Ramadan - ''It's A Struggle But It's Worth It'

By Rachel Gallacher

Ramadan is about to start, which is considered the most important month of the Islamic calendar.

The annual tradition will see Muslims across the globe fasting from dawn until sunset for 29-30 days. 

Muslims refrain from consuming food, drinking liquids, smoking, and engaging in sexual relations; in some interpretations they also refrain from swearing. Food and drink is served daily, before sunrise and after sunset. 

Sharaz Rehman, Printer at Menu Printers in Bradford, practices Ramadan because it's part of his religion. He says he also does it to remind himself how lucky he is that he can afford to eat food on a regular basis: 

''There's a lot of people around the world that struggle and that don't get food to it, so this just gives us an idea of how hard it is for them.

''Some people have to live every day of their lives with limited food whereas we only have to do it for a month, that motivates me to keep going.''

Some people are excused from taking part in the fast. Exceptions include an ill person or youngsters don't have to take part. Once you become a teenager then you are expected to fast.

Mr Rehman says it can be quite difficult though: ''If you're doing the same thing in the winter, it's not really hard because the sun sets around four o'clock, so it's not too bad.

''But once it get's to the summer, you can go up to 17 hours. It's the first couple of days where you really feel hungry, but when you get in to the routine it just becomes normal.''

Breaking the Fast happens on the last day of the month when the 30 days is over. Mr Rehman told BCB that    towards the end, he's just counting down the minutes until he can eat again: ''When you see all the food on the table, no one's talking, everyone just waits until the final seconds of the count down until you can eat.

"When you eventually eat, you appreciate the food.When it's open, we eat dates and drink a glass of water first before prayer. After this we eat samosas, kebabs and just go for it.''