PARIS,
October 11, 2005 (IslamOnline.net) – For the French, the holy
fasting month of Ramadan conjures up images of the delicious Moroccan
soup and attractive slim bodies as Muslims abstain from eating and
drinking during the dawn-to-dusk month.
In
a survey undertaken by IslamOnline.net’s correspondent in Paris, the
overwhelming majority of some 100 people interviewed also admired the
ability of Muslims to put a curb on their desires during the day-long
fast.
Sixty-eight
of the respondents said that they have become addicted to the spicy
Moroccan soap known as “harira.”
Others
wondered how Muslims can abstain from drinking, eating and having sex
daylong.
“It
is really amazing that my Muslim friends stop frequenting cafes and
night clubs during Ramadan,” Escafi, 28, told IOL.
He
said he is enjoying himself in joining Muslim friends during
Ramadanian nights in Saint Denis, in north Paris.
Saint
Denis has a Muslim population of 500,000 out of 1,200 million people,
making it the largest Muslim residential area in the country.
Giel,
54, said he what he likes most during Ramadan is the lantern-lightened
shops that line the Moroccan-dominated Bellville district in Paris,
which sells the traditional Ramadanian stuff like kunafa (a
dessert spun out of shredded wheat and topped with raisins, nuts and
cream), and qataiyf (a pastry stuffed with almonds and raisins,
and drenched in a syrup of sugar).
Healthy
Of
the surveyed, 88 percent said that Ramadan stands a golden opportunity
to lose weight and keep fit.
“Fast
undoubtedly is very healthy irrespective of its religious
significance,” Stephanie, 41, said.
“I’m
myself keen on fasting yearlong, not out of religiosity but I follow a
regime prescribed by my doctor and I managed to lose 10 kilograms.”
But
Roget, an engineer, said he abhors that the productivity of his
Moroccan colleagues during Ramadan sharply decreases and they do not
usually make punctual appearance at work.
Ramadan
is the ninth month on the Islamic lunar calendar, when the Noble
Qur`an was revealed upon Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
It
a time when Muslims fast to learn discipline, reflect and reconnect
spiritually. Extensive worship and charity also are components of the
month.
