Salam Ramadhan

Today we completed one week of fasting. Alhamdullilah it had not been difficult at all for me despite some 16 hours of fasting each day. A friend complained that the older he gets the more difficult fasting is for him. On the contrary, the older I get the easier it is for me to get through Ramadhan. And I always feel so peaceful and more blessed during this holy month. So unlike during my younger days when it would be terribly easy to loose my cool when fasting.

The easiest Ramadhan I ever had was in New York in 2000 and in Hawaii in 2004. I was in New York for a 4-month assignment and fasted almost a whole month before flying home for raya. Ramadhan was in December, and imsak would be about 6 am and breakfasting just before 4 pm! It was so easy - I would leave my meeting to break fast and then join in again. And I had the whole evening ahead of me like any normal night. In Hawaii Ramadhan was in October/November, and imsak was just before 6 am and breakfasting also before 6 pm! Also plain sailing. I remember even going to the gym every other night after Isyak during the whole month of ramadhan. And when I went home after that three months stint in Honolulu, my doctor said my medical tests produced the best results he ever recorded, and that Hawaii must have been really agreeable for me! Indeed!

Next week my American colleague has invited me with other Muslim colleagues for iftar at his residence. This has become tradition with the Americans as a sign of respect and solidarity with Muslim colleagues during the holy month. A prayer room is provided for those who wish to perform the prayer. I hope I will not be caught again like last year, when without notice and least expected I ended up as the imam leading the Maghrib prayer!

A VERY BLESSED RAMADHAN TO ONE AND ALL!