Jaideep Sai Naidu loves the fasting of Ramadan.
DUBAI – Every year, an Indian Hindu expatriate Jaideep Sai Naidu joins festivities and celebrations marking the start of the fasting during the holy month of Ramadan with his Muslim friends in the United Arab Emirates.
Though he does not always participate in the fasting, he enjoys the spirit of unity spread during the blessed month.
Ramadan an Opportunity to Get Together
The 24-year-old Jaideep Sai Naidu told The National on Thursday, May 25:
“The best part of Ramadan, regardless of whether you see your friends or not throughout the year, is that at this time everybody starts getting together and people contact me to invite me for iftar meals with them.”
During Ramadan, he receives between 15 to 20 iftar invitations as 90 per cent of his friends are Arab Muslims.
Thousands of miles away in his home India, Naidu’s parents also get into the special Ramadan spirit and invite the families of Muslim friends for iftar at their home.
Taraweeh in the Nights of Ramadan
Naidu also enjoys the vibrant life of Ramadan nights when Muslims perform Taraweeh prayer and the Glorious Qur’an is recited in the mosques.
“Everywhere you go there are offers and sales and great deals, not just for small things but also all the way to cars. It is like the second Dubai Shopping Festival for everyone.” he says.
Naidu the entrepreneur, who runs a start-up construction company says that during this month, markets, shops and malls are open all the night. Roads and streets are inhabited by pedestrians and cars coming and going all the time. You feel like life does not stop. People like him can generally enjoy themselves until the late night, and then he even goes to suhoor with his Muslim friends.
Naidu Recites Qur’an
Witnessing many Ramadans, Naidu said his curiosity led him to read the Glorious Qur’an, adding he will convert to Islam to marry his Muslim fiancée.
Fasting for some Ramadan days, Naidu said that those days have taught him the value of food and how the poor, hungry people in the world feel.
“You feel you want to help, donate and give to charity.” he said.
“With my fiancée’s encouragement, I end up once or twice during Ramadan visiting orphanages and elderly care homes and that makes me see things in a different perspective.”
Ramadan the Ninth Month of Islamic Calendar
In Ramadan, adult Muslims, save the sick and those traveling, abstain from food, drink, smoking and sex between dawn and sunset.
Muslims dedicate their time during the holy month to become closer to Allah the Almighty through prayer, self-restraint and good deeds.
Revelation of Qur’an in Ramadan
It is customary for Muslims to spend part of the days during Ramadan studying the Noble Qur’an, as the revelation began in the month of Ramadan.
Many men perform i`tikaf (spiritual retreat), spending the last 10 days of the month exclusively in the mosque.
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This article was taken from: aboutislam.net with modifications.