Reflections on Ramadan

Ramadan is a holy month in the religion of Islam. There are two billion Muslims across the world, with 80 percent living in the Asia-Pacific region, and 20 percent in the Middle East, Europe, and North America. We all observe the Islamic lunar calendar, and in it, Ramadan falls in the ninth month. So, the dates for Ramadan change every year. 

 

This year, Ramadan is set to start on February 28 and last 29 or 30 days. So, what happens during Ramadan? The most well-known practice is fasting. This means you are unable to eat or drink from sunrise to sunset. This daily fast is broken in the evening with a meal called Iftar (a big feast), and before dawn, people eat Suhoor (a small morning meal) to prepare for the day ahead. 

 

The purpose of Ramadan isn’t just about giving up food; it’s about avoiding negative behaviour, detoxing the body, focusing on personal growth, and having gratitude. It reminds you of what many food-insecure people go through, and how lucky we are to have access to food. We dedicate more time to prayer and going out of our way to help those in need.

 

Last year around this time, I was in Oman during Ramadan and witnessed the different types of practices first-hand. Oman is a Sunni-dominant religious country in the Middle East. When I first arrived, I discovered that women were expected to wear modest clothing, as well as cover their hair. 

 

In Oman, there are multiple prayers during the day, which you can hear the calls for, city-wide. Restaurants were open late because of Ramadan, and the culture of the city at night was unreal. People had almost a flipped day: everything was closed during daylight hours, but buzzing and busy every night once the fast was broken. 

 

Fasting is a challenge; I have observed some days of fasting, but not the whole month. It’s especially challenging for athletes. You may have seen soccer or basketball players who play entire games during Ramadan, who won’t even drink water. I’m going to try to dedicate more time to fasting this time around. 

 

The real celebration is when Ramadan ends, and Eid happens. Eid is a major Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan. We begin the day with a special Eid prayer at mosques worldwide, and we give gratitude for the strength that was given to fast during the month of Ramadan and ask for future blessings. Later, people come together to enjoy meals with family and friends and depending on the country, some Muslims decorate their houses. Children often receive gifts or money during Eid or eat traditional sweets. In majority-Muslim countries like the UAE and Turkey, they do larger celebrations with fireworks and public events.  

 

The best part of Ramadan is that it’s a shared tradition that transcends culture, language, and ethnicity. All Muslims, both Shia and Sunni, which are the two major sects of Islam, observe this holiday. I myself am a Shia, which accounts for only 10 percent of Muslims worldwide. I am also an Ismaili, which is a subsect of Shias that make up only one percent of all Muslims. As a minority sect, we believe in a living guide, our spiritual leader or Imam, who provides us with a modern interpretation of our holy book, The Qu’ran, and its teachings. 

 

We have just gone through a major change in our religion, with our previous Imam, Aga Khan the fourth, passing away on February 4. Last week, our new Imam, Aga Khan the fifth, came into power. Our community is in both mourning and celebration, and looking forward to Ramadan and Eid with the Muslim community worldwide.