Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News – 2013-07-25

A Hindu family from Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates have been observing Ramadaan fast for the past 14 years.

54 Year old Vakkam Jayalal who along with his 43 year old wife Yamuna and two grown-up children observe fast throughout Ramadan.

A UAE resident for 32 years, Jayalal, hails from Kerala and works as a coordinator at a civil consultant firm. He said he started fasting 21 years ago when he lived with a Muslim family in Abu Dhabi.

“I was the only non-Muslim in the house. So I decided to fast as well. It was a great experience. It has been over two decades since then, and not a Ramadan has passed when I have not observed fasting,” said Jayalal.

“We cannot imagine a Ramadan without fasting. It is like an inner call,” added Jayalal.

The devotion and spiritual strength of the family has inspired even Jayalal’s 82-year-old mother who is visiting the UAE. She successfully fasted for two days, but was discouraged from fasting for the entire month for health reasons.

The family says they benefit both physically and mentally. “It is a great way of self-discipline. Fasting helps us shed extra weight and also discipline the mind,” said Jayalal.

The Jayalal family are not alone. There are many non-Muslims in the UAE who take on the month-long exercise in spiritual cleansing and devotion every year.

While some are inspired by the concept, others observe the Ramadan fast to express solidarity with their Muslim brethren. – Gulf News