Ilgar Ibrahimoglu

Azerbaijanis are about to join Muslims worldwide in marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan. Was it more difficult to keep the Ramadan fast during daylight hours this year because of the hot, humid summer?

First of all, I would like to congratulate Muslims worldwide on the holy day of Ramadan. May God accept your fast and your prayers! As for the influence of the heat and humidity on fasting, Ramadan fell in summer last year too. The same thing occurred this year and it will be the same for the next couple of years. I want to say that Muslims worldwide are ready for all the difficulties that they have to overcome when fasting. Moreover, the human body is able to adapt to many difficulties. I am happy that the number of people observing the fast is growing in our country every year and that people show a more thorough approach to Islam and the observation of its traditions.

How should the fast be ended?

The golden mean should be observed in fasting as in all aspects of life. I underline this because sometimes someone who fasts can be immoderate in their eating for the rest of the year. As for the rules for ending the fast, we should take into account the fact that during the fast the body has got used to having no water and food for 16-17 hours. It is wrong to immediately consume the same quantity of food and water as we usually consume. The body has to be allowed to adjust to the usual regime.

Are there any differences in approaches to fasting between Islam and other religions?

No. The aim of fasting in all religions is the ability to overcome all difficulties through restricting meals, the ability to resist temptation. In this regard, it is worth mentioning a trend for Western Europeans to keep the fast alongside Muslims. This shows that there are no differences among religions in their outlook on human values.

You mentioned that the Ramadan fast would be in summer for the next couple of years. The Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh has not yet been settled. If hostilities were to resume, would fasting in the army in summer influence combat readiness?

The Ramadan fast is a serious test of human will. It means that the fast is for someone who has a strong will, who is ready to face difficulties. These qualities are very useful during war. For example, National Hero of Azerbaijan, Warrant Officer Mubariz Ibrahimov [who was killed in a clash on the front line], kept the fast and prayed regularly. Therefore, I do not think that fasting will have a negative influence on the combat readiness of those Azerbaijani servicemen who fast. On the contrary, there is every reason to assume that fasting by Azerbaijani servicemen, their readiness to tackle difficulties, would have a positive impact on the morale of our army.

Akper Hasanov
News.Az