During the month of Ramadan, I get colleagues telling me how much they admire me and how uncommon it is to come across people who are so religious.

I just smile and say “I’ve been doing it since I was about 8, I’m used to it.”

What they don’t realize is that it is a requirement as a Muslim. Fasting does not make a person “religious”. This is what Islam is about. It is what must be done.

I don’t tell them this because they wont understand.

Abu Huraira (RA) related that Rasulullah (SAW) said: If anyone omits his fast even for one day in Ramadan without a concession or without being ill, then if he were to fast for the rest of his life he could not make up for it (Bukhari).

I find that more and more people around me don’t have faith. One claims to be Jewish but has his own rules, one does not follow any religion but is spiritual – the list goes on. I try to avoid getting into religious arguments because I see no reason for me to defend my religion. I don’t have to prove anything to anyone.

If you look at the facts at the end of the day – Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world.