Ramadan or not, here I come...

Well it's Fat Tuesday in Dubai, Ramadan should start tomorrow. (the Sheik's will figure out if it starts by studying the Celestial bodies tonight...)so you are wondering exactly what is Ramadan...and how does it effect your ole buddy John...
Ramadan is the Holiest time of the year for Muslims. It is a time of sacrifice and getting one's soul in alignment with God. The month long atonement. involves strict adherence to fasting rules. The observing Muslims (have not met one yet that has said they are not observing) can not let anything pass their lips from sunrise to sunset during this month. That includes water, food, gum, mints anything....they are not even allowed to use an eye drop because it enters the system as a fluid....Now I don't know about you, but I think not drinking a drop of fluid when it is nearing 120 degrees in the shade is downright scary. They are also not allowed to be intimate with their spouse during this month...they have special prayer rules so that they are up most of the night in deep prayer. They do eat a predawn breakfast and generally have a large dinner at night.
As a non-Muslim living in a Muslim country there are strict rules for me also. I am not allowed to have anything in my mouth during the day in front of a Muslim. No drinking, gum chewing food or even a toothpick. The penalty if I do can be actual jail time. Our offices are adhering to special hours. there is no music allowed to be played as background noise and you are forbidden from dancing or singing. Almost all of the restaurants are closed during the day except for some of the hotel dining establishments and they must cover their windows with black curtains so that you can not be seen inside. Now they are not expecting me to observe Ramadan just respect it. I can go to the backroom and drink water. I can run home and have lunch in my apartment and that is perfectly fine. If a Muslim has to drink water for health reasons or even take medicine. their fasting time is increased day for day and they can never be forgiven but they can mitigate their sin by doing charitable work for the poor...
My department at work is majority Christian (the company is not) so I think I will be able to cope and mitigate the effect on myself...Our friend Sham shaved his head to help get his mind right for the approaching month...We will see how it goes, I will do my best not to get arrested....

God be with us all,

John