Ramadan is more than just a month of fasting – it’s a time of deep reflection, self-discipline, and spiritual connection. From fasting through DofE expeditions to celebrating Eid with loved ones, every moment of Ramadan holds significance.

We speak to 2024-25 DofE UK Youth Ambassador, Safa, about her personal experiences of Ramadan, the joy and celebrations of Eid, and sharing tips for managing fasting during a DofE expedition.

Ramadan to me is a deeply spiritual and reflective time. It’s not just about fasting, but about reconnecting with my faith, my community and myself.

It’s a time for self-discipline and to really appreciate the many little blessings we often overlook. Fasting can be tough, especially with the longer hours in the UK, but it’s also a reminder to be grateful for things we take for granted, like food, water and shelter.

What I love most about Ramadan is the sense of togetherness – whether it’s sharing Iftar (fast-breaking evening meal) with friends, preparing food for my neighbours, or educating people that may not know what fasting is or why we take part in Ramadan. It strengthens that bond with my culture and faith.

Why do people fast during Ramadan?

Ramadan is a time to purify the soul, strengthen one’s relationship with God and reflect on the many blessings that may be forgotten. The act of fasting encourages self-discipline, proactively improving ourselves and a closer connection with God. It’s a time for contemplation and reflection on one’s actions, as well as making efforts to better ourselves.

I completed my Gold expedition while fasting, so I wasn’t eating or drinking from the time of sunrise until sunset. On the first night, I practically collapsed and was ready to break my fast once the sun had set! ?Fasting during your DofE expedition might sound impossible, but it is manageable! Here are some tips that I found useful:

• Instead of breaking my fast with a packet of crisps, have water with granola bars and nuts – they’re small and convenient for multitasking, walking and eating! (they should really sponsor me for advocating for them!)
• Keep hydrated before sunrise and after sunset – as well as water, drink sports drinks that contain electrolytes to help maintain your sodium and potassium levels.
• Communicate with your teammates and DofE Leader – it doesn’t sound like an obvious tip, but if I didn’t speak to them, then I wouldn’t have been able to voice my concerns when I was feeling slightly exhausted and in need of a little rest. So ALWAYS be a voice for yourself because no one is going to do it for you!
• Take extra breaks – not only did I stop to rest, but I also prayed during my breaks. After praying, I felt revitalised, some may say that this was divine intervention! I didn’t even feel tired when we had to run after a lamb that had been trapped and was in immediate need of rescuing! Before your Expedition, you can make your Leader aware that you are fasting, so you feel supported when taking breaks and praying.

There are so many things you do for the first time during your DofE expedition that you take home with you, on the second night of my expedition, after we had some warm weather during the day, I looked outside at the stars. They were breathtaking, literally out of this world! No pictures or images do the picturesque night sky any justice. Now I am trying to convince my family to come out on a walk with me, just so we can all take in the beauty of the night sky!

How do you celebrate Eid?

Eid Al-Fitr is a joyous celebration, filled with many traditions that vary from country to country. Everyone will wear their best clothes on this occasion, it’s a celebration of spiritual renewal, charity, family, and community after the month of fasting during Ramadan.

To start the day, we attend Mosque for a special Eid prayer which is held in congregation. It gives me an indescribable amount of pleasure to see the amount of people who attend from all walks of life, as we all get to celebrate with our families at the same time.

Everyone is looking happy and looking their best – boys and men wear Thobes, while girls and women wear headscarves and colourful long Abayas (dresses that covers everywhere except the hand feet and face). In my local community, even those who don’t usually wear a hijab would wear one.

The most common phrase people will hear is “Eid Mubarak”. Even if we don’t know the person, we will reply back with “Khair Mubarak”. This expression is to spread the festive energy of goodwill, kindness, and shared joy to all, whether they are friends, family or strangers.

During the month of Ramadan, we give Zakat (charity) via money or food to those most in need of it. This can also include giving a plateful of food to our neighbours to ease the burden of cooking or to share the blessings that this month entails.

One tradition that surpasses many cultures is called Eidiyah (giving money gifts to the young.) I used to get about £3 but now I am seeing on social media that there are kids as young as 5 getting over £50!

Instead of leaving all the cooking to one person, each family usually brings one traditional main meal (which is the best part for the meat eaters!) as this consists of Biryani, chicken or lamb karahi and marinated lamb chops. One dessert is brought by each family; sometimes more than one because who doesn’t love a good dessert? I make a mean mars bar crunch and a banoffee pie from scratch!

When I was younger, we would begin at my grandparents’ house and end at their house to wind down after a long day of visiting each other’s homes, playing AND losing at monopoly and scrabble, we exchange gifts between the families.

One of my favourite parts is participating in ‘Secret Eid’ like Secret Santa. You never know what to expect! Once I received the left shoe that I had been missing for two weeks. This was paired with a very thoughtful knitted jumper and gloves that I had been wanting to buy.

If you’re a DofE Leader looking for more information on supporting participants who are completing their Expeditions during Ramadan, take a look at our Frequently Asked Questions.