Ramadan started on July 20 -- more than half of the month has already passed. The 16-hour fast combined with late-night prayers and daytime productivity make the days pass quickly, but somehow, it seems the deeper meaning of the holy month gets lost in the mix.

The facet of Ramadan that often gets overlooked, even by Muslims observing the fast, is the fact Muslims believe this to be the month during which the first verses of the Quran were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad via the Angel Gabriel.

Ramadan is essentially a celebration of the Quran, but it doesn’t stop there; it’s a month of self-discipline, reflection and improvement. These are key aspects of the human condition when it comes to character, morals and the establishment of a civil society. 

And what better way to explore these universals than through Disney films? What is this "Brave" of which you speak? Sorry, but '90s children stay loyal to the classics.

During the fast, we each become our own Jiminy Cricket and have to make sure we don’t wind up inside a whale, whether that means staying away from certain places and situations or not letting our inner Beast prevent us from exercising princely behavior at times when our patience is tested. We also have to make sure we don’t say anything that might make our noses extend. Allusions aside, if your nose does lengthen any time you fib, you might have a condition. I wouldn’t recommend child-rearing for you; they’ll immediately know they’re not actually going to get snatched up by the Boogie Man. Besides, he should be thrown into jail for doing what he does.

Ramadan is also a month of forgiveness where we try to pardon one another, ask forgiveness from those we may have wronged and seek repentance from the Almighty. We all make mistakes, and sometimes we might do something as grievous as, say, starting a stampede in which you indirectly cause the demise of your father just because you were trying to show a lizard how tough you are. Without calling out any particularly sadistic or manipulative uncles who have rather degenerate choices in friends (who laugh way too much), the fault was still made and should thus be a source of remorse. To rectify such deeds, we might temporarily remove ourselves from the situation or mentally hide out in a jungle with companions of positive influence, then later come out anew so we don’t repeat the mistake. Luckily, because you are still fasting, you won’t have to chow on grubs and beetles – until sunset, that is.

Overall, self-improvement is a huge part of the Ramadan experience. Any characteristic we may have that could be considered “street-rat”-worthy needs to be carefully examined. It’s an individual’s job to quarantine that bad habit or trait and work on it until they can trap it in a lamp and boot it for good. Even after they’ve saved the day and cleaned up their act, they have to make sure they don’t ogle when Jasmine walks by.