Ramadhan starts in Malaysia and the rest of the Muslim world today. ‘Ramadhan’ is actually the name of the month when all Muslims who have reached puberty and are in good health fast from dawn to dusk. Since Muslims follow a lunar-based calendar called ‘Hijrah’ calendar, Ramadhan can fall on any month of the Gregorian calendar.

Fasting (‘sawm‘ in Arabic, ‘puasa‘ in Malay) entails abstaining from food, drink and sex from sunrise until sunset for a month. Women who have their period can’t fast and have to replace the same number of days they missed fasting anytime during the rest of the year. Pregnant or breastfeeding women may also be excused if fasting compromises their health or their babies’ health. Sick people are exempted, as well.

And even though fasting is not obligatory for children, it’s quite common for Malaysian children as young as 6 or 7 starting to fast, even if it’s just for a few hours. They practice waking up at dawn to eat ‘sahur‘, go back to sleep, go to school and play as usual, then break their fast sometime during the day when they can’t stand it anymore. You’ll be surprised at the number of young children who can actually fast for the whole day, for an entire month. Try asking your neighbours’ kids! This way, by the time they’ve reached the age of puberty and are required to fast, their systems would have already gotten used to the routine.

In Malaysia, even though it is Ramadhan, restaurants and fast food joints remain open for business throughout the day. It seems almost ironical for these places to be mostly manned by Muslim staff who are, themselves, fasting. It’s quite common to see families go in, with the fasting parents feeding their small children. Oh, and in case you’re wondering how Muslim cooks manage, they are allowed to taste the food as long as they don’t swallow. Tricky, huh?When Ramadhan comes, special food bazaars sprout up like mushrooms in each township or community. As early as 4 or 4.30 pm, hawkers start selling all sorts of drinks, cakes, sweets, cookies, rice dishes, vegetables and viands. Even non-Muslims enjoy these food bazaars, as special delicacies are often sold during this time, including specialities from other states like ayam percik from Kelantan (grilled chicken, smothered in a creamy coconut cream-based sauce).

Ramadhan also means ‘buka puasa‘ buffets (‘buka‘ literally means ‘open’) in hotels and restaurants all over Malaysia. Corporate bodies often take this opportunity to get together with their clients and treat them to a lavish spread of sweets, cakes, local food and Western food. The ‘buka puasa‘ buffets are open to the general public and you’ll be surprised at the number of people who’ll fork out RM45++ or more per person for a 2-hour smorgasbord.

During the month of Ramadhan, you’ll also see mosques packed more than usual at night, as Muslims flock to pray ‘tarawih‘, a special prayer that can only be prayed in this month. If you live in an area where there’s a mosque or surau, don’t be surprised at the number of cars parked on both sides of the road. But as the month progresses, you’ll notice that the number of cars slowly dwindle…

Working hours are also often altered for this month, as people rush to go home early to cook or shop for their ‘buka puasa‘. Many offices skip or shorten their lunch break and/or start half an hour earlier in the morning, to allow their staff to go home as early as 4.30 pm. So don’t be surprised to find that your local family clinic or nearby sundry shop suddenly have earlier closing times during Ramadhan.

This site has a simple yet concise explanation on why Muslims fast: http://www.sunnah.org/ibadaat/fasting/fast.html.