Muslim sailors breaking their fast aboard HMCS Halifax

Sailor 2nd Class Ahmad Bitar doesn’t hesitate when asked what he plans to eat Thursday to celebrate Eid al-fitr, the end of 30 days of fasting for Ramadan that comes with the first sighting of the new moon.

“The cooks on my ship asked me what I wanted, and they’ve made me a special meal,” the 21-year-old naval communicator said Wednesday in a telephone interview from HMCS Halifax off the coast of the U.K.

“l asked for hummus and donair pizza.”

Bitar is among three Muslim members of the frigate’s crew that have been trying to fast during daylight hours for the past month to mark Ramadan, the holiest of Islamic months.

It was a difficult decision to fast at sea, he said.

“I’ve been doing it since I was seven years old and it’s different this year around because I’m deployed for it. But it’s like the same as every year — you just get used to it and your body adjusts.”

Not eating during daylight hours “does make it a little difficult” to ward off seasickness, Bitar said.

TOUGH BEING AWAY FROM HOME

But the toughest part has been not having his family around.

“Think of it as like being away from your home during Christmas time.”

Bitar’s been able to communicate with his family regularly using Facetime.

“My dad’s side lives in Halifax and my mom’s side lives in Lebanon,” he said. “They obviously miss me. But being deployed is a good opportunity I couldn’t really pass up.”

He hasn’t been fasting every day. “Some days are harder than others at sea. I’ve done it every single day when we’re alongside.”

Bitar feels at a little bit of a disadvantage when not eating during the day.

“You have to move at the same pace as everybody else without eating. That’s why you’ve got to stock up the night before and eat a big breakfast.”

The ship’s cooks have been setting aside food for the Muslim sailors.

“It was pretty easy to arrange,” Bitar said. “When it was sunset, we would just come down to the kitchen and grab our food and eat.”

It’s difficult to pay attention to detail without something in your stomach, he said. “When you’re hungry, you lose a little bit of that.”

Islam allows travellers to put off their fasting until their journey is done.

“So, after Ramadan is over, when I get the chance, I’ll have to make up the days that I missed before next year’s Ramadan,” Bitar said.

DISCIPLINE, SELF-CONTROL AND APPRECIATION

While fasting means less nourishment, it adds something to life as well. “It gives you discipline. It gives you self-control. And it makes you appreciate all the blessings you have in your life.”

Some sailors have tried joining him to see how far they could get without food. “But no one actually managed to get through the full day.”

He has a simple message for family on Eid: “I love you guys and I’ll see you guys soon.”

Bitar said he would normally buy his cousins and brother and sister gifts for Eid.

“It’s just about spending time with your family.”

Muslims are supposed to pray five times a day. “But due to the schedule I do all of them at the end of the day,” he said.

‘WHEN IT’S BUSY YOU FEEL THE HUNGER COMING IN’

Fasting’s more difficult on busy days aboard ship, said Sailor 2nd Class Yunus Kurt.

“I feel it a lot more today compared to other days. Because if it’s not as busy, then I can get by it. But when it’s busy you feel the hunger coming in, which is good because that is the reason why we fast: to feel the hunger, to feel how others feel when they’re hungry and to understand what they feel.”

Kurt hasn’t been working out in the ship’s gym this month, “so that I can have more energy throughout the day.”

The 27-year-old naval communicator said he started fasting for Ramadan when he was eight or nine years old.

“This is the most difficult because this is the one where I was not able to see my parents at all,” Kurt said.

He was born in Turkey, but moved to Canada at the age of 11. Kurt’s parents now live in London, Ont. “Whenever we’re in a port I give them a call and show them around.”

Kurt is the eldest of four siblings. During Ramadan, they would normally eat their meals together before sunrise and after sunset. But this year he’s been mostly eating alone on the ship for the past month.

He doesn’t have a meal picked out for Eid, but there’s a good reason.

“The special food I have is my mom’s food,” Kurt said.

She would normally prepare Turkish stuffed meatballs called Isli Kofte.

But this year, Kurt will have what Bitar’s having.

“I like hummus a lot, too,” Kurt said. “And donair is also nice. So why not donair pizza?”

Sailor 2nd Class Yunus Kurt, left, and Sailor 2nd Class Ahmad Bitar have been fasting for Ramadan over the past 30 days aboard HMCS Halifax. They are among three Muslims in the frigate's crew that will celebrate Eid Thursday.