US Muslims Make Adjustments for Ramadan
July 24,2013
Muslims are a small minority in the U.S., so it can be a challenge for some of the faithful to observe their religion in a society that doesn’t follow the same rituals.
This is especially so during Ramadan, the Islamic holy month, which this year falls on the hottest and longest days of the year. But some Washington-area Muslim Americans find that their employers do try to accommodate their needs during 30 days of fasting from dawn to dusk.
Sami Malek has been fasting from dawn to dusk since the start of Ramadan. As a waiter at a popular Middle Eastern restaurant and market, he is constantly surrounded by the sight and smell of food and drink. But that hasn’t tempted the 23-year-old graduate student to deviate from his faith.
“When I make good service and people are enjoying the food, I feel happy,” he said. “When people tell me ‘It’s good food, I like it, it’s very delicious,’ I feel good.”
Malek is observing his first Ramadan in the U.S. since arriving from Algeria less than a year ago. He said it’s about mind over matter.
“If you want to do Ramadan, you do it, and you have to do it because you are Muslim,” he said. “Usually the first day is hard; first day, second day, but after that, it’s like habituation.”
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