By Omar Bihmidine
By Omar Bihmidine
Morocco World News
Tangier, July 23, 2013
Since Arnoud van Doorn, a former member of the Dutch right-wing Freedom Party, converted to Islam last February, he has considerably identified with the teachings and rituals of his new religion, reported Al Jazeera Arabic news website.
According to the same source, Van Doorn has shared his first fasting experience on Twitter, describing Ramadan as “spiritually uplifting and self-fulfilling”.
“Fasting does not only give me patience and a strong will, but it also teaches me how thirst, hunger and breaking the fast taste. Now, I’m living the fasting experienced I have read a lot about in books, ” Van Doorn was quoted by Al Jazeera as saying.
One of the amazing things that characterizes fasting, Van Doorn noted, is the act of sharing hunger and thirst during the day and then breaking the fast together.
“The fact that Muslims share the same month of fasting, and the same hours of breaking the fast has amazed me and inspired me to love this religion of peace and unity,” Van doorn added.
According to Van Doorn, among the things fasting teaches Muslims are: push them to think about the empty bellies of the world’s destitute; make them feel the sufferings of the poor and encourages them to re-consider our behavior.
“Apart from the humane values it teaches us and the fulfillment of our duty towards Allah, fasting is good for health. During Ramadan, I personally get up early, practice sport every morning and take a nap in the afternoon,” Van Doorn noted.
Before, he converted to Islam, Van Doorn, along with Geert Wilders, had produced the controversial short film Fitna, which depicts Islam as an inherently violent religion.
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