Like in sports tournaments, you prepare, you go on a strict diet, you practice loads to achieve a goal. Equally, in Ramadan, you try to achieve a spiritual goal.
Source/Credit: Metro UK
By Faima Bakar | June 1, 2018
Muslims Who Fast is our mini-series looking at the rituals, traditions, and lives of Muslims observing Ramadan.
During the month-long period, Muslims abstain from food, drinking, smoking, sex, and other things that may be considered vices such as swearing and listening to music.
Earlier we spoke to Lina who celebrated, and is adjusting to, her first Ramadan as a vegan.
Quddus, a religious leader, or imam, in the Ahmadiyya Muslim community, speaks to Metro.co.uk this week about Ramadan and iftars with his family.
Here’s what Quddus and his family ate for iftar, the meal that breaks the fast:
So, tell us about yourself.
I’m an Imam for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. I live in Hampshire with my wife and son, and I teach at an Islamic seminary nearby.
For those who don’t know, what does Ahmadiyya mean?
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is a sect within Islam who believe that an awaited Messiah has come in the person of their founder, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad. They believe that after the demise of this founder, a system of spiritual caliphate commenced.
There’s no difference between how Ahmadiyyas and other Muslim groups celebrate Ramadan.
It’s just all about self-control. The fundamental point is giving up physical sustenance to spiritually enhance yourself.
Like in sports tournaments, you prepare, you go on a strict diet, you practice loads to achieve a goal. Equally, in Ramadan, you try to achieve a spiritual goal.
Who normally cooks iftar in your home?
My wife does most of the cooking. We both have inherited the liking of Pakistani/Indian cuisine, but our preference is to eat jacket potatoes, baked salmon, chicken pies etc.
And what are you eating for iftar tonight?
I live in Surrey with my family so we came to London to see my parents so we had lots of food; samosas, chicken patties, dates, kebab curry, lamb curry, a yoghurt dish to be eaten with pilau, there’s probably more but I can’t remember!
What does Ramadan mean to you?
Ramadan is a time for spiritual progress. The purpose of it is to abstain from physical sustenance in order to heighten our spiritual faculties. Also, it demonstrates the plight of the less fortunate people that are impoverished and have little or no food.
Prayer is a key element, there’s no point just fasting, you have to recite the Qur’an which has a special significance in the month as this is when it was revealed, there’s a deep connection with the Qur’an during the holy month.
What’s your earliest memory of Ramadan?
My earliest memory of Ramadan was most probably when my elder sister and I would wake up for suhoor (pre-dawn meal), wear our gowns, and join my parents to have a meal. There was always a sense of excitement and a feeling that we were finally getting old enough to fast.
When did you first begin to fast?
We knew that fasting was only obligatory for adults, so our parents did not allow us to fast until a much later age. I was 16 when I started to fast properly.
What’s it like working and fasting?
The human body is amazing, it can adapt to anything which shows there’s a perfect Creator behind it.
But don’t get me wrong, fasting isn’t without challenges. It’s easier when there’s a purpose, and people always motivate you; all of society is virtuous at this time so it becomes easier.
When you feel the pang of hunger, you remember the less fortunate, they have to get through the pain, it makes you sympathise and empathise with them. So it’s important to feel that pain.
Do you miss any food or drinks when you’re fasting?
I have no addictions thankfully, so luckily, I don’t miss coffee or anything!
And what do you do for Eid (the end of Ramadan celebration)?
I go to the biggest mosque in western Europe, Baitul Futuh, which is luckily in London.
I spend the rest of the day with my family, we do Eidi (a tradition of giving money to youngsters), and gifts for everyone. It’s a celebration of completing the commands of God.
But importantly, even among the celebrations, you have to remember God. That’s why we have Eid prayers, an extra prayer from our normal five, prayed in the morning.
Did you enjoy having an iftar with Metro.co.uk?
Yes, we don’t get professional photographers who come home for iftar every day!
Read original post here: UK: Quddus, an Ahmadiyya imam, celebrates Ramadan
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