Ramadan 2016
At present more than a billion Muslims around the world are observing Ramadan. There are 70,000 Muslims in Ireland. I am fortunate to have made several Muslim friends in Adamstown. Observant Muslims abstain from food, drink and sex during daylight hours (dawn to sunset). The purpose is to control these three powerful appetites and so develop self control and deepen ones awareness of God. Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam. The others are: declaration of faith, five daily prayers, alms-giving and the pilgrimage to Mecca. This year in the Northern Hemisphere it is the most demanding in more than 30 years. The days are long where as in winter the fast could be as short as eight hours. That compares with 19 hours in some places this year.
Islam is a practical religion and without the complications one finds in other religions. The line of contact with God is direct – no middle management! When we think about it Jesus also left us a very practical and uncomplicated religion. Each year the Christian Churches invite us to engage in prayer, almsgiving and fasting during the period of Lent. One can immediately note that three of the requirements of Lent are also three of the pillars of Islam.
Christianity has a very different understanding of God from Islam. However in the above practices we find ourselves in close proximity to Muslims.
I look forward to celebrating the end of Ramadan by marking Eid with my Muslim neighbours. I will give them small gifts as we do ourselves in the exchange of Easter eggs after the trials of Lent.
