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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
For most Muslims, Ramadan marks a month of fasting from dawn until sunset but in Yellowknife things are done a little differently.

Yousry Abdelmegid follows Edmonton time to determine when he starts and finishes fasting for the day during Ramadan. - Miranda Scotland/NNSL photo

"The North is obviously a little bit abnormal because you have so much daylight and so much dark at different times of the year," said Fadil Memedi.

"So you would have to follow a city that has close to a normal period of daylight and night."

Memedi himself looks to the birth place of the prophet Muhammad, Mecca, Saudi Arabia, to determine when he starts and finishes fasting. But there are other Yellowknife Muslims who go by Edmonton, Alta., time.

During Ramadan, Muslims must abstain from not only food and drink but also intimacy, smoking, swearing and any evil actions, thoughts or words. The event began on July 20 but the dates vary every year since it follows the Islamic lunar calendar. This year it is set to finish on Aug. 20 or 21, depending on the moon. All adult Muslims capable of participating must observe Ramadan, which is one of the five pillars of Islam.

"This is the month where you pull yourself back, get yourself together because you are doing this for God himself," said Memedi.

Back in Albania, Memedi said, the whole community would get together to celebrate the last three days of Ramadan, known as Eid. People would go from home to home greeting each other, sharing pastries and giving small gifts. Here in Yellowknife the celebrations are similar but a little more low-key, according to Memedi.

Rami Kssem said Ramadan gives Muslims a chance to teach themselves to be better people.

"It's like school," said Kssem.

"You train yourself to, let's say, wake up at 4:30 in the morning, and pray for one month. After one month is finished you will do it by yourself without alarm. You train yourself not to say bad words to other people or to control your temper, then the month is done then you continue by yourself.

"You get used to things for a month then you continue for the whole year. And then once that breaks down, the next will come and you have another Ramadan and again and again."

Yousry Abdelmegid said the event is also good for the spirit and for a person's connection with God.

If a person prays, gives charity or goes on a pilgrimage the world can see those actions. But fasting is just between a person and God, he said.

"Nobody knows. You don't know if I'm fasting now, you don't know if I'm really thirsting and I'm dying for a glass of water," Abdelmegid said. "It's something between the person and God."

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