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  1. #1
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    MarilynMonroe's Avatar
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    Happy Ramadan coming up!

    Ramadan starts this Thursday, March 23rd.

    I teach many students who are Muslim and my office is in their prayer room. I found it a bit funny that more students started coming in today. Could it be that because it is closer to Ramadan they are praying more often or that they thought to be good.

    Anyone fasting or have families that are fasting?
    A good article on Ramadan.


    Ramadan 2023: Fasting hours and iftar times around the world | Interactive News | Al Jazeera

  2. #2
    Thailand Expat
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    Many memories of Ramadan while working in the MEA region and seeing the local workers trying to get through a long shift of outdoor labour with no food or water, in summer months on 40+c days it was borderline insanity! Yeah screw that shit, no thank you.


  3. #3
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    ^Too funny. I also remember experiencing Ramadan living in the ME. I couldn't believe that I couldn't drink water during the day. I thought I'd die. I was told not even in the car could I drink water. I guess they get used to it, but must be really hard. I always looked forward to the feasts they had at the end of Ramadan (Eid). I attended a party at the U.S Embassy I believe, to enjoy the feast of Eid.

  4. #4
    Thailand Expat DrWilly's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MarilynMonroe View Post
    I couldn't believe that I couldn't drink water during the day. I thought I'd die. I was told not even in the car could I drink water.

    Um, you can.

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    ^I was told not to. Of course, I did when no one was looking.

  6. #6
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    When I worked with Saudis, Ramadan was a month of peace and quiet.

    The drive to work was great, hardly any cars on the road.
    The Saudis only had to turn up to the office for four hours per day, but mostly they would arrive, and just sleep at their desks until midday prayer, then would disappear until the next day.
    By the end of the month, most of them weren't turning up at work at all.

    It was always important to make sure to leave the office, and make sure you were back home before the sunset cannon sounded to signal feasting to begin as all of a sudden the deserted streets become bedlam.

  7. #7
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    "Fasting during Ramadan means abstinence from all food or drink, including water and chewing gum, from dawn to sunset."

    https://www.eatright.org/food/cultural-cuisines-and-traditions/holidays-and-celebrations/ramadan-the-practice-of-fasting#:~:text=Fasting%20during%20Ramadan%20means %20abstinence,include%20more%20dinner%2Dlike%20foo ds.

    Mind you, as a foreigner in a different country, I tried to not drink or eat in front of my coworkers during Ramadan out of respect, KW.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by TizMe View Post
    The Saudis only had to turn up to the office for four hours per day, but mostly they would arrive, and just sleep at their desks until midday prayer, then would disappear until the next day.
    By the end of the month, most of them weren't turning up at work at all.
    That makes sense. Our staff and students can get three days off during Ramadan. For good reason as you mention, many of them are tired.

  9. #9
    Thailand Expat DrWilly's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MarilynMonroe View Post
    I tried to not drink or eat in front of my coworkers during Ramadan out of respect, KW.
    Which is different to be told you cannot drink or eat at all.



    Quote Originally Posted by MarilynMonroe View Post
    "Fasting during Ramadan means abstinence from all food or drink, including water and chewing gum, from dawn to sunset."
    For Muslims. You are not Muslim.

  10. #10
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    My Ramadan routine the last couple of years I worked in Saudi...

    I would close my office door, have a sandwich and a coffee in peace, and watch youtube or doomscroll twitter.

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    We would just commandeer the room that the Saudis normally used for their tea drinking sessions.

    Closed the door and all Muslims knew that it became our lunch room during Ramadan.

    As all the shops were closed, we'd have to bring our food and drinks from home.

    One day, one of the guys accidentally brought a bottle of Sidique from his fridge instead of a bottle of water.(Sidique, is basically neat distilled ethanol)
    He sure realised after taking a big first gulp.

  12. #12
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    I hope future generations will recognize religeous fervour and proselytiisng, public displays as the type of psychiatric issues we associate with immature behaiour pollit throwers or Emma's reacharound.

    There are many peaceful fine folks who quietly respect their nature , sadly the hardline intolerant Wahabi wanker Salafist fist armed by Saudi oil money has fuelled terror, murder, , misogyny , ISI, Taliban etc, Islam submission should be dealt with like Aids or Rabies as a contagious disease and children need protection from the pedo founder and his vile ideas.

    Let people bow to cubes as they wish but stop burning Pakistani apostates, enslaving women and funding violence please.

    To save you time the list is longer than Qaukers, Atheist, 7th day Adventists, Catholic, Hindu, Shintoist, Anabaptists, Lutherans, Jewish or Buddhist who have waged jihad

    The list of shame still growing , below a small selection, if my dog behaved like this it would be put down.
    Gutless US admins desperate for Arab oil are afraid to sanction Saudi murder plots like Kashoggi which go right to the top, state sponsered murder of "kaffirs'.

    Knob with khvntz don't play if you easily offended


    5000 killed

    The
    Noakhali riots, were a series of partly organized massacres, rapes, forced-conversions and abductions, combined with looting and arson of Hindu properties, perpetrated by the Muslim community in the districts of Noakhali in the Chittagong Division of Bengal (now in Bangladesh) in October–November 1946,

    307
    1983 Beirut barracks bombings


    Luxor massacre - Six Islamist gunmen belonging to al-Jama'a al-Islamiyya carried out an attack on the tourist site of Hatshepsut's Mortury Temple killing 58 tourists and 4 staff. One of the gunmen was captured later and the others were found after apparently committing suicide.


    224 murdered in East Africa
    1998 United States embassy bombings in Dar es Salaam and Nairobi


    A series of four coordinated terrorist attacks by al-Qaeda involving the hijacking and crashing of passenger jet airliners that killed 2,996 people, injured over 25,000 others, and caused at least $10 billion in infrastructure and property damage

    2002 Bali bombings in the tourist district of Kuta on the Indonesian island of Bali, killing 202 people and injuring 240
    Madrid train bombings.[

    192 dead 2,050 maimed

    Peaceful Yazidis raped enslved murdered
    2007 Yazidi communities bombings 796 dead 1,562 injuries



    Bataclan etc
    A series of terrorist attacks in Paris kill 137, and wound 416. They involved a series of coordinated attacks which consisted of mass shootings and suicide bombings. This incident was the most fatal event on French soil since World War II

    July 2016 Baghdad bombings Two coordinated bomb attacks killed over 300 people and injured over 221 others.

    87 people (including the perpetrator
    Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel) died during the Bastille day attack in Nice, France

    2017 New York City truck attack – A man drove a pickup truck into cyclists and runners along about 1 mile (2 km) of a bicycle path in Lower Manhattan, New York City. After he left the vehicle, the driver was wielding two guns (later found to be a paintball gun and a pellet gun); he was shot in the abdomen by police and arrested. An ISIS flag and a document that read either "It will endure." or "Islamic State will endure forever." in Arabic were found in the truck
    2019 Sri Lanka Easter bombings - on Easter Sunday, three churches across Sri Lanka and three luxury hotels in the commercial capital Colombo were bombed. Later that day, there were smaller explosions at a housing complex and a guest house. Several cities in Sri Lanka were targeted. At least 253 people were killed,including at least 35 foreign nationals and three police officers, and at least 500 were injured in the bombings











    Quote Originally Posted by Latindancer View Post
    I just want the chance to use a bigger porridge bowl.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by MarilynMonroe View Post
    [FONT=Lato]"Fasting during Ramadan means abstinence from all food or drink, ...
    Food and drink...not or.

    Why do people go on about Ramadan but forget Lent?

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    Tried it with a Lebanese girl friend once, lasted 48hrs but it was definitely enlightening and even though she wasn't particularly religious, she did it out of respect for her mum who had done Hajj.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Troy View Post
    Food and drink...not or.

    Why do people go on about Ramadan but forget Lent?
    I think quite a few Thai's observe Buddhist lent, I know my mum in law does.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Troy View Post
    Why do people go on about Ramadan but forget Lent?
    Good question.. I grew up Catholic and never really fasted or observed Lent.

    --
    Many of my students were telling me they were so tired today as it was the first day of Ramadan. These kids are 11 or 12, so they may be just starting to fast. I think the age they start depends from family to family. Last night I was in the pool, and was talking to a lady from Jordan that told me she never made her kids fast during Ramadan.

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by Troy View Post
    Food and drink...not or.

    Why do people go on about Ramadan but forget Lent?
    Lent is for whitey, Ramadan is not.

    Whitey doesnt count these days.

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bonecollector View Post
    Tried it with a Lebanese girl friend once, lasted 48hrs
    Now that's what I call stamina, congratulations sir

  19. #19
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    It always gets me when people do these sorts of fasts, but then come up with excuses to break them...God or whatever your higher power your doing this for knows your intentions, so stop making the excuses...do it or don't!

  20. #20
    Thailand Expat DrWilly's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MarilynMonroe View Post
    Good question.. I grew up Catholic and never really fasted or observed Lent.
    .
    Which means you didn’t grow up Catholic.

  21. #21
    Thailand Expat misskit's Avatar
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    ^ Hmmm. I know a few Catholics in the US and have been out to eat with them while they are wearing the ashes on thier foreheads. Drinking margaritas, too. I am not sure many Catholics observe Lent by fasting these days.

  22. #22
    Thailand Expat DrWilly's Avatar
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    Since when have Catholics' fast included alcohol? Perhaps the middle ages.

    Lent is when Catholics normally avoid red meat on Fridays. That's called a fast. Kids might also choose to give up candy for Lent.

  23. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by david44 View Post
    Now that's what I call stamina, congratulations sir
    55555555

  24. #24
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    Loved Ramadhan. The locals always too tired to pester you and went home early. Used to get more work done that month than any other.

    And traffic free roads most of the day.

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    ^I agree, quiet times, easier times in the ME during Ramadan.

    Quote Originally Posted by DrWilly View Post
    Which means you didn’t grow up Catholic.
    Well ya I did. I wouldn't consider not eating red meat during Lent to be considered fasting.. We ate fish that day instead.
    Also tradition has it that if you are under 14 you don't have to give up red meat.
    Giving up something during Lent was observed. As I got older and went to university I didn't follow much of that religion.




    Quote Originally Posted by taxexile View Post
    Whitey doesnt count these days.
    Why not?
    Feel like you're in the minority? It seems like I am a minority as a white person these days in my city.
    Vive le multiculturalism!

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