Why I'm Observing Ramadan

To all my Christian friends,

Please, put away your pitchforks and torches. Hold off on forming a mob to come for me until you read this; I promise I'm not an IS sympathizer or defector, nor am I turning my back on the Christian faith. (If your first reaction wasn't to feel the urge to excommunicate me, I appreciate that.)

But before I go into why I've decided to participate in this Islamic tradition, I want to talk a little bit about what Ramadan actually is and what it means. I wasn't very familiar with the concept of Ramadan, other than the basics, until I decided to do some research on the topic several months ago. The practice, required by the Islamic faith, actually has a very interesting spiritual application for Muslims and Christians alike, and I'm excited to take part in the practice this year.

At its core, Ramadan is a month of fasting from food and drink, music, sexual activity, and other things (loud music, harsh language, revealing clothing, etc.) while the sun is up. Ramadan, along with other types of fasting, is part of 'Sawm', one of the five pillars of the Islamic faith. Most people that observe Ramadan rise before the sun does to have an early meal (suhur), and will take part in a Thanksgiving-like feast (iftar) after the sun has gone down and after evening prayers. The evening meal generally is a time for family and friends to come together and celebrate the month of blessing. But the practice of Ramadan is about much more than just the fasting. 

For Muslims, Ramadan is a time to seek a closer relationship with God. Food and water are part of the fast, but those observing the fast also refrain from negative emotions such as anger and envy, and seek forgiveness for allowing those things to interfere with a healthy relationship with God. Actively choosing to reject worldly desires during the month of Ramadan makes it easier to make wise decisions during the rest of the year as well. Ramadan is about choosing to worship God, rather than self; it is about choosing prayer over satisfying the senses. It is an act of obedience and of submission, of seeking atonement for sin and mistakes. Muslims are also encouraged to seek out ways to be especially charitable to their neighbors and others in the community, whether financially or emotionally.

This year, Ramadan begins on Sunday, June 5th, and continues until Tuesday, July 5th. (The start date and end date are different every year, because it runs on a lunar calendar which is different than the one we use.) So from roughly 5:30AM to 8:30PM, those who observe Ramadan will be fasting--over fifteen hours straight, for thirty consecutive days.

But why am I observing Ramadan? There are three key reasons why I decided to take part in the month of fasting this year:

1. It's an opportunity to worship God in a unique way. I fully believe that there are beliefs and practices from many other religions that Christians can observe and learn from in some way, and Ramadan is one of those. Although many Muslims undoubtedly observe Ramadan out of a sense of obligation (whether cultural or religious), fasting for Christians is an opportunity to pray and seek God's presence. The Bible does not command fasting, but it is apparent that both Jesus and the early church observed the practice as part of their relationship with God the Father. (Matthew 4; Acts 14) How often are we as Christians, especially in America, willing to turn down food and fulfilling our appetites in favor of searching for God's heart?
2. Observing Ramadan can help Christians understand and relate to Muslims. There are a vast number of people in America today that either hate or fear (sometimes both) Muslims; partly because of the constant news stories about Islamic extremism and terrorist acts, partly because of ignorance of the differences between our religions and cultures. But the fact is, God called us as Christians to love all people; not just those who share our religious beliefs and cultural background, but also our neighbors, strangers, and even our enemies (Mark 12; Matthew 5). And it's a lot easier to love people that we understand, at least in my experience.
3. Ramadan gives Christians thirty days in which they can pray specifically for Muslims. In just a couple days, millions of Muslims around the world will be participating in an activity that is designed to seek after God. Every day that I spend without food is a reminder to me that those people are loved and sought after by Jesus Christ; my prayer for them is specifically that they will encounter Him while they are searching, because He has the power to radically change hearts and lives.

If you made it this far, thanks so much for reading! I'd love to hear what you think about Ramadan, and I certainly hope you'll consider joining me in fasting this year.

Al-wada and Ramadan Mubarak! (Farewell and have a blessed Ramadan!)