The following article is courtesy Family and Community Medicine Assistant Professor Sumayah Abed, M.D., UAB Biology Undergraduate Student Sura Ahmed, and UAB Biotechnology Doctoral Student and Research Scientist Ahmed Abdelgawad.
Ramadan is a sacred time of year when Muslims embark on a personal journey of self-discipline and spiritual reflection. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar. Unlike the solar Gregorian calendar, the Muslim calendar is lunar—11 to 12 days shorter. This year, Ramadan is March 10-April 9.
During Ramadan, from the first light of dawn to sunset's last ray, Muslims fast, embracing a challenge that tests their faith and resilience. This fast, which varies between 12 and 17 hours based on location and season, is more than abstaining from food and drink. Throughout the daylight hours, Muslims also pause from smoking, sexual relations, and taking oral medications in their quest for deeper connection and devotion. Suhoor and Iftar, the two main meals served during Ramadan pre-dawn and post-sunset, frame this quest.
For the faithful, Ramadan magnifies the essence of community and shared experience, encouraging generosity, unity and collective devotion. This month is not just a test of physical resilience but a celebration of spiritual abundance, bringing Muslims closer to their faith and to one another.
In Ramadan, every capable Muslim is invited to fast, a practice deep with spiritual significance. However, mercy is extended to those who are pregnant, nursing, traveling, or ill, allowing them to postpone their fasting to a more suitable time. Those with chronic conditions may offer charity instead, embodying the month’s spirit through generosity. Some choose to fast amidst adversity, driven by a profound commitment to this sacred observance. This choice highlights the deep spiritual connection and personal devotion Ramadan evokes, underscoring the individual's journey towards greater faith and resilience.
Navigating health care during Ramadan requires careful consideration to align with the fasting practices of Muslim patients, ensuring they can observe this spiritual month without compromising their health. Health care professionals should tailor treatment plans, particularly by adjusting medication schedules to align with the timing of Suhoor and Iftar. Ensuring adequate nutrition and hydration during Suhoor is essential for sustaining health through the fasting hours.
Diabetes management becomes especially critical, as fasting poses increased risks for blood sugar instability. Patients with diabetes, whether Type 1 or 2, need to meticulously monitor their condition and adjust medication with professional guidance to avoid adverse effects. For individuals suffering from serious diabetes-related issues, like chronic kidney disease, fasting is typically not recommended.
Asthma patients who exhibit uncontrolled asthma should break their fasts to enable necessary use of inhalers. Ear drops do not break a fast if the eardrums are not perforated. Otherwise, ear drops should be used sometime between sunset and dawn. Eye and nose drops can reach the mouth and, in turn, break a fast.
Blood transfusions, IV fluids, and multivitamins invalidate fasting and should only be administered when absolutely necessary. In emergencies, specific medical examinations like rectal and vaginal examinations and treatments are exceptions that allow for breaking the fast, highlighting the importance of health in religious observance.
Ramadan represents a profound period of spiritual devotion and self-discipline, for Muslims, bringing together millions in a global act of faith. While fasting practices define this holy month, they can be adapted to accommodate health and wellbeing. Health care professionals play a crucial role in ensuring Muslims can observe their fast safely, adjusting medical treatments and providing guidance for those with chronic conditions. This balance of faith and health care underscores the adaptability of religious practices to support both spiritual fulfillment and physical wellbeing.