Even young children can join in Ramadan fasting, but they need to pace themselves, Muslims say

As Muslims across P.E.I. celebrate the holy month of Ramadan, it may come as a surprise to some outside the faith that many children partake to varying degrees in the ritual of fasting during daylight hours this month — which can mean no food or drink for 12 hours or longer.

Ramadan began April 1 and will end May 1 with the celebration of Eid al-Fitr, which is a three-day religious holiday. Children who have not gone through puberty are not required to fast, and neither are Muslims who are menstruating, pregnant or sick.

At their home in Charlottetown, Rasha Elbehery and her husband, Ahmed Elmoslemany, are fasting, along with their 20-year-old son, Mahmoud, daughter Menna, 17, and 11-year-old Mostafa. The couple also have a three-year old, Maria.

"They choose to do it, we don't force them" to fast, Elbehery said of the children. In fact, she said Menna wanted to start partially fasting when she was just five years old and Mostafa when he was six.

"I keep telling him you don't have to do it," Elbehery said of Mostafa, who because of his age is not required to fast but does.

Elbehery makes sure the kids get a hearty breakfast before sunup and a big meal at sundown, so she is not worried about them fasting during the day — although she always has food prepared if they need it.

"I'm proud of them. They started at a very young age and they really did it," she said.

The family decorated their home for Ramadan, and they go to the mosque in Charlottetown to pray every evening.

"We call it month of joy," Elbehery said. 

Mostafa is in Grade 6 at Spring Park Elementary School, where during the month of Ramadan he fasts all day.

"It just feels special — I don't really know how to explain it," he said. When he was younger, he said he wanted to fast to be like his older siblings, but now it's different.

The first day of fasting is the hardest, then it gets easier, Mostafa said. He reads to distract himself from hunger and thirst.

Menna, his older sister, said Ramadan is a good month to reflect on one's relationship to Islam and to empathize with people who don't have enough to eat or drink. As a child, she was competitive with her older brother and by Grade 2 was fully fasting daily during Ramadan.

"Now, it's like more of a religious thing, it's not just a competition," Menna said. She takes time to read the Qur'an and strengthen her relationship with God — not to mention making and eating special Ramadan treats for the family's evening meal. Fasting is now part of her routine and is not hard, she said.