For Mohamad Keanudin Mohamad Azman, better known as Keanu Azman, Ramadan is a month when he makes a conscious effort to maximise his time for performing ibadah.
“Normally during Ramadan, I only take on jobs that end either by 4pm or before 5pm, so I can go to the mosque in the evening for Tarawih prayers,” says the deejay and host.
“And if there are jobs that feel a bit too worldly – if they’re gossipy, for instance – I’ll skip them during Ramadan.”
The TV host, who regularly takes on emceeing roles on television and at live events, adds that his priorities shift during the holy month.
“My focus is more on spiritual or perhaps more serious programmes, rather than shows that are purely entertainment-based.”
Asked if there are habits he intentionally starts or stops during Ramadan, the 29-year-old shares that he significantly increases his Quran reading.
“Normally I read about five to 10 pages a day, but during Ramadan I try to read around 30 pages daily because I want to complete the whole Quran within the month.
“And it’s actually achievable,” he adds. “During Ramadan, there are fewer distractions, so you tend to read without any issues.”
On the flip side, Keanu says he makes a conscious effort to curb unnecessary chatter.
“I try to stop talking nonsense. I’m more careful with my words – asking myself, ‘Do I really need to talk about this? Do I need to join in conversations about other people?’
“If there’s no need, I just keep my mouth shut,” he says, laughing – a notable effort for someone who is a chatterbox.
When it comes to breaking fast, Keanu keeps things simple. He says he and his family don’t “go all out” for buka puasa.
“For me, it’s just kurma and one type of dish. I don’t even go for cold sweet drinks, just water,” he shares, adding that this modest approach helps him shed some of the weight he gains throughout the year.
“I also prefer not to go to Ramadan bazaar,” he adds.
“I think they contribute to a lot of food wastage. There’s about 90,000 tonnes of food waste during Ramadan, and I don’t want to be part of that.”
(It was reported that in 2023, 90,000 tonnes of food was dumped during Ramadan.)
