So it's no eating for 18 hours eh?

[Nalgas D. Lemur]

So I was just wondering, how would you find not eating anything for 18 hours, (you basically eat all you want until around 3:40, time increases 1-2 minutes everyday, then you can't eat OR DRINK anything till around 9:00, where the time is decreasing here by 1-2 minutes everyday).

I remember my Muslim friends always seemed to handle it just fine in school and wherever else, but I could never understand how they managed to do it. If I don't eat consistently throughout the day every few hours, especially some sort of protein, my level of functioning drops enormously. I'd be pretty much useless the entire time. That's not even getting into the lack of water, which I suppose is kind of a moot point now that I'm on a medication with a risk of kidney stones. Not drinking enough water is no longer an option for me. I was going to say that I wonder how my Sufi friend is holding up, but then I remembered that she normally only has one meal a day at night anyway and has fasted for two weeks at a time with no trouble, so I'm sure she's fine. Heh.

 

[BehattedWanderer]

As a cultural experience, me and some friends tried it one year. It starts hard, the first week or so especially. After that, it's remarkably easy--though, confession, we did break the no water part when we were outside for extended periods. Texas in August isn't an extremely pleasant time on any given year, and we felt that heatstroke aversion was in the spirit of the health exceptions portion. The post-fast feast at the end of Ramadan was one of the most enjoyable meals of my life, with six people reveling in a daytime luncheon as we hadn't in months, if not years. It was quite a fun experience, over all.

 

[AngryMongoose]

Not so bad. I once didn't eat anything for 11 days just as an experiment.
In the end I didn't feel so well though.

No offense, but that seems really fucking stupid.

Perhaps, but at least now I can relate when I see people that are starving!

Not necessarily. You fasted voluntarily. At any point you could have waltzed down to the nearest subway and ordered a bread sammich with everything in it. If someone is starving they probably don't have that option.

What do you do in the case of say.... diabetics? Or other medical problems? (Water in particular seems like it'd be a major issue.)

 

[WaywardHaymaker]

I don't know if I could go 18 hours without tea, if that's included. Food isn't a big deal, I don't eat much.

Tea, though. Tea is life.

 

[Annoying Turd]

Are you allowed to kiss girls during the fast?

 

[DesiPrinceX09]

How is this humanely possible in some areas of the world? My friend does roofing in Florida, the temperatures on top of that roof reach over 120* on some days. You're wearing jeans and a short sleeve shirt. You would be cooked alive if you were't allowed to consume water. I could see going a while without water if you didn't do outdoor labor intensive work, but clearly not everyone can do this. Maybe that's why I don't know any Muslim construction workers.

I have known many Muslim construction workers. How is it possible? Discipline. I know that may sound silly but that's all it is. Did you that in Middle Eastern countries like Saudi Arabia people fast regardless of their job? In Saudi, I met some guys who built roads and that means working with asphalt on top of the outside temperature (over 120 degrees Fahrenheit) and they did their work without any fuss. I am not as strong as them personally, but I've played in a soccer tournament during Ramadan and i was fine.

Are you allowed to kiss girls during the fast?

No, no intimacy during the fast. At night however...

As a cultural experience, me and some friends tried it one year. It starts hard, the first week or so especially. After that, it's remarkably easy--though, confession, we did break the no water part when we were outside for extended periods. Texas in August isn't an extremely pleasant time on any given year, and we felt that heatstroke aversion was in the spirit of the health exceptions portion. The post-fast feast at the end of Ramadan was one of the most enjoyable meals of my life, with six people reveling in a daytime luncheon as we hadn't in months, if not years. It was quite a fun experience, over all.

Yeah, i live in TX as well. Congrats to you also on your cultural experience, glad you got something out of it. And yes, the feast at the end is always beyond awesome. I once played in a soccer tournament during a fast, I kept my mind on the game so that kept me going. It just depends on how much discipline gained from fasting and how determined and devoted you are.

 

[ComicsAreWeird]

I think i could do it. I´ve spent about 12 hours without eating once...it wasnt´t a pleasent experience though... I´m glad i dont have to go through that 18-hour process and i hope it turns out alright for those who choose to go through it.

 

[redisforever]

Well, I usually spend about 20 hours not eating. Can't eat breakfast. I guess it's cheating because I sleep half that time. Good luck with it though.

 

[Summerstorm]

Muhahaha... 18 hours?
I once didn't eat for nearly two weeks.

When i had major financial problems, i ate about one-third bowl of rice every second day to not have my digestive system deteriorate. Held up with one glass of multivitamin juice and rest water. (Damn juice is expensive)

And yeah, once when i was pretty overweight i started up a diet with pretty much eating nothing for two weeks (that's what i meant at the beginning of this post.), didn't work right though, my body revolted at the end (Well of course, healthy it isn't).

Well in conclusion: 18 hours without food is a walk in the park. After two days your hunger normaly shuts off completely. After a few days/or weeks it comes back with a vengence though.

Oh and you better have reserves... if you are a 180 cm 60 KG-dude, i guess you would crash fast and heavy.

 

[Queen Michael]

I eat too little as it is, so I'd be ableto take it. No drinking? Trcky, but I could manage if I were to stay out of the sun.

 

[THE_NAMSU]

So I was just wondering, how would you find not eating anything for 18 hours, (you basically eat all you want until around 3:40, time increases 1-2 minutes everyday, then you can't eat OR DRINK anything till around 9:00, where the time is decreasing here by 1-2 minutes everyday).

I remember my Muslim friends always seemed to handle it just fine in school and wherever else, but I could never understand how they managed to do it. If I don't eat consistently throughout the day every few hours, especially some sort of protein, my level of functioning drops enormously. I'd be pretty much useless the entire time. That's not even getting into the lack of water, which I suppose is kind of a moot point now that I'm on a medication with a risk of kidney stones. Not drinking enough water is no longer an option for me. I was going to say that I wonder how my Sufi friend is holding up, but then I remembered that she normally only has one meal a day at night anyway and has fasted for two weeks at a time with no trouble, so I'm sure she's fine. Heh.

Holy crap, what is with girls and dieting all the time!
But yeah, the main difficulty in fasting is the no water bit, I can go without the food. I drank 6 glasses of water shortly before fast began, went to sleep, woke up and my mouth was already dry :L.
So far with 2 fasts, I've lost about 0.5-1.0kg of weight.....(where the week before I had A LOT of fast food).

 

[Bakuryukun]

Even if I WERE a Muslim I doubt I would do it. It's not that I couldn't, It just seems like a highly arbitrary practice to me, no offense to anyone meant. Even back when I was christian, I wouldn't do traditional things that didn't make sense to me on a personal level.

 

[Atheist.]

How is this humanely possible in some areas of the world? My friend does roofing in Florida, the temperatures on top of that roof reach over 120* on some days. You're wearing jeans and a short sleeve shirt. You would be cooked alive if you were't allowed to consume water. I could see going a while without water if you didn't do outdoor labor intensive work, but clearly not everyone can do this. Maybe that's why I don't know any Muslim construction workers.

I have known many Muslim construction workers. How is it possible? Discipline. I know that may sound silly but that's all it is. Did you that in Middle Eastern countries like Saudi Arabia people fast regardless of their job? In Saudi, I met some guys who built roads and that means working with asphalt on top of the outside temperature (over 120 degrees Fahrenheit) and they did their work without any fuss. I am not as strong as them personally, but I've played in a soccer tournament during Ramadan and i was fine.

Are you allowed to kiss girls during the fast?

No, no intimacy during the fast. At night however...

As a cultural experience, me and some friends tried it one year. It starts hard, the first week or so especially. After that, it's remarkably easy--though, confession, we did break the no water part when we were outside for extended periods. Texas in August isn't an extremely pleasant time on any given year, and we felt that heatstroke aversion was in the spirit of the health exceptions portion. The post-fast feast at the end of Ramadan was one of the most enjoyable meals of my life, with six people reveling in a daytime luncheon as we hadn't in months, if not years. It was quite a fun experience, over all.

Yeah, i live in TX as well. Congrats to you also on your cultural experience, glad you got something out of it. And yes, the feast at the end is always beyond awesome. I once played in a soccer tournament during a fast, I kept my mind on the game so that kept me going. It just depends on how much discipline gained from fasting and how determined and devoted you are.

I have to think at the very least you would take quite a drop in efficiency to work in those conditions. Discipline or not, if you're working as hard as I did when I worked construction, and in those conditions, you would sweat out all of your water. It would be possible if you paced yourself, but good luck finding a foreman these days that would let that slide. Discipline isn't going to stop you from collapsing due to heat exhaustion and dehydration. That would be a liability for the employer more than anything.

 

[TheAmokz]

18 hours? BAH! It's not rare for me to not eat anything for two days.

 

[deawsum]

I'm fasting today.But i forgot it was today.I found out when i was going with my dad to our family business and on the way here by chance he mentions that rhamadan has began and i was then happy I didn't drink/eat anything when i woke up. Though i regret coming here at my fathers shop because that means i have to sit in the heat of 90 degrees with no a/c and while being taunted from all the snacks around my shop and all the soda.

 

[THE_NAMSU]

Only 18 hours? I nearly pulled 4 days before without physical sustenance. It isn't that fun.

Just, wow. But surely you must have had water? A person can't survive without water for more then 4 days right?

Can you drink water?

I think I would spend most time sleeping, then wake up an go to the computer till it's time to eat.

That's pretty much what I do since it is the holidays, but no water either which is why it sometimes is better to get extra sleep .

Why do you have to fast?

Because of what DesiPrince said, but also, because Allah wants to put us in the position of a poor person, so we can understand how they feel. IF it was just for strengthening yourself, we probably would have been allowed water and the fast may not last as long.

The Muslims at my school (which there is only 2 I know of) are actually being a bit annoying with their Ramadan. They complain that we (non-Muslims, that is) shouldn't be allowed to eat during Ramadan in their presence because it makes them upset, annoyed, jealous, whatever.

I mean, really? Why should we not be allowed to eat when we don't follow their religion? People complain that Christians force their religion on people, but I've never been hounded the same way by Christians as I have by these two in the last 2 days.

By the way, it may look like I'm raging towards Muslims, but I'm not, it's just these two individuals that are currently pissing me off. You can practice whatever you want, I don't care. Just don't tell when I can or can't take care of my biological needs.

You need to remind your Muslim friends what RAMADAN is about. It is where they refrain from eating to teach them patience, spirituality, and celibacy. In essence they are actually breaking the laws of their entire religion by acting in such a way towards you during Ramadan.

People are so blinded by what they are now a days they forget the meaning behind why they are doing it. It makes me sick.

I'm not even sure if they're "true" Muslims, to be honest. I've ever read the Koran (Qu'ran?), but is there something in there about smoking and swearing? Because they do these two a lot.
Next time they do talk to me about it though, I will remind them of what you have said. Thanks for the info.

I'm pretty sure smoking is allowed by Muslim religious law, but not drinking alcohol and probably not swearing. I'm not an expert, though.

Swearing is sort of "frowned upon," but everybody does it anyway. Swearing is mainly a sin when you use it against other people.
Smoking is not allowed during ramadan, but it is allowed any time else. I think you are not allowed to smoke at all during the month of ramadan, but my uncle does it at night after fast anyway.

 

[Xaio30]

How do i cope with it? I eat.

 

[Klarinette]

I did two weeks once. 18 hours isn't really that hard, especially if you keep yourself occupied.

 

[Cbargs]

I love how this thread turned into a bragging contest about who can go without food the longest.

On the topic of Ramadan, how does one go about the spiritual side of the period? Is getting in tune with one's spirituality a more passive thing? Like saying you fast for Ramadan, thus you are more in touch with your spirituality? Or does it take a more active role, like going to ceremonies or prayer sessions?

 

[DesiPrinceX09]

I have to think at the very least you would take quite a drop in efficiency to work in those conditions. Discipline or not, if you're working as hard as I did when I worked construction, and in those conditions, you would sweat out all of your water. It would be possible if you paced yourself, but good luck finding a foreman these days that would let that slide. Discipline isn't going to stop you from collapsing due to heat exhaustion and dehydration. That would be a liability for the employer more than anything.

The men I spoke of in Saudi probably could not tell you how they do it, nor could I. For eons we have been called crazy and astounded people with our fasting and what we can do despite not eating or drinking; but that doesn't stop us from practicing our faith which includes this month of fasting. Many of us compromise and either only fast on certain days, drink only liquids, or don't fast at all but those who compromise are fooling themselves. You have never done it and I doubt you ever will so I don't expect you to understand and that's fine. No Muslim i have ever known (that practices fasting properly and with full devotion) has ever complained about drop in efficiency, lacking energy, or anything else; it just depends on how determined and devoted you are. This is probably all crazy talk to you so I'll end with that.