Ramadan, No Time to Waste
by Deanna Othman
What comes to mind when you hear the word “Ramadan”? Does your train of thought immediately lead to worship? Quran? Fasting? Taraweeh? Or do you instantly have images of mansef, maqlooba, knafa and katayif dancing in your head? We all know that fasting is a struggle, and abstaining from food and drink from dawn until dusk, especially during the hot, dreadfully long summer days, is certainly no effortless endeavor. Maintaining your composure, energy and productivity during a long work or school day, or while struggling to stay alert to take care of your young children and still have enough stamina to stay awake at night for prayer truly tests an individual’s spiritual and physical vigor.
 However, because of the expected difficulty we encounter while refraining from eating during the day, we often tend to overcompensate for that deprivation at night. Though it is expected that a fasting person will undoubtedly look forward to their next meal, we tend not only to look forward to our meals, but to obsess over them. This becomes especially apparent in our iftar dinners with other families. Ramadan becomes a 30- (or 29-) day marathon of nonstop engorgement, post-sundown. Families invite one another over daily for iftar, a gesture of kindness and brotherhood. But our intentions can turn awry when with each meal we seek to outdo the last. Providing a modest dinner of one entrée and dessert is embarrassing! We need variety! We need five appetizers, three types of salad, four entrees, and six desserts. And despite the best efforts of our hosts, of course, the unavoidable commentary ensues. The chicken was dry. The lamb was greasy. They only had katayif with nuts and I like cheese! Even the four-year-old who wasn’t fasting offers his culinary critique.
But say we accept this glut of food as part of the season, or even our culture. But what simply cannot be forgiven or accepted is the waste of all of this food. How ironic is it to fast in sympathy with those less fortunate than us, and then throw 30 percent of our meal and our leftovers in the trash? It makes a complete mockery of everything Ramadan embodies.
No one is saying you cannot enjoy your meals. Go ahead, eat what you like. But don’t allow your Ramadan to center around food. Ramadan is about worship in all its forms. Food serves as an avenue of worship when you feed those in need. Feed your family and friends, while also taking time to donate money or cook for those who don’t have the luxury of planning their Ramadan menu. And most importantly, when you do host others, do not waste food. There are always families willing to take any leftovers. And when you eat, only take as much food as you can realistically consume, and don’t toss what you don’t finish. Save it for later.
Just by being conscious of these things, we can ensure a fruitful month filled with faith and family, and maybe a little food.
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