Ramadan Mubarak!
Every year, millions of Muslims around the world observe a month known as Ramadan. The time of this month changes as we follow a lunar calendar and I am excited to share that Ramadan starts this week.
Here’s a little bit of what you can expect for those in your life who are Muslim and choose to fast:
Fasting from sunrise to sunset: In our home, we wake up before the sunrise and eat a snack, chug some water and state our intention that we will fast for the day. Generally, we go back to sleep afterwards and then wake up to start our work day. Feel free to refer to a prayer calendar here to get a sense of times (that’s a link specific to Portland sunrise and sunset times).
In a pre-social distancing era month, we would gather in the evening, celebrate and eat together. We pray and often the mosque is open through the night as Muslims observe Tarawih (night prayers). In most Muslim countries, businesses and workplaces have limited hours during the day so fasting is much easier to manage.
Reflection: For me, fasting is a time to self-discipline. It reminds me to be in the moment more than usual. I find myself being more cautious about what I say and do because it’s not just about refraining from eating and drinking. It’s about being respectful, using appropriate language, not talking badly about others, engaging in gossip - these things may seem relatively minor but I am more thoughtful about my day-to-day moments.
Many of you have asked me about who engages in fasting and this is a tricky question. Different people have various standards for how they decide. My daughter who is six seems keen on fasting. I support this but I know how she gets when she’s hungry so I am hesitant on whether we’ll let her join us. Generally speaking, if you are a healthy individual with no medical conditions, the idea is that you fast. Children who have reached puberty can fast if they choose. There are many exceptions for people such as being sick, having a condition and most importantly, for women who are menstruating, they will not fast.
Let’s talk about the unpredictability of the first day of Ramadan and Eid (the religious holiday that marks the end of fasting). Since our calendar is based on the moon, Muslims around the world determine the beginning and end of Ramadan based on the observation of the moon. Different folks within the Muslim community have varying interpretations of what that looks like. Many communities in the United States have asked for expertise from different organizations who will advise on moon sighting. Often times, in one part of the world, the moon is sighted but in another part, it is not. This usually leads to various parts of the world celebrating Ramadan on differing days. Even in Portland, some mosques may take the lead of Saudi Arabia’s plans while others may follow Pakistan. So, if your friend or colleague says, I am taking off a few days - it’s likely because they aren’t sure which day Eid will be!
Last but not least - my favorite part of Ramadan is the togetherness. In my childhood, I remember going to family and family friends’ houses to break our fasts together. I also loved going to the mosque in the evenings for prayers. In this time of social distancing, I am sad that I will not be able to gather with family and friends. I am hopeful that we will all get to be together soon. Until then… Ramadan Mubarak (happy Ramadan) to you!
