The non-Muslims fasting in solidarity with loved ones this Ramadan

We speak to UAE residents who began observing the annual fast for others, but continued for themselves

Natasha Jain, whose husband Aasim is Muslim, began fasting more than a decade ago in solidarity with her best friend at university. Photo: Natasha Jain

Natasha Jain started fasting during Ramadan in 2014, when she was about 19 years old. While she was raised Hindu, her best friend in university was Muslim and they spent every day together, so she felt guilty eating around her.

Back then, she was living in Delhi and she didn't do it 100 per cent. She'd eat breakfast before they met up, but then wouldn't eat or drink again until the sun was setting. Then she started dating a Muslim man, who she went on to marry and have a child with.

“I thought I might as well do it properly,” she tells The National. “I don’t pray, so it doesn't count as fasting in a religious sense, but I still fast because I feel good about it.”

They've since moved to the UAE and she's been doing it every year, with the exception of 2024. She was heavily pregnant with their son, who was born on the first day of Eid Al Fitr. “I will surely do it for the rest of my life. Last year I felt like I was missing out on something.”

That said, Jain no longer believes in the reasons she began fasting. When her colleagues started feeling guilty about eating around her, she realised it had never made any difference to her friend or husband. “When I came to the other side of the spectrum, I realised that it doesn’t matter who you’re with or what they’re doing if you're putting your heart and soul into it,” she says.

“I started going to the office and that’s how my colleagues felt about me. They wouldn’t invite me for lunch, but I wanted the gossip. I would say, 'Eat whatever you want, it makes no difference'. So, it started for a reason that doesn’t even make sense to me any more.”

On behalf of someone else

Ahmad S, a Jordanian engineer who lives in Dubai, is fasting for very different reasons during Ramadan this year. While he hasn't fasted for himself since he lived with his parents, he has done it twice for his pregnant wife.

“It’s important to her and she feels connected to the spirituality of this holy month,” he tells The National. “As she is crushing the burden of creating life, the least I can contribute is participating on her behalf. I am doing this to help fulfil this big part of Ramadan for her.”

While he's confident he'll easily make it through the month, he has found it difficult to stave off his shorter fuse and hunger pangs, especially with a noisy toddler running around.

“My biggest win has been something my mum mentioned to me about emulating the Prophet Mohammed during Ramadan,” he says. “He used to observe this month as a self-control challenge, not only restraining himself from putting food into the body, but also sparing others from your tongue. Being mindful of what we say and being kinder with our words has a big psychological shift in the way thoughts are conjured. This has been a great help to focus on that during moments of hunger and thirst.”

'It gets better as the days pass'

Like Ahmed, Shivani Sharma has discovered that there is far more to fasting than not eating and drinking. While she first tried it five years ago in solidarity with a few friends, she's continued because she enjoys the benefits it brings.

Shivani Sharma, second from left, with friends and family at an iftar gathering. Photo: Shivani Sharma

“In addition to fasting, my two favourite things to follow are self-reflection and controlling anger and agitation,” she says. “It honestly helps me for months afterwards. For three years now I've been able to fast the entire month and I genuinely feel like a reset switch has been clicked.”

She also loves the community aspect of it, socialising during iftars and suhoors. “I'm glad I tried because the benefits outweighed the sacrifices.”

While Jain no longer thinks it's worth doing it in solidarity with others out of guilt, especially if it interferes with regular daily functioning, she wholeheartedly believes fasting during Ramadan can be beneficial for non-Muslims. “Only when you feel the hunger yourself can you relate to someone else’s hunger. Points like that stay with me.”

For anyone considering trying for the first time next year, Sharma says go for it. “It gets better as the days pass. Take advantage of the beautiful month to reconnect with things you probably don’t get a chance to do otherwise. Distract the hunger and thirst with reading, re-watching favourite shows, beautiful late afternoon naps, journaling, catching up with friends or whatever you enjoy.

“I do it every year not just for my friends, but myself, to reconnect with what matters and learning to be in the moment.”