Ramadan

By Koel Shalm

When we were younger, my brother and I used to think it was hilarious to lay out on the streets of Islamabad during Iftar time. We knew it was safe because we knew no one was going to miss the big meal that broke their fast, so there would be no cars. We would hear the music of the Iftar parties, see the celebratory lights. That was Ramadan for us. That and a few days off of school for Eid (the culminating celebration that the month of fasting is over).

The month of Ramadan just ended on September 21st. For those who are not familiar with the term, Ramadan is a holy month for Muslims. It is celebrated as the month in which the Qu'ran was brought down from heaven, and is commemmorated through fasting. Muslims abstain from food, drink and sexual activity from sunup until sundown. They wake early in the morning to eat a large breakfast, then eat again when the sun has set. In a Muslim country, to eat in public during Ramadan is extremely inappropriate. Restaurants are closed during daylight hours, and street vendors selling food have a one month vacation. Iftar, or the breaking of the fast, is a community event, celebrated with the whole family, and in most cases, several other families as well. There is nothing secret about Ramadan (except of course when you walk into a store to that you you think is empty, until you peek over the counter and see the workers sneaking in lunch).

To understand the importance of Ramadan to a Muslim, one must first understand the culture of Islam. Islam is not a relgion that can be casually observed. Of the five pillars that all Muslims must adhere to, only one is internal. All the others are outward and can be witnessed by anyone. Performing haj, acts of charity, the five daily prayers, and Ramadan are all aspects of Muslim life that determine the extent of your faith, and anyone can watch. As a result, it is very important for Muslims to keep up appearances.

The concept behind Ramadan is a noble one. It serves a number of purposes for the Muslim, the most practical being that it allows those who are rich enough to eat regularly to empathize with those that go without. Islam places a great emphasis on charity, and Muslims are encouraged to give alms to the poor during Ramadan. It also demonstrates ones' commitment to God, to show that Allah is more important than the comforts of food and water. It shows that faith is sincere, because it is followed up with an action, and with a fulfillment of Islamic practices. The Qur'an specifies that fasting is to learn self-restraint, to learn self control. The Qur'an speaks of fasting very specifically. It prescribes the month in which Muslims should fast, the procedure for fasting, who should fast, who doesn't have to, and what they should fast from (Al-Baqara 2:183-187, 196).

The Bible also cites instructions for fasting. The biblical assumption is that Christians will fast. In Matthew 6:17 Jesus says "When you fast..." not if you fast. We are not, however, given guidelines on when we should fast from or how long we should fast for. We have examples in the Old and New Testaments of fasting (Joel 2:12-13, Acts 13:1-3, 14:21-23). The purposes varied; in Joel it was to show remorse, in Daniel to show separation, and for the apostles, it was for direction. The most explicit directions we are given on fasting come from Jesus, when he said "Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward", in Matthew 6:16. We are to fast in humility and in secret, it should not alter our regular affairs. Fasting is not an achievement, it's a condition of heart.

I believe therein lies the distinction. While the religion of Islam may, for the most part, have good motives, it does not change the heart. Fasting is done to prove oneself to Allah, as part of a grander equation to reserve a spot in Paradise. For Christians, there is the constant awareness that our redemption cannot be won, it has already been purchased on our behalf. Fasting is to draw closer to our redeemer; it is love, not fear, that compells us.