DAY 1 – RAMADAN 2019: My First "IFTAR"

Greeting: “Ramadan Mubarak” = “Happy Ramadan”

Response: “Alina w alik” = “For you and for me”

Said as you break the fast: "Allahuma inni laka sumtu wa 'ala rizqika aftartu" = "O Allah! for thy sake I have fasted and now I break the fast with the food that comes from thee."

I proclaim my first day of Ramadan a success! Taking the month of April to prepare turned out to be a very smart move. Let me just recap what Ramadan entails. From dawn (today was at 03:57) until dusk (today was at 19:23) – there is no consumption allowed. You cannot eat, drink, smoke, chew gum, take medicine, etc. Also, during Ramadan, you are expected to give up such things as cigarettes, alcohol, gossiping, swearing, etc. Suhoor is a meal taken just before sunrise, before the day of fasting starts. Iftar is the meal to break the fast after sunset – which usually includes a soup called Harira (recipe here).

Harira Soup – Moroccan Ramadan Iftar Soup

In preparation for Ramadan, I stopped drinking coffee on April 1. I knew that if I had to give up coffee and food at the same time it would be too tough, so I made the decision to stop coffee in advance. The first day without coffee was okay, but then I had a headache for about a week. Part way through the week, I almost gave in and had a coffee just to get rid of the headache (since I don’t like taking medicine). But then I realized that the reason I had the headache was because of the coffee and if I had one, I would have to start all over again, so I persevered.

In the second week of April, I eliminated breakfast. I pushed eating my first meal as late as possible. In the beginning, I could only make it until 10:30. I tried go an additional 15 minutes everyday. As the month progressed, I found that I wasn’t even thinking about food until noon and was able to last easily until 14:00. During the last few days, I was able to go until 16:00 without eating with little difficulty. My greatest concern had become giving up water because I drink water and green tea throughout the day. However, I realized yesterday that it had been 35 days since I had stopped drinking coffee, the time had gone by quite quickly, and I survived without a struggle - other than those first few days.

Last night – the ‘last supper’ – consisted of a fairly large meal for me which included a steak, sautéed spinach and msemen, my favorite Moroccan bread - it’s kind of like a flattened croissant with lots of thin layers – YUM. I was full and satisfied as I went to sleep.

I hadn’t planned on waking up at 03:00 to eat suhoor because I no longer eat breakfast and I was afraid if I did, I wouldn’t be able to fall back to sleep. But somehow, I automatically woke up at 03:20. I had a big bottle of water beside the bed, so I drank that and went back to sleep.

When I woke up this morning, on auto-pilot, I went to put on the kettle to make green tea but then woke up enough to realize what I was doing. I flinched a little and then shook it off – I was ready for this. I went and taught my first group class. Some of my students were really suffering without their morning coffee. This made me grateful for my earlier decision to quit in April. I got home at about 13:00 and again, on auto-pilot, was about to make tea and had to stop myself. I decided to sit and read a book – “Die Empty” by Todd Henry – to keep myself distracted. A couple of times, I instinctively got up to have some water and then caught myself. It’s really amazing how many little habits and instincts we have that we just don’t pay attention to. I did not, however, have the instinct to eat. I wasn't hungry.

My final class of the day was from 14:15 – 16:15. My students were quite bleary-eyed. By the end of the class they were struggling to concentrate. I, however, was completely fine. I felt amazing actually, and not even hungry. Many of my Moroccan colleagues were shocked that I was fasting and even more shocked to discover I was going to do it for the entire month. There were also surprised that I wasn’t having any difficulty by the end of the day. I told them about my month of preparation and how I was physically, psychologically and spiritually ready for this challenge. There are “ifs” or “maybes” about it – I’m all in, as they say.

My wonderful boss Riyad and his wife Souad invited me to their home for Iftar. Although I had food at home ready to eat, I happily accepted their generous offer. I was eager to experience an authentic Moroccan Iftar and was really hoping that Souad had prepared the Harira soup. She did not disappoint - it was delicious. She served 4 different kinds of dates – the first food you should eat to break the fast – and they were all quite different and delicious. There were fresh juices and many other dishes that Souad had prepared, that I can’t remember the names of, and a huge Tajine (recipes here), which I loved. It was incredible.

That first sip of fresh orange juice was like a little bit of heaven going down my throat. And the first bite of a date was beyond words. This was the sensation I had been hoping for as I started this journey. Ramadan, among other things, is about feeling grateful for all that you have. When you go without, you have a greater appreciation for all the blessings you have in your life.

Many of my friends and students have invited me to join them for Iftar over the coming month. I am so fortunate to have such an incredible community that loves and welcomes me without hesitation. All day long, I have received messages of support and encouragement from dozens of people. It has been overwhelming. This is the true spirit of Islam.

As the month progresses, I will be recounting the events of each day. I’m now looking forward to the physical changes I expect to experience. I will keep you posted.

Ramadan Mubarak,