A time for ‘patience and restraint’
Restaurant and food workers fast, show devotion
Ramadan, the month of daytime fasting observed by adult Muslims the world over, begins at sundown Sunday.
It is also a month of prayer, reflection and charity and a time of self-restraint and reflection. Fasting aims to purify the believers’ souls and bring them closer to God, according to Islamic belief. Inappropriate thoughts, false words or bad deeds may nullify a fast as does eating or drinking.
The Quran says, “O you who have attained to faith! Fasting is ordained for you as it was ordained for those before you, so that you might remain conscious of God.” (2:183)
Observant Muslims do not eat or drink, not even a sip of water, during daylight hours. Fasting from dawn to sunset is obligatory for all adult Muslims who are not ill, traveling or elderly. Women who are pregnant, breastfeeding or menstruating are excused.
Those who fast have a predawn meal, called suhoor. They offer early morning prayers and go about their daily routines. The evening meal at the end of the fast is called iftar and is traditionally broken with sweet dates. The meal typically includes fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, breads, cheeses or yogurt and sweets.
Foods for iftar vary depending on culture and geographic region. Pakistanis may like samosas, a fried pastry with a savory filling, Turkish and Middle Easterners may like lentil soup, Indonesians may go for kolak, a brew of coconut milk and sugar with slices of banana and sweet potatoes and Bosnians may enjoy pita bread, salads and kabab with coffee.
Ramadan is also a time for bonding and socializing. Iftars are held in homes or in Islamic centers, followed by communal prayer and reading of the Quran.
How do food workers manage preparing, cooking and serving food to customers in restaurants or their catering businesses while refraining from any intake themselves?
Ali Sarap of Turkey owns Ali Baba in Troy. His son Olcay Sarap said, “Everyone working in the restaurant will be fasting, including my father. When you are around food you stop craving it.
“In Ramadan we restrain from eating and drinking. It is just another day for us and the restaurant will have regular
hours during Ramadan,” said Olcay, a software engineering student at SUNY Schenectady County Community College, who was born in Istanbul and came to the Capital Region when he was young.
His sentiments were echoed by Rubina Mumtaz of Latham, who co-owns Shalimar Express and Falafel Express in the Galleria 7 Market in Latham with her son, Ahmed Khan.
She has no qualms about fasting while working with food. “I am absolutely fine with that
(not eating around food), being used to fasting from a young age. Plus, during Ramadan, we have patience and restraint,” she said.
Both her restaurants are open regular hours during Ramadan. Some of the workers do fast, Mumtaz said. “We are used to it and are in spirit with the community. Fasts are a blessing.”
Mumtaz also runs a dessert business from home, Mevasweets, where she makes ethnic desserts including baklava and date balls. Her daughter Hafsa, a freshman at Union College in
Schenectady, helps with packaging and uploading pictures on Instagram and the Mevasweets website.
Ramadan commemorates the first revelation from God to Prophet Muhammad by means of the archangel Gabriel in 610 A.D. The revelations would later be compiled around 650 A.D. and known as the Quran.
The Quran states situations in which a Muslim is allowed to abstain from fasting and introduces alternative solutions such as feeding needy people. Liaquat Khan, Mumtaz’s husband, who supports with running the restaurants, does not fast because of health reasons: He is diabetic.
The annual observance of Ramadan is regarded as one of the five pillars of Islam. The others are faith in one God, daily prayer, charity and for those of good health and financial means, pilgrimage to the holy sites in and around Mecca once in their lifetime. The Islamic calendar follows a lunar cycle, and is observed with calculated dates of the new moon or sightings of the crescent moon. It is a 33-year cycle.
Ramadan ends April 9 this year. The celebration that follows is Eid al-fitr, commemorated with prayers, meals and gettogethers with family and friends.
Ali Baba will be closed on Eid al-fitr, Olcan said.