(The red snakey lights say "Allah" in Arabic)
Ramadan is a large (maybe the largest) holiday in the Muslim world. During the whole month of Ramadan Muslims fast from sun up to sun down and only eat early in the morning before the sun comes up and late at night after it has gone down. Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam and trusty wikipedia says that
"Fasting during this month is often thought to figuratively burn away all sins. Muslims believe that the Qur'an was sent down to the earth during this month. Furthermore, the Prophet Muhammad told his followers that the gates of Heaven would be open all the month and the gates of Hell would be closed".
We belong to a church that also encourages fasting, but for a 24 hour period once a month on what we call "Fast Sunday". We fast because we reap personal and communal spiritual blessings from it. We feed the spiritual self as opposed to our physical self to demonstrate our commitment to the idea that our spiritual self can conquer the fallen physical self and we can be more spiritually in tune to God's will. On this day we share our testimonies of the gospel and give offerings to the poor.
Fasting is hard for me.
Not the idea of it, which I think it beautiful, but the physical part of it. I get loopy and light headed and try and make all kinds of excuses to myself for why I can't (and shouldn't!) fast, but it's all hooey. It's just a hard thing.
Observing these Muslims go about their day, every day for a month, not eating or drinking in sweltering weather, often times covered from head to toe, walking everywhere with bags and children in toe is pretty awe inspiring to me.
It's a great feeling to be in the land where Jesus walked, but it is also amazing to be surrounded by people observing their faith so fervently, both Jews and Muslims alike.
Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThere's a girl in one of my classes who is apparently a direct descendant of Muhammad. She's the only member in her family, and moved to the states when she was younger. Pretty cool. But she has a super annoying personality. Sad.
ReplyDeleteSo I've been thinking about this post for awhile because in our ward we had a "ward fast" for a sweet little boy who died in a car crash. Then the week after was regular fast Sunday. I don't like fasting. I come up with all sorts of excuses not to fast. The latest being that since I was in nursery I would kill the children if my blood sugar was low. Now that I'm out, I have no excuses except for my laziness.
ReplyDeleteJon and I have done our own Ramadan for the past few years, ever since we got home from Jordan (well, we didn't this year because I just had a baby). It has always been Super hard for me. Jon always makes it the whole month and doesn't cheat too bad, but I usually only last two weeks.
ReplyDeleteAs hard as it is, I always really learn a lot from the experience-- I always try to fast for something that is really significant in my life or for something that I think would require a miracle. And you know, over the years some of those miracles I fasted for have come true. There is something really transcending about fasting for a long period of time. But I am with you-- I REALLY admire Muslims devotion and ability to fast, it is hard and they do it so willingly.
Beautiful pictures and a lovely post!
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