Photos By Iman Adhami

Cross country runner Mo Elmi prays in the open track field as a way of practicing his Muslim faith.

Fasting tests the importance of religion in a Muslim's everyday life. Athletes at Santa Monica College are no exception. Rather than choosing between their game and religion, athletes stay committed to their teams by playing while still completing their religious duties of fasting.

In the month of Ramadan, Muslims all over the world fast from dawn to dusk. Basketball Forward Mohammed Alarbesh is one of the athletes who continue to play, while abstaining from food or drink from dawn to dusk.

Fasting, Alarbesh said, "has been practiced by Muslims annually, going on for 1,500 years. I am maintaining that practice. I think it teaches you a form of self-discipline. You can obviously eat something while no one's looking, but the idea is that Allah is watching."

Cross-country runner Mo Elmi feels strongly about Ramadan but is just as passionate about running. "The point is when you feel you wanna run, you wanna run," Elmi said. "You have to feel how it feels - the real Ramadan. Ramadan is about feeling what it feels like without food. When Ramadan comes, every Muslim should keep doing what he does in his life." Elmi added that it is a bit strange for his teammates to see him fasting and running at the same time, since most of them don't know what Ramadan is. "I want them to see how strong I am to my religion and close to Allah. It is my responsibility," said Elmi, who is an international student. This is his second semester at SMC. Last semester, he was on the track team, but he has experienced what it feels like to run while fasting for the first time.

Photos By Iman Adhami

Above right: Mo Elmi runs the four-mile race at the Western State Conference Championships.

"Without water - that is the hardest thing," Elmi said. He tries to drink a lot of water when he has broken his fast to avoid dehydration. During one of his races on a hot day, Elmi felt dizzy and had a headache. "My head was banging," Elmi said. "It was too hot, that is when I felt it the hardest. I just put some water and ice on my head."

The coach and team members alike have been inspired by Elmi's strong mental toughness, according to some of the athletes. "I think it's very impressive," teammate Marcos Espinal said. "He has got the most heart on the team. It affects him because he's not 100 percent but it's not like he doesn't try his best."

"He's been willing to do what he can for the team, it's nice to see that," Head Coach Eric Barron said, adding that at the same time, he was "concerned that he stay healthy. The race is not more important then his health."

Elmi lost seven pounds in two weeks and is suffering from a dislocated toe that also affects his performance. Some team members are noticing a different type of change in Elmi.

"I have a lot of respect for Mo because he is running on his mental strength. I think he has been a nicer person since Ramadan," teammate Jason Cohen said with a grin. "Maybe it should be Ramadan every month."

Alarbesh's teammates said they have been noticing his strong will power to keep going, while staying critical of his performance in the team. "I think it affects the game play," teammate Joseph Bolden said. "It is a weak point, because Mohammed is a strong point to the team, and if he is not 100 percent then the team is not 100 percent."

Head Coach John McMullen, however, doesn't see fasting being a problem as far as Alarbesh's performance is concerned. "I think he is weak physically but he has a positive attitude. I wouldn't say there has been a hard drop off," McMullen said. "It is a choice he made. I don't know the purpose of it, but I respect it -- all religions and forms of worship."

Having support from his team helps Alarbesh to keep going. "My teammates are very supportive," he said. "They will remind me the sun is going down, implying it is time to eat. I think they are curious about the religion and my personal commitment to it." One of Alarbesh's teammates, Erik Jones, decided to experience what fasting feels like. "It is his religion, and you can't break that. I tried one day," Jones said, "but couldn't do it. "He got guts because he has to practice with out drinking water or nothing."

Practices are in the afternoon, when Alarbesh cannot eat or drink anything. "I have a power breakfast at 4:30 a.m. It is a high protein breakfast - eggs, hash browns, orange juice and a protein bar," Alarbesh said. "The lack of food definitely makes me conserve my energy. It makes you more conscious of what you are spending your energy on."

Ironically, it is with a full stomach that Alarbesh has a more difficult time. Most games are during the evening when Alarbesh has broken his fast and is allowed to eat and drink. "I have had a harder time performing on a full stomach than on an empty one because you need a buffer period."