Every year, when Ramadan begins, some students at our school adjust their entire daily routine. Instead of grabbing breakfast before class or sipping water throughout the day, they fast from sunrise to sunset. Ramadan is a holy month in Islam focused on faith, self control, and becoming closer to God. While it might seem overwhelming to go a whole day without food or water, for many students it’s something they’ve grown up doing.

“I’ve been fasting since, I believe, 6 years old, and honestly, it hasn’t been that bad. 2016, though, was a very rough year for me because you had to fast for about 20 hours-ish, which was a long time, because you can’t drink any water either. I feel like that’s the main struggle of it is not so much eating food, but more drinking water. Because, especially when you, like, play sports or you’re active, it just kind of makes it a lot harder,” Ali Hajyasin said.

Balancing fasting with school, homework, and sports can be challenging. Still, many students say it’s worth it. “I have always celebrated Ramadan with my family, I don’t ever remember not celebrating. I feel so much closer to God during this spiritual time, but the fasting is the hardest part,” said Ridwane Moudachir.

At the end of each day, families break their fast together at sunset with a meal called iftar. Even though it can be tough, Ramadan is a time that brings families closer and helps people grow stronger in their faith.