Getting Ready for Ramadan in the Summer

Forgive Yourself for the Dread

It was inevitable: due to the fact that the Islamic calendar is lunar, it was inevitable that Ramadan was going to fall during the summer months. There is no need to remind anyone that this means that days are long, the days are hot, and the nights are very short. It is normal to feel a little dread. Fasting is difficult; God knows this, which is why there is such tremendous reward for completing the fasts. In fact, God says in a Prophetic tradition: "Fasting is for Me, and I Myself give the reward for it." This is assuming, of course, that there is no medical contraindication to fasting. The challenge is to overcome your fears and fast anyway, and through this, one can attain to piety.

Hesham A. Hassaballa is a Chicago doctor, writer, and Belienet blogger. He is author, most recently, of Noble Brother: The Story of the Prophet Muhammad in Poetry (Faithful Word Press) You can read more at Common Word Common Lord.

Take Full Advantage of the Long Day

Given that Ramadan will be in the summer (for the next...ten years or so), it is an opportune time to take advantage of the fact that you can't eat or drink until late. It is the perfect time to read the Qur'an during all those hours of waiting to eat. It should be quite easy, in fact, to finish recitation of the entire Qur'an during Ramadan. Read up on the life story of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), or that book by Dr. Tariq Ramadan that you have been meaning to read but had, heretofore, no time to finish. Spend more time with the children; figure out how to have a good time without eating and drinking. Yes, it may not be the greatest that you can't eat until 8 PM, but make some lemonade out of those lemons. (Just make sure you drink it after sunset!)

Be Mindful of the Season

Like it or not, Ramadan is during summer now, and so be mindful of the heat and humidity. If you are tired during the day, do not hesitate to take a nap and rest. After sunset, make sure you drink plenty of fluids and stay well hydrated during the night. Try to avoid very salty foods so as to not be excessively thirsty during the next day. As a doctor, I would recommend avoiding any strenuous physical activity while fasting, if at all possible. And again, most importantly, if fasting causes you to become ill, do not continue, and seek medical help immediately. Islamic law has outlined alternatives to fasting for those who cannot fast due to medical or other reasons.