Rhthyms of Ramadan

From the Toronto Star:

You could read the Qur'an from cover to cover without learning the spirit of Islam. But getting to know those living the faith daily opens windows to a world that can seem strange to an outsider.

It's not easy to find people of any faith willing to risk revealing their private lives to a stranger, let alone the million-plus people who read the Saturday Star.

In September, I got an email from a reader suggesting I spend time in a Muslim home to "see" what Ramadan is like. Sending out feelers from my Rolodex of Muslim contacts, I was delighted with a generous offer from the Khan family of Maple.

There's something about rising at 4 a.m. and trekking a trafficless Highway 407 to Vaughan that feels sacred, a tranquility rarely felt in the hectic daylight hours. You get to appreciate the starry sky and dawn that most of us miss — and the importance of making time for simple things.

Muslim generosity was felt the moment the Khans invited photographer Charla Jones and me into their home, not only because of the delicious breakfast we were offered, but because of the trust and faith they placed in us to deliver their story.

It struck me how time-conscious they were in sticking to the sahar and iftar timetable distributed by their mosque. "We've 15 minutes for breakfast," Tanya would remind us.

Asif was quick to issue a challenge: "Why don't you two try to fast?" And we gladly accepted.

We were amazed by the traffic headed to the mosque so early: "Where are all these people coming from?" Charla mused.

The white mosque glowed against a dark horizon, where we were received with welcoming smiles and warm greetings. How intrusive must it be to hear a camera click or see a stranger scribbling away amid a sermon?

Following the family through their day was fun, but as blood sugar dropped we started to feel cranky. There were moments of temptation as we drove alone from the mosque to Tanya's school, passing a Coffee Time.

We could have cheated, but like Asif, we figured it would defeat the purpose of the experience. For us, the fast wasn't so much about empathy for the poor as experiencing the challenge Muslims face, observing these rituals in a non-Muslim world.

I don't have a sweet tooth, but never had dates tasted so delicious as when we broke the fast. The sense of reward is that much sweeter for the effort it takes. That's something I learned from my day with the Khans — which resonates with the Confucian teachings I learned in my Chinese home.

I can't help but admire the determination of Muslims during Ramadan. What we lived for a day, they will have repeated 30 times by Monday, the joyous holiday of Eid ul Fitr.

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