It’s Ramadan again.
So what? (You know you thought it.)
Ramadan is the ninth month in the Islamic lunar calendar, commemorating when the Angel Gabriel delivered the first verse of the Quran to the Prophet Muhammed in the year 610.
- It is a month of fasting, when Muslims across the world refrain from food, drink, smoking, and sexual relations from sunup to sundown.
- It is a month of joy, as family and friends exchange visits each evening following Iftar, the breaking of the fast.
- It is a month of charity (one of the five pillars of Islam), as the rumbling in one’s own stomach reminds us of the less fortunate, and special emphasis is placed on rendering assistance to others.
And mostly, it is meant to be a month of intense spiritual and self-reflection.
Again. So what’s the point?
Well, I doubt most Christians out there, having now seen the proverbial light, are going to rush to their nearest mosque to participate in evening prayers. (Per one of the other pillars of the faith, Muslims pause five times a day to bow down and pray to God.)
Think about that for a second — intentionally interrupting the never-ending busyness to remember Whose we are and to Whom we owe thanks. Regularly.
Having spent one or two Ramadans in Morocco and Oman myself, I admit I’m not eager to forgo my snacks for the sake of solidarity, either.
But much like when a child hits Lent and focuses on surviving without dessert to the exclusion of all else, it’s too easy to focus on the fasting aspect of Ramadan and forget the rest. Religious creed aside, I’m willing to bet all of us sometimes can do with some “spiritual reflection”— I know I can.
“Spiritual reflection” definitely seems a scary concept.
What does it even mean? Personally, I know of late I’ve been struggling in work. It seems that although I do my best, working hard day in and day out, there’s never any real difference made. I miss my friends, I miss my family, and I’ve forsaken my home for the sake of an ideal that sometimes seems very hard to remember.
Sad to say, I have not flourished in these circumstances. Winston Churchill commanded, “If you’re going through hell, keep going!” and the multitude of motivational pep talks to the effect that adversity makes us thrive seems as unending as it is ineffective. Making lemonade out of lemons seems a marvelous concept, right until the point when life’s “lemons” makes you feel like a whole other person—when the constant pressure, devaluation of abilities, and “square peg round hole” syndrome has turned you from a once-smiling, light-hearted individual into a foul-mouthed, foul-tempered shell of your former self.
Ramadan is meant to break this cycle. It is a month set aside, a month of intense scrutiny.
- How have I behaved this past year?
- To what am I looking forward?
- What am I meant to be, to do?
And, like I said, I don’t know—sometimes I don’t even remember who I am myself anymore. Looking beyond the daily cycle of frustration and bitterness though, I’m reminded of a simple verse: “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb … my frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth” (Psalm 139:13, 15).
I might not always have all of the answers, but it’s comforting to be reminded Someone does. Someone, at least, remembers the joy that caught light in me before I was even formed. Maybe taking a step back for “spiritual reflection” is a good thing after all.
Ramadan Kareem.
About Brett Beeson
Brett Beeson, officially, is a Lieutenant JG in the United States Navy, currently attached to DDG54 Curtis Wilbur out of Yokosuka, Japan. She graduated in 2014 from the United States Naval Academy with a Bachelor of Science in Arabic and a minor in Spanish. Unofficially, she is the “evil twin” (one of Jory’s twin daughters), that annoying-friend-who-won’t-stop-calling perpetual questioner, ice cream enthusiast, scribbler, roarer-of-laughter, and eternal student of God’s amazing mysteries. After extensive travel in Morocco and Oman, she has become passionate about furthering her/our understanding of the Middle East and Islam. To enjoy more of Brett’s writing, please visit Randomness with Brett.
Spiritual reflection is great as long as we’re focusing on the Truth.
Muslims do NOT bow down five times a day in prayer to God, they pray to allah, a false god, the conjuring of a false prophet. God would not send His angel to a man who downgraded His Son and taught against His Word. Ramadan for many Islamics culminates in violence against what Islam calls infidels. The infidel is anyone who doesn’t adhere to the tenets of Islam including those who believe Yeshua is the Son of God who died on the cross so that all might have salvation in Him.
There is no comparison between the tenets of Muhammad’s religion and the tenets of the One True God or His Son, Yeshua. Ramada Kareem is a greeting to be shared Muslim to Muslim, not Christian to Muslim and the reason for that is simply found in Exodus 23:13 “Be careful to do everything I have said to you. Do not invoke the names of other gods; do not let them be heard on your lips.” and Isaiah 44:6-8 “Thus says YHWH…: I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God… Is there a God beside me? Yea, there is no God; I know not any.”
Beyond God’s admonitions, this is really bad timing considering Orlando.
I’m really surprised by your response Starsque. What an opportunity you missed to be supportive of this young woman’s quest to remember who she is… and to see herself as God sees her. I’d like to think how Jesus would read this and respond to her. Somehow I don’t think he would be worried about her talking about Ramadan and Muslims… Jesus, as I have come to know him would be focused on loving her back to knowing who she is even in the midst of adversity that makes her forget. Jesus, as I have come to know him would be focused on the parts of her post that call US to more spiritual reflection which enables us to live our faith in the world in ways that effect change. As for Orlando – there seems to be growing evidence that the massacre had little to do with the shooter’s religious beliefs. How easy it is for us to leap to judgment – especially when we know someone identifies in even a small way as Muslim. When it comes to Orlando, I am asking myself what would Jesus have me do? And I am praying for the courage to do it.
I’m sorry you’re surprised Linda, but it’s not my response, it’s God’s, except for the last part about it being too close to the Orlando shooting. Brett isn’t simply talking about Ramadan and Islam, she is making comparison between a Godly lifestyle and a pagan lifestyle. While you “don’t think” God would have a problem with that, I posted His Word that states He very much finds that offensive. You claim I missed an opportunity to support Brett. I beg to differ for if I did not care about Brett’s faith or mine, I would have made no comment at all in consideration of Ezekiel 3:18-21. I am very glad that you have come to know Yeshua as Jesus, but don’t you think it would behoove all of His followers to also follow the Will of His Father? (Matthew 7:21) As far as the shooter in Orlando is concerned, regardless of the spin others may wish to put on things, I do not believe I made any leap to judgment as the shooter himself declared his action a response to Islam’s call through ISIS. You may also wish to consider page 99 of the Benghazi report wherein it states that “Ambassador Stevens initially planned to travel to Benghazi in early August, but cancelled the trip ‘primarily for Ramadan/security reasons.’ ” Would you state Ambassador Stevens and his advisors had also made a leap to judgment? One other thing, Scripture makes clear that we, as believers, do not effect change of the world. Believers are in the world but not of the world because the world is now evil and always will be until God ends it. Our witness to Yeshua is for the purpose of making Him known as God’s One and Only Son who became our sin sacrifice. It is up to each individual to accept or reject that. Those who accept that fact live their lives according to God’s Will. Those who reject that fact, don’t. There is no middle ground, Sister.
In Yeshua HaMashiach (Jesus the Christ for those who prefer the Greek) 🙂
Sadly, I am not surprised by Starsque’s response cloaked in her western brand of theology. I for one do not desire for Christianity to be judged by the ignorance of its many followers. The truly faithful Christians have much to learn from Islam. “Islam has great and deep resources of morality and sanctity that should inspire us and shame us and prod us to admiration and imitation.” – Peter Kreeft. And Brett’s ability to see the value of spritual reflection through the eyes of those who don’t embrace her own God and to challenge herself as a result is the character of a true child of God.
Since when are God’s Words subject to man’s theology? Why would any Christian wish to learn from those who deny Yeshua is God’s Son? Where is the value in insulting the Father and how can adherence to the Father’s Will be ignorant in light of Yeshua’s requirement that we do so? No disrespect to Peter Kreeft, but I prefer to follow God’s Words sans human twisting.
Oh, btw, Peter Kreeft is a western theologian. Bit of a conflict there, Debbi.
Brett, that you were prompted to write these words just a few days before the Orlando horror… that you remind us to pause and reflect on how do WE behave?… on who are WE to be?… on what are WE to do with this ‘wild and precious life’ we’ve been given?… is no coincidence. This world is not our home; but, while we are here and throughout eternity, we’re called to love with God’s love. Henri Nouwen says it oh so well: “Those who choose, even on a small scale, to love in the midst of hatred and fear are the people who offer true hope to our world.” Thank you for offering us that hope, honey, and for modeling Christ’s love for ALL humanity. Let us learn. Let us reflect. Let us pray. And let us be instruments of peace.
My post to Brett was an effort to love her with God’s love by correcting her with God’s Truth. God’s Love does not equate to compromise to the point of the disobedience of God’s commands; something Yeshua was very clear about. Had Yeshua done that, He would not have proved an acceptable sacrifice for our sin as it was required that He be in total obedience to the Father at all time, for all time. So, in actuality, loving to the disobedience of the Father is not Christ’s model nor the embodiment of shalom (God’s Peace). That is a humanistic concept. Some would say that humanism is what God is all about but they would have to negate an awful lot of Scripture to stand by that….and they do.
Hi Brett. This is beautiful! Very thoughtfully written. It’s wonderful that you’ve experienced the power of spiritual discipline and reflection, as a means of breaking that endless default pattern of meaninglessness and despair, inherently built into the cycles and seasons of the world. And how wonderful that you’ve experienced it through Ramadan. Your post is a good reminder to all of us that we’re all more connected than we might at first realize. Jews, Muslims, and Christians are all united by our love of the One true God. God has many sheep in many folds. We’re all sisters and brothers in God’s eyes. Any who would deny that are blinded by prejudice, and ignorance, and the (stoicheia tou cosmou) elemental spirits of the world, as Paul once said in Galatians 4:3…, things, which try to deny us of a greater, higher, and unifying love. A good friend of mine recently reminded us to be gentle with one another. It was as if a light went on for me. Of course! That’s the essence of who we are and whose we are – a simple truth that can mean the difference between life and death for the entire world. Be gentle with yourself as well. And do not worry. “Do not worry about your life… do not worry about tomorrow.” MT 6: 25, 34 Peace!
Christianity, Islam and Judaism all share a monotheistic faith united through our father Abraham. We have different mothers, Sara and Hagar, but there is more holding us together than separating us.
However, Brett’s reflection to me is about surrendering to the Holy Mystery. She is is finding spiritual renewal by entering, by pausing and also stopping, by letting go and making space for God’s renewal.
Do it in Ramadan, Lent or Yom Kippur or do it every moment with every breath as best you can and you will be a faithful servant of God.
It is true that Christianity, Islam and Judaism are monotheistic faiths but there is no “Holy Mystery” glomming the three together considering 1 John 2:22-23. There is spiritual renewal and then there is Spiritual renewal and One has nothing to do with the other.
I appreciate your willingness to learn and share the perspective of spiritual reflection from a different point of view. It is so important for all of us to understand that Islam itself is not the enemy and the more we understand, the more we can appreciate the discipline that comes with a faith that represents nearly half our world’s population. Thank you for helping us understand better. The more we understand, the less we hate and the more God can move within us all. God bless, Larry
When I was in seminary, I began to glimpse just how BIG God is. The seminary had a very diverse student body so our study of doctrine covered every tradition – which expanded and enriched my concept of God and deepened my relationship with the Holy One. As I progressed in study and in forming relationships beyond my own community, I began to see God in unexpected (for me) places. God is at work in and through other faiths and other peoples. A commitment to Christ does not negate God’s work in and through others.
So Brett – thank you for reminding us in this time of anxiety that we are connected to one another, can learn from one another, and can help one another grow spiritually. Your words about Ramadan remind all of us to reflect, repent, and seek God’s face – and we do not need to wait for our seasons of Lent and Advent to do so.
There is a huge difference in Christian seminary between learning OF other faiths and what they entail (for the purpose of debunking them) and learning FROM other faiths. I question the seminary that teaches about other faiths in such a manner as to give them substance. It’s a direct violation of God’s command and one can only question the ability of that seminary’s graduates to actually withstand the Enemy. Revelation 14:9-12