My Ramadan: The woman fasting in a Muslim country for first time in 10 years

Sarah Raslan is spending her first Ramadan in the UAE and is excited about spending the Holy Month in a Muslim country for the first time in years.

Sarah Raslan has spent most of her life in non-Muslim countries and is excited to be in Dubai during Ramadan. Mona Al Marzooqi / The National

One of the blessings a Dubai resident will be counting this year is the opportunity to take part in the festivities of the holy month generally only found in Muslim countries.

DUBAI // This is Sarah Raslan’s first Ramadan in the UAE and her first in more than 10 years in a Muslim country.

The Arab-American has lived most of her adult life in non-Muslim countries, where she said fasting during Ramadan was challenging.

“I’ve been in Dubai for almost a year and I’m pretty excited to spend the whole month in one country,” said Ms Raslan, 31.

“I’ve always been a bit jealous of my friends who get to go to the tents and get in to the Ramadan spirit, whether it’s playing cards with other friends or staying up late with family.

“The other countries in which I’ve fasted it’s been business as usual. Ramadan was nothing special.”

Ms Raslan, who is co-founder of Aktashif, a United Kingdom charity that promotes online content in Arabic, said the holy month was a nice change of pace from the rest of the year.

“I started fasting at a very young age and I would get so excited when Ramadan comes around,” she said.

“Many people have asked me how I manage to fast throughout the whole month and it really is a matter of willpower. If you have your mind set on it, that’s it.

“The first week, your body is still adjusting.

“The second week, perhaps you’re feeling a bit tired, but you’re adjusting a little more.

“By the third week, I find myself in a very peaceful and meditative state and, at the end of the month I usually don’t want it to end.”

Ms Raslan said the most challenging thing about fasting in Ramadan was not the lack of food and water, it was to maintain mental strength.

“When they think about Ramadan, many people think about not being able to eat from sunrise until sunset, which is only the physical aspect of the month,” she said.

“The most challenging part is the mental aspect.

“It’s not about controlling your hunger but controlling yourself, your emotions, and most importantly the way you interact with people.

“For me, it’s being able to be pleasant, peaceful and conscious, despite not being able to satisfy my hunger or thirst.”

In non-Muslim countries such as the UK, said Ms Raslan, many of her friends expressed interest in learning more about the holy month.

“The religious aspect of Ramadan is always something personal and I don’t go there,” she says.

“I try to relate to them and explain that life is about duality.

“By that I mean a person cannot be fully grateful of what they have if they always have it.

“Yes, many of us walk around and say that we are thankful but do we actually feel that gratitude unless it’s taken away?

“It keeps me humble.”