Today the excitement is beginning for the Muslim community, Eid-UL Fitr.
Everyone is doing their last minute shopping, cooking and sorting the house to celebrate the end of Ramadan. Ramadan is our most holiest month where everyone who can fast doesn’t eat from sunrise to sunset.
As we know some diabetics decided to fast but I don’t instead I give money to someone else to be able to break their fast and I get rewarded as a fasting person ( I love this fact and the kindness Islam has on those who are ill!) towards the end of Eid every muslim no matter their age or condition has to feed a poor person.
Eid lasts for 3 days on the first day everyone wakes up early in the morning has their showers and puts on their brand new clothes. our prophet swt used to have 3 dates this is to show the end of fasting so every muslim has 3 dates or something sweet in order to follow his footsteps. Then we go to the mosque and pray our eid prayers and listen to the talk. Then everyone greets each other with hugs and kisses and sayings of Eid mubarak. The children get spoilt with presents,sweets,money and a feast at home.
When prayers are finished we walk in a different direction to the one we came from this in order to see other people we haven’t seen before and see them all dressed up. Every person greets one another. Then we all go to the grandparents house had have a good catch up and relax before going out to enjoy the celebrations we usually go to the funfair in the park and a restaurant.
The day of Eid is a wonderful celebration so I tend to put my diabetes on the back burner.This leads me to have higher sugars then normal for most of the day.I try and deal with it the best way I can but its very hard having to take care of two toddlers needs on a special day as they are even more excited then usual.
I am exhausted by the end of it due to the walking,change of routine ,unscheduled eating times and family members trying to over feed you out of generosity or because they have an idea that diabetics should be over fed.lol
Thank-you for your kindness in sharing those traditions with us! Many of my co-workers have been cheerfully fasting for Ramadan through these long and very hot days. The fast did last for 17 hours on some days this year - a very long time to be without food and water. Eid Mubarak Osob!
Aww Bowie,
17 hours is a long time, It surprises me how they do it maybe it’s because I know my body can’t that’s why I find it hard to get my head around it. Our side it’s been just a little under 20 hours that’s ages.
Thank you for taking the time to read and post back.
Eid Mubarak
ChagSameach (or the Muslim equivalent) to you and yours! FWIW, I will never insist that my daughter fast on Yom Kippur, and I hope she doesn’t ever decide to fast for extended periods of time. I would worry far too much… May you have a glorious feast!
Thank you.
I have always not fasted had my battles and stages of shame but with age comes wisdom as they say and that really is true.
Sounds like your daughter is very lucky to have u in her corner.
@Osob I love hearing about your culture and traditions, thank you so much for sharing. I love the part about walking home a different way so you’ll see as many friends as possible, and of course the giving to the poor.
This year the International Diabetes Federation published a comprehensive guide to Ramadan for PWDs
@osob, I was just remembering when we became friends when you joined TuD in 2009, you were preparing for your wedding, and you shared many pictures w us of the days leading up to it, the henna your women friends and family decorated you and the ceremony itself. I found it all so interesting to be able to experience a different culture. and of course we all celebrated w you the birth of your two precious girls in the years afterward.
Eid Mubarak @MariaB thank you.
Yeah henna is also a big part of the eid celebrations but me and the girls are not getting it done this year as I haven’t been well leading up to the eid.
I can’t believe how fondly you text and remember it, I feel emotional. Thank you very much.
Lots of love from me and the family.
Personally I would rather have a discussion about how we are dealing with diabetes, dealing with religion is another topic, for discussion at another time.
Personally, I like these kinds of threads. This one in particular makes me feel connected to the world-wide network of PWD whose lives and cultures are wonderfully different from mine. Diversity at its best!
Yeah I forgot to write about how it impacts my diabetes but I have updated it now and hopefully have covered it w little. It would be a great discussion, I would love to see how we all deal with celebrations and diabetes. We could all exchange tips and give advice.
Xxx
osob, thanks so much for sharing your traditions with us! i grew up in queens, new york, in one of the most ethnically diverse zip codes in the country. i was the only one who didnt speak a second language at home, which had me so put out!
i grew up with chinese, greek, japanese, argentine, puerto rican and vietnamese kids but didnt meet anyone muslim until college. I remember my classmate fasting for Ramadan. It was hard to do for a month, she said, but totally worth it, doing it with her family and friends. at the end of Ramadan that year, she brought in sweets and foods to taste-totally delicious! and before my D diagnosis, so i could eat it all without thinking.
It is really interesting to learn about other people´s traditions and i was so surprised after moving to spain 15 years ago about their completely different christmas traditions-foods they eat, the different days of exchanging gifts, all the little things that made the celebration theirs!
i did a language degree but also did a degree in biological anthropology. in bio anthro we had to do some cultural anthropology courses. i guess those were all sales pitches too.
great to hear you had a wonderful end to your holiday and that the kids enjoyed it!
I always wondered what people with diabetes do during the month of Ramadan.
The only Muslims with type 1 I’ve ever met were in diabetes camp when I was a kid and back then I didn’t think of asking. I’m glad to hear Islam makes an exception as it seems like it would be very difficult or even a bit risky to attempt with diabetes.
This to me is fascinating and an indicator of how one as a PWD can engage in just about anything, but there’s safe ways to do things and unsafe ways to do them.
