Fasting Period

It is already 21st of September 2008 today. It also coincides with the 21st of Ramadhan, the twenty-first day of fasting of 1429 Hijrah Year. That fact was re-emphasised into me on the way to Tarawikh last Tuesday; it was the 15th day of fasting on September 15th, so it was also the full moon night. The sky was clear so we can clearly see the perfect full moon. It was the 15th day of the moon, no doubt about it.

So it is this year’s special, that the Masehi dates are the same with the Hijrah months. We’ve had Aidilfitri days that came close together with Christmas, more than once with Gong Xi Fa Cai (Kongsi Raya) and Deepavali (Kongsi Gelap – sic). We’ve even had the Aidilfitri twice in one Masehi calendar year a few years back.

It is just the way it is – the Hijrah Year is a lunar year. If follows the cycle of the moon, so the months are supposed to be an even 30 days for all months and an even 360 days in a year. With that, there will be a 5 days gap with the Masehi year, and 21 days gap in four years (the Leap Year). The constant movement of the fasting and Aidilfitri period in relation to the months of the Masehi year provides exciting different backgrounds and environments to the required endeavor. One time we may go through our fasting days during wet Monsoon seasons, while in around a decade or so we maybe controlling our appetite and passions in a sweltering heats of the equivalent to the “summer” seasons. It did not make that much different to us in Malaysia and other tropical climate areas. It is just the slight change in temperature and humidity, and sometimes the above-mentioned either full sunshine or wet downpours period.

If we’d spent some time fasting in the temperate climate, four seasons’ countries, we’ll go through bigger differences. And we’re not talking about the polar areas yet. The days are longer during the summer and a lot shorter during the winter. So basically, we would want to be there during fasting months in the winter. That will be from December to March in Europe and North America, or from May to August in Australia or New Zealand.

I was somewhat on the losing side when I spent five fasting periods in the North America during the summer period of the fasting cycle. OK, OK. Only four times – I was back on vacation in Malaysia the third time around. I was in West Virginia during the “better” first half of the 80’s. More details in next postings.