‘How I spend a typical day fasting’

The month of Ramadan is in full swing and half of the month is gone already. Muslims all over the world have been fasting from dusk till dawn. This has in turn changed the way most people usually go about their day-to-day activities. Daily Trust went ahead to ask a few people how they spend a typical day fasting.

Adam El-Yakub, 24, Businessman and MA Student, Abuja

Well, I start off by praying then I read the Qur’an, sleep for an hour or two and then listen to wa’azi on YouTube or at times prank videos. After that I head to school, and around 5 to 6pm I break my fast there or on the way home. Other times I get occupied with my own personal ventures.

Muhammad Musa, 24, Entrepreneur & NYSC member, Abuja

Working days are a bit more stressful than weekends. I wake up and get ready for work which is a normal drill. Then at work I leave for my Zuhr prayers an hour ahead of time to recite Qur’an from my mobile app, then pray and go back to work. After closing is where the weakness sets in. I am used to meeting a good meal at home so when I get there the hunger begins immediately. Some days I help in the kitchen because being raised in a household where all 5 of us including my dad share the burden of making the iftar meals, I feel bad sitting around while someone else makes it so I always ask if there’s something I can do. That helps keep me busy until it’s time to break the fast. Some days I plan to go for Tafseer between 5 and 6pm when there is less work to be done. After performing Taraweeh after breaking the fast by 8, I come back home very tired by 9:30pm which is when I take a shower, get on the internet for an hour or more before hitting my bed. 

Zainab Isa, 24, Nurse, Jigawa

First, I wake up at night for KiyamulLayl at 3am after which I remain awake doing some Qur’anic recitations and supplications until it’s time for sahur. After eating, I take a nap before adhan for Subhi prayers are called. After praying, I engage myself in some other activities like recitation until day break and then I begin to prepare for work. At work, I make sure I carry out all my duties as usual. When I close from work, I attend tafsir for an hour which is from 4 to 5pm and then proceed home to begin preparations for iftar and at the same time, continue observing supplications and zikr while doing that.

Abdulkareem Kabir, 27, Student, Kaduna

During fasting, I tend to wake up earlier than usual around 4:30am and pray. I then do some supplications after which I read a few pages of the Qur’an for about ten to twenty minutes. I’ll then take my sahur and wait for Subhi prayers and go back to sleep for an hour before I attend classes from 8 to 2. From then I am basically free to rest and do other activities before breaking my fast.

Zainab Mohammed, 21, Entrepreneur, Abuja 

All I do is read my Qur’an and sleep. Then I spend most of my time writing poems and stories because it’s what I love to do. Ramadan is a holy month so I try as much as I can to read my Qur’an and understand more about it. I also sleep during the day.

Bilkisu Abdulra’uf, 21, Final year student, Oyo

Ramadan is a special period for me. I pray about things I need and also seek forgiveness from God. As a student, I am currently writing my final exams so I spend most of my time studying and praying.