Ramadan: The Long-Awaited

Ramadan is here! (almost) So what is it all about?

Ramadan Mubarak

“Every year, during the holy month of Ramadan (رمضان), Muslims are required to abstain from food, drink and intercourse from dawn till dusk; Muslims are also expected to refrain from anger, greed, envy, lust, gossip, violence, bad language and other improper thoughts and conduct since the fasting of the body (صَوم) must also be accompanied by the fasting of the senses, the mind and the soul; fasting is ultimately meant to encourage Muslims to grow closer to God, develop their patience, and become more understanding of the hardships faced by the poor and needy” (Introduction to Faith)

The crescent moon

Ramadan is the ninth month of the 12-month Islamic lunar calendar; it is the month when the Holy Quran was first revealed to Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) by Archangel Gabriel; it is the month of numerous milestones in Islamic history. Ramadan begins with the sighting of the new crescent moon in the Western horizon immediately after sunset on the last day of the month of Shaaban.

Below are verses in the Holy Quran that address fasting and the month of Ramadan:

(chapter 2: verses 183-186) يٰأَيُّهَا الَّذينَ ءامَنوا كُتِبَ عَلَيكُمُ الصِّيامُ كَما كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذينَ  مِن قَبلِكُم لَعَلَّكُم تَتَّقونَ  ﴿١٨٣﴾ أَيّامًا

مَعدودٰتٍ ۚ  فَمَن كانَ  مِنكُم مَريضًا أَوعَلىٰ  سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِن أَيّامٍ أُخَرَ ۚ وَعَلَى الَّذينَ  يُطيقونَهُ فِديَةٌ طَعامُ  مِسكينٍ ۖ  فَمَن

تَطَوَّعَ خَيرًا فَهُوَ خَيرٌ لَهُ ۚ وَأَن تَصوموا خَيرٌ لَكُم ۖ  إِن كُنتُم تَعلَمونَ  ﴿١٨٤﴾ شَهرُ رَمَضانَ  الَّذى أُنزِلَ  فيهِ القُرءانُ

هُدًى لِلنّاسِ وَبَيِّنٰتٍ مِنَ الهُدىٰ  وَالفُرقانِ ۚ  فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُمُ الشَّهرَ فَليَصُمهُ ۖ  وَمَن كانَ  مَريضًا أَو عَلىٰ  سَفَرٍ

فَعِدَّةٌ مِن أَيّامٍ أُخَرَ ۗ  يُريدُ اللَّهُ بِكُمُ اليُسرَ وَلا يُريدُ بِكُمُ العُسرَ وَلِتُكمِلُوا العِدَّةَ وَلِتُكَبِّرُوا اللَّهَ عَلىٰ  ما هَدىٰكُم

وَلَعَلَّكُم تَشكُرونَ  ﴿١٨٥﴾ وَإِذا سَأَلَكَ عِبادى عَنّى فَإِنّى قَريبٌ ۖ  أُجيبُ  دَعوَةَ الدّاعِ إِذا دَعانِ ۖ  فَليَستَجيبوا لى

وَليُؤمِنوا بى لَعَلَّهُم يَرشُدونَ  ﴿١٨٦﴾ سورة البقرة

Typical "eftar" table

Ramadan should be a time for quality family time over eftar (breaking-the-fast meals), daily taraweeh (congregational mosque night prayers), generous sadaqa (alms, charity, donations) to the poor and needy, and reconnecting with the words of God through the daily reading and recitation of the Holy Quran.

Sadly, Ramadan has become a time for binge-eating over irrational amounts of food that end up thrown away (while some people are dying of hunger), daily Arabic soap-opera-marathons (where Syrian and Egyptian drama battle it out) and midnight socializing over music for more food!

Talk about spiritual recharging and reconnecting with God… *sigh*

"Bab el Hara" cast

Don’t get me wrong – I do RSVP a couple of eftar invitations throughout the month where (as Lebanese stand-up comedian Nemr Abou Nassar would say) “an entire village would be slaughtered on the table” and I do indulge in following one historical Syrian drama series (yes, I watch “Bab el Hara” – guilty as charged)

My problem lies in how Ramadan is no longer being celebrated for its religious and spiritual meanings and how it has become, counter to its nature, a shallow celebration of consumerism and indulgence (more from Syrian blogger Bilal Zaiter in this spot-on article):

“Ideally, Ramadan is a positive change. But within years, and due to lazy mentalities, back warded mentalities, money-oriented and consumerism culture we live, Ramadan is not what it is meant to be anymore”

Kind of like Christmas in the States – no?

I sincerely wish that people, starting with myself, will embrace the important spiritual connotation of Ramadan this year, pause for a moment, and think about their Creator, His many blessings, and ask for His forgiveness and guidance – with the ultimate goal of reaching inner peace and spiritual fulfillment.

الّلهمّ بلّغنا رمضان (may God bless us with the arrival of Ramadan)

Dar El Akhdar