Understanding the fast of Ramadhan

With the sighting of the new moon, the 9th lunar month of Ramadhan in the Islamic calendar begins. The month of Ramadhan is very significant to the entire Muslim ummah (community). It is during this month that the Qur’an is revealed, particularly during the night of power. This belief makes the month holy and special. Fasting during the month of Ramadhan is viewed not in the sense of PENANCE but in the sense of joyful expectation of the big event – God’s revelation of the path of righteousness. This fasting is akin to the Christian celebration of the four weeks of Advent. During the whole month of Ramadhan, all Muslims, from post puberty to old age, fast during daytime. The physical description is a strict ‘Nothing per oral’ or NPO from dawn to sundown. In a more spiritual sense, during the month, Believers consciously and intentionally refrain from uttering evil words and deeds. It is the month devoted to God’s words (the study of the Qur’an, the recitation of the Qur’an, and above all the remembrance of God). During Ramadhan, pious Muslims focus on self-reformation and prayers. But it is also the month for good deeds. Since the month is a month-long FESTIVAL, Muslims prepare special foods and buy gifts for their family and friends, and for giving to the poor and needy who cannot afford food at the breaking of the fast. Ramadhan is also a social tradition involving the preparing of special foods and inviting people for the daily iftar (breaking of the fast) meal. In the early 80’s, I was in Cairo, and the experience of the celebration of Ramadhan was one of my moving experiences in the Muslim world. The fasting in daytime is matched by the feasting during a good part of the night. Tents of many sizes were erected in public places for all people, especially the poor, to eat the iftar meal. The food was aplenty for the whole night until the big meal just before the dawn prayer. Rich people would also have tents in their neighborhood for the festival – a sort of sharing of God’s blessings with those who have less in life. Markets stay open practically the whole evening and all sorts of people walk around, shop, eat, and enjoy the night feasting with their friends and families during the evening hours. Among the politically ‘progressive’ Muslims, the fast of Ramadhan has become a powerful expression of their solidarity with the poor. It is the actual experiencing what it means to be hungry. The experience of being hungry urges believers to be compassionate with the hungry. It is a compassion that moves them to share their blessings – food, clothing and shelter - with the poor. In time, fasting during the month of Ramadhan has evolved into a powerful physical expression of belonging to the Muslim community (ummah). Young and old, men and women fast regardless of location in the four corners of the globe. While there are exceptions to the fast (the sick and the elderly), the ‘exempted’ seldom exclude themselves from the imperative of fasting. It is during the month that Muslims, physically and spiritually, feel that strong bond and solidarity within the ummah. Many people do not understand this fasting, simply because they compare it with their own fasting tradition. Most fasting traditions are related to PENANCE. The Muslim fast is related to FESTIVAL. This is the reason why food consumption is always greater during the month of Ramadhan. During the month of Ramadhan, the Muslims celebrate the coming down or ‘birthing’ of the Holy Qur’an – something akin to the Christian Christmas. The Pope and other Christian leaders worldwide greet Muslims, either at the beginning of the Ramadhan (sighting of the 9th lunar moon) or at the end of Ramadhan (the sighting of the tenth lunar moon) when the whole ummah celebrates the Eid-ul-Fitr (the Feast of the Breaking of the Fast). It is usually a message of solidarity and friendship as Muslims begin/end the journey. In a very special way, PNoy has paid attention to the Muslim fasting of Ramadhan. The President in his message speaks of Ramadhan as a time of great hope. It is, definitely, a season that ‘brings the community closer to one another and to the Almighty’. And in a similar vein, the collective prayers and good deeds bring to fulfilment the promise of grace and abundance. PNoy’s message is hopefully a prelude to a meaningful and friendly relationship between the 2nd Aquino administration and the Bangsamoro peoples. There appears to be an ‘OMISSION’ of Muslims or IP’s or residents of Mindanao in his official cabinet. I often say that the list of ‘appointments’ is NOT complete yet. PNoy is barely a month and a half in the Presidency. But I dread the time when the omission becomes more PERMANENT. As articulated in my previous blog, the time is long over when Mindanawans, the Muslims and the IP’s are simply items on the agenda. They want to be seated at the table when their affairs are discussed and talked about!