I'm v excited for Ramadan this year but every year I complain about the unfairness of Saudi timings vs European timings. I can't get my head around it. I don't buy the "God will reward you more because of the longer fasts" or "if you can't, don't" or a "but it says sunrise to sunset". And I keep getting the "you just can't"
For the holiest place on Earth for Muslims, why if we pray towards Mecca, and rely on Saudi to spot the crescent moon can we not look to Mecca to break our fasts? I can’t understand the stubbornness of some who flat out insist people in Europe stick to the long fasts with no allowances during the day but give a free pass to those living in Gulf countries that never see v long days like this. Yes it’s hot there but for many life slows down, there is aircon and you get longer breaks. Most sleep through the day, eat all they want and binge tv when they break their fast, stay up late, to eat even more then sleep the next day. Lots of food is thrown away and for many I witnessed every time I go back to visit family in ME, lose their temper and do little introspection and reflection during the day- They’re hangry and v unproductive- how is that honouring Islam? That counts as fasting does it? Does not seem fair to me. People in majority muslim countries are invited over to break fast together and that alleviates the pressure on many women, but I don't have the luxury of that here. I cook all my own meals- I live in an insular village where there is no real muslim community.
Surely fasting is about intention, doing good, reflection etc? So if I choose to fast between 5 am and 7pm this year like the Saudis, but actually doing a full time job at the same time and manage to sleep at 9/9:30pm and digest my food which I would not be able to do on UK sunset times, the value of my fasting should not be diminished? Because I shaved a few hours off?
I have asked friends and they regurgitate. I’m looking for critical thinking here, which I know is an ask in religion but there has to be some common sense. The prophet pbuh fasted at approx 9 Ramadans in his lifetime, non in the Northern Europe. In fact, none of the Caliphates fasted in Northern Europe. Most were peak summer, so at most, in Saudi the sunset was around 7pm. Who’s to say I can’t be inspired by that and claim that as Sunnah since that was what the prophet pbuh did?
I am ranting I know- not hangry! :) and I really don’t want a telling off, just want a common sense answer please and I’d like responses from those that fast/have fasted and know a lot about Ramadan/Islam.