Why some non-religious pipo dey fast for Ramadan

Most pipo dey fast becos na obligation or becos of di promise of rewards wey e get for dia religion.

Some of dem dey fast evri year to go closer to dia God.

But odas dey fast for reasons from shyness around pipo or dem get fear of eating for public.

For many pipo, fasting na important part of dia religion. For Muslims, na act of worship wey dem dey do to get closeness wit dia God.

So why pipo wey no get religion and wey no dey follow di teachings of Islam go dey fast for Ramadan evri year?

For some Arab kontris, dem dey call dis pipo "Ramadan worshippers", wey be pipo wey no dey worship throughout di year except for di Ramadan fast.

Di BBC Arabic Service ask some men and women for different Arab kontris about why dem dey do am.

We don hide dia identity for plenti reasons, as dem agree to tok if we no tok dia real name. For most of dem, di reason wey dem dey give na for two reasons: spiritual and religious reasons, and family and social ones.

To find blessings for di year

Fouad for Lebanon tok say e dey fast for Ramadan to find blessing for di year, like New Year blessing.

E tok say: "Just as most pipo dey fast for beginning of evri new year to find dia blessings, na so I dey take Ramadan to improve my health and learn new habits.

"One month long fast dey give me di opportunity to learn new habits like patience and endurance."

Fouad tok say afta e "leave im religion" e go abroad but e still dey fast.

E say e dey help am remember im family and also tink about di poor.

"Na beta tin to remember di poor anytime of di year, but di spirit of forgiveness and generosity of orphans during di fast dey ginger well-well".

Afta e go back Lebanon, Fouad stop to dey fast.

E say: "If I fast for here, e go be like na hypocrisy as if I just dey show mysef to my close associates say see oh! I neva change my religion. I go dey hide di truth of my faith from dem and na wetin I no want be dat."

Fasting na tradition

No be only Fouad, for many pipo fasting abroad na custom and tradition mata.

Basma, wey be Tunisian wey dey live for Europe, dey start to dey prepare for Ramadan weeks bifor di month start. Dis na even though she no dey follow any religion and no dey perform any religious rituals evri year.

She tok say she no go force her pikin to follow any religion or perform any kain worship.

"My mama dey religious and veri devout but afta I grow up, I comot house and comot di religion. Afta my papa die and move go Europe, I go fast for Ramadan to remember my family."

Basma love to fast, she prepare for di month by decorating her dining area, buying new dishes, and arranging flowers and also contacting family members to greet dem and ask which food dem dey cook for di breaking of dia fast.

Na to train to get peace of mind

Peace of mind na di reason wey Ragheda from Lebanon dey observe di Ramadan fast.

She tok say "fasting dey help to create peace of mind and mental strength. E dey help pesin to achieve mental clarity by pushing away thoughts to chop and avoiding noisy places".

Wen she dey young and her adulthood, Ragheda bin dey veri religious but later she abandon all religious practices but she dey continue to fast becos she consider am "profit she dey gain".

She say: "My connection wit fasting dey emotional and on di oda hand, becos of how my family dey gada togeda to break fast. My children no dey do any oda religious duties sef, but dem love fasting. In short, I see fasting as di part of our culture wey I really love."

Ragheda dey encourage her children make dem fast becos "e dey help to build dia inner peace and teach dem patience and perseverance, wey go help dem wen dem face wahala for life".

Improve relationships and strength

Rawi from Lebanon, however, dey use fast take train imsef for endurance and patience and to remember.

E no see imsef as pesin wey dey religious. "if I bin live for di time of di Mu'tazili, I for no follow dem, but I no go prevent dem from joining dia creed."

E say: "I see fast as opportunity for mysef, as pesin, to train mysef for endurance and patience and to remember oda pipo."

Iman from Egypt, on di oda hand, tok say she dey fast to improve her relationship wit God.

She say she dey try fast on and off bifor, but go give up becos of sickness.

Iman get serious condition wey wey dey make her feel like she dey miss part of her bodi, so fasting dey make her feel ike di condition don free her small.

Even though she no accept di teachings of Islam, Iman say she enjoy fasting to teach hersef endurance and patience.