Imagine the strength and physical agility required to bring down opponents for your football team. Now think about trying to do it without eating or drinking all day. That was Hassan Faraj’s challenge playing for the Dearborn Lions during Ramadan. Raad Alawan caught up with Hassan at Hemlock Park in Dearborn during practice Sept. 2, when the temperature peaked at 93 degrees.

DEARBORN — It gets harder by the year because you’re getting older. It gets harder on your body. I’m sweating a lot; I lose my mind. I don’t pay attention that well. It feels weird. I always want to reach for water, to at least rinse out my mouth. But I can’t because I fear God.

I got up at 4:30, I ate a little, drank a little, and then went back to sleep. I woke up at 7 and went to school, and then here to practice. No water, no food. I’m tired and drowsy. The coaches don’t really give us breaks. But they’re doing the same thing we do. They fast and know how we feel.

The best part of the day is when I eat. Usually, I eat salad, chicken and drink a lot of water. I eat again, and then go back to sleep.