The Fasting Month

Right now we are in the fasting month.  Actually a few days left to go.   During daylight hours (approximately 4:30am – 6:30pm here in Sumatra), Muslim do not eat nor drink.  Children as young as 5 or years old start practicing the fast.  They will wake with their parents to eat the pre-dawn meal of sahur and then not eat or drink again until noon – and then they will fast again until dusk.  My friend’s 7 year old son fasts the whole day.  When it is  time to break the fast breaking, he is very hungry and eats quite a lot. His older brother and sister comment on this, not quite tease him, but almost.

What is impressive is that older children (13+) and adults do not gorge themselves after a day of not eating.  They eat a small amount, they break with sweet tea, fruit, cakes, and “eggrolls”  then it is time for the dusk prayer.  After the dusk prayer, they eat  a full meal, and some people will eat a lot of food this time. 

The fast breaking is a important occasion for friends to gather.  Sometimes they will gather at someone’s house.  Sometimes, at a place of business.  For example, the gym I go to had  a fast breaking.  And sometimes they go to a restaurant.  The picture above is from a fast breaking I attended at a friend’s house.