowly see more and more doing the same. Many call themselves Muslims, but arent actually strict Muslims.

Suppose the same has happened over time in the UK regards Christmas and Easter.

Have several friends who poke fun at me for attending church yet cant get enough if Christmas and Easter, with the celebrations and time off work it brings.
The hypocrisy makes me chuckle.

I go through patches of attending church, and genuinely enjoy it, can’t describe it to those that don’t go but even my Dad isn’t catholic will come along at times because he says he likes the whole feel to a service. I remember going one Sunday morning with my kids after a heavy session that had got way out of hand, bumped in to a lad I was out with the night before who had also brought his kids, seemed we were both there to ask for forgiveness. We just nodded and laughed

Pstotto · Post by **Pstotto** » Thu Apr 23, 2020 11:05 pm

I'm looking forward to the ensuing comedy TV series (The Fast Show).

bfccrazy · Post by **bfccrazy** » Fri Apr 24, 2020 12:17 am

MACCA wrote: ↑
Thu Apr 23, 2020 10:24 pm
It'll soon slowly lose its meaning/lesson the more westernised the Muslim gets.
I know several Muslims that are quite happy to celebrate Eid, but are more than willing to bend the rules regards fasting during Ramadan.

They bend the rules quite a lot daily too, and as the years go by I can slowly see more and more doing the same. Many call themselves Muslims, but arent actually strict Muslims.

Suppose the same has happened over time in the UK regards Christmas and Easter.

Have several friends who poke fun at me for attending church yet cant get enough if Christmas and Easter, with the celebrations and time off work it brings.
The hypocrisy makes me chuckle.

As you know very well, I’m not a perfect Muslim and day to day I’ll do things which go against the faith but for at least this month I will always try and make an effort to cut out the things which I “shouldn’t” be doing. I’ll fast and as as mentioned above, after a week or so the hunger disappears and your mind actually starts to become clearer and other senses are heightened (unfortunately I didn’t get the waterfall from the water fountain .... I got the smell of a rat that had been ran over on a road).

I think with myself it is an attachment to a faith along with the personal, mental toughness which comes along with trying to cut out things and spend some time reflecting on things other than what you’re having for lunch or when I can sneak off for a cig etc.... I have actually always found myself gaining more patience and self discipline through this month which is why it is something I always try to do.

HunterST_BFC · Post by **HunterST_BFC** » Fri Apr 24, 2020 1:32 am

I've some good friends who do this each year full respect.

Two in particular spring to mind I like to wind up each year, always in a friendly way (both brothers from Blackburn - both "Liverpool fans", never been to Anfield).
We are good friends they both used to run our post office initially. Great guys very funny.
I'd get them stuff they craved, they could not have even for their drive home - a kind of torment.

Stanbill05 · Post by **Stanbill05** » Fri Apr 24, 2020 3:40 am

I think all religion is slightly bonkers, but I do like the concept of Ramadan. A genuine leveller regardless of the money you have. An awful lot of money is raised and shared during this time too. About £100 million in the UK alone last year. Should be celebrated in mainstream media like Comic Relief but they prefer to report the negative news.

HunterST_BFC · Post by **HunterST_BFC** » Fri Apr 24, 2020 3:53 am

Stanbill05 wrote: ↑
Fri Apr 24, 2020 3:40 am
I think all religion is slightly bonkers, but I do like the concept of Ramadan. A genuine leveller regardless of the money you have. An awful lot of money is raised and shared during this time too. About £100 million in the UK alone last year. Should be celebrated in mainstream media like Comic Relief but they prefer to report the negative news.

I agree.
But many many £M are raised by the quiet - just getting on with it trying to help - but never get any recognition.

Religion is bonkers but if it helps bring people together for the greater good of all - then it is good.

Human kindness is the best "religion" - we are far away from that sadly.

Local cricketer · Post by **Local cricketer** » Fri Apr 24, 2020 7:53 am

tim_noone wrote: ↑
Thu Apr 23, 2020 7:52 pm
Sometimes you have to walk in another mans shoes.

Probably Sandels in this case

Bosscat · Post by **Bosscat** » Fri Apr 24, 2020 8:04 am

Local cricketer wrote: ↑
Fri Apr 24, 2020 7:53 am
Probably Sandels in this case

Or even Sandals

Sorry couldn't resist LC

MACCA · Post by **MACCA** » Fri Apr 24, 2020 8:19 am

bfccrazy wrote: ↑
Fri Apr 24, 2020 12:17 am
As you know very well, I’m not a perfect Muslim and day to day I’ll do things which go against the faith but for at least this month I will always try and make an effort to cut out the things which I “shouldn’t” be doing. I’ll fast and as as mentioned above, after a week or so the hunger disappears and your mind actually starts to become clearer and other senses are heightened (unfortunately I didn’t get the waterfall from the water fountain .... I got the smell of a rat that had been ran over on a road).

I think with myself it is an attachment to a faith along with the personal, mental toughness which comes along with trying to cut out things and spend some time reflecting on things other than what you’re having for lunch or when I can sneak off for a cig etc.... I have actually always found myself gaining more patience and self discipline through this month which is why it is something I always try to do.

Sounds very much like myself with church.
I dip in and out, although I do commit myself to things and I'm just too stubborn to give in/up, so always observe whatever it is for the whole period etc.

I'd class myself as religious/believer but cannot say I'm strict anymore.

There was once of a day I would say for 2 years that church and faith came before everything, now not so much as other things have kept into my life.

I still think having my toe dipped in so to speak makes me do things a certain way or "the right way" and I'm arguably a better person for it.

Corky · Post by **Corky** » Fri Apr 24, 2020 8:40 am

Burnley1989 wrote: ↑
Thu Apr 23, 2020 10:52 pm
I go through patches of attending church, and genuinely enjoy it, can’t describe it to those that don’t go but even my Dad isn’t catholic will come along at times because he says he likes the whole feel to a service. I remember going one Sunday morning with my kids after a heavy session that had got way out of hand, bumped in to a lad I was out with the night before who had also brought his kids, seemed we were both there to ask for forgiveness. We just nodded and laughed

Catholicism is the worst. What sort of warped group would think up the idea that innocent new born babies are born in sin and then have to be baptised as catholics others they are doomed. Great marketing but to me an ex catholic it just shows the corruption of religion.

pushpinpussy · Post by **pushpinpussy** » Fri Apr 24, 2020 8:59 am

Corky wrote: ↑
Fri Apr 24, 2020 8:40 am
Catholicism is the worst. What sort of warped group would think up the idea that innocent new born babies are born in sin and then have to be baptised as catholics others they are doomed. Great marketing but to me an ex catholic it just shows the corruption of religion.

Bigot

Corky · Post by **Corky** » Fri Apr 24, 2020 4:43 pm

pushpinpussy wrote: ↑
Fri Apr 24, 2020 8:59 am
Bigot

I agree. Followers of religions when challenged on the existence of gods do become somewhat bigoted. That is why there are many synonyms for bigot such as fanatic, extremist, zealot or radical, words for which you can easily preface with religious eg religious extremist. I guess it stems from the fact that there is no empirical or scientific evidence that there have been or ever will be any gods in this Universe of ours and that as it is all about blind faith any attempt to suggest that they may actually be wrong or that the god they believe in isn't actually the correct one then that is when the aggro starts.

But unlike most of them I am happy for crazy people to believe in crazy things.