Today is an Islamic holiday. Eid al Fitr. Festival day. Fahim, being Muslim, doesn’t work today.
This is an interesting country. The major religions all get their own religious holidays. There are the national holidays, of course, but there are also Buddhist holidays and Muslim holidays. I’m not sure yet whether Christians get their holidays off, but since I don’t work, I don’t really care. But because today is the first day of Eid, Fahim doesn’t work. Everyone else at work who isn’t Muslim does have to work. He doesn’t call in to let them know he won’t be in – he just doesn’t show, and everyone knows why.
I say that because it was announced last night that today was Eid. It isn’t known in advance exactly when it will start.
See, much the same as Ramadan starts when the new moon is sighted, it’s the same as the end of Ramadan. It depends on the new moon being sighted. Even though astronomically, we know exactly when the new moon will be, that doesn’t count. It has to be sighted by multiple people – that is, verifiable – in order to count.
Today, because of Eid, Fahim also goes to the Mosque for Festival prayers at 8:15am. He’s already gone. Prayers started ten minutes ago. Can you do the math and figure out what time I’m writing this?
Yeah, I know. Facetious. Live with it. Fahim does. 🙂
This also means that today is not a fasting day, but a regular day in terms of food and sleep. Fahim had the opportunity to sleep in until 5:45am. However, his body adjusted to the 4am wake up call – his body woke him at 3:45 to pee. Poor guy. Even when he doesn’t have to wake up that early, he still does anyway.
He had breakfast with me today – for the first time since Ramadan started. I missed having breakfast with him.
However. There is, apparently, the option of doing an additional week of fasting starting the day after Eid. Fahim is taking the option. So tomorrow morning, he resumes his 4am awakenings and his Ramadan fasting. However, it’s only one week. I think he can survive. I think I can survive. 🙂
