The International Writers Magazine - Our Tenth Year: Religion

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Ramadan Readings • Marwan Asmar Ramdan must mean the culmination of Islam, its nature and message. It is when the Koran—the text of its teachings—was sent down from the heavens to Prophet Mohammad, first in stages and then in one night on Lialat Al Qader towards the end of the holy month to serve humanity.

Ramadan is a spiritual month, serving to in-gather Muslims worldwide for a higher existential being, the one that can’t be touched or seen but is everywhere. Ramadan is a period of fasting lasting for one month in any one year from sunrise till sunset as ordered by God who explicitly states that "fasting is for me and I will reward as I see fit". Ramadan espouses an explicit special relation between God the savior, and the individual human being which the Almighty created.

In Ramadan, abstinence becomes the central issue as dictated by God to show the extent of obedience man, and woman, can exercise towards the respects and wishes of the Almighty. Abstinence from food is vital to express the relationship between Man and God. No food, no water, absolute fasting from the pre-dawn pray till the sunset pray when the fast is broken and eating begins.

A vital part of abstinence is the prohibition of sexual intercourse during the time of the fast—this is a strict rule and if broken it can lead to sever consequences, and God may not accept the rest of the fast for the ensuing the month. It is a question of obedience and a doctrinal issue where Islamic jurisprudence experts have different opinions on the severity of the break with some saying you have to pay penance including alms to the poor to feed them for a certain number of days. However, sexual intercourse is allowed after the break of the fast at sunset and its end at sunrise when conjugal relations can be practiced between husband and wife although a bath must be taken afterwards to cleanse oneself and stand again in the eyes of God.

Abstinence must be regarded as the fulcrum of Ramadan involving total submission, one that involves a division of all the worldly elements that still exist and need to be nurtured as well as a world that is yet to come and existing in the afterlife. With its spiritual aspects and deep significance, Islam, through Ramadan and the Koran is a very realist, pragmatic religion involved, making sure society does not alter its compass, with its traits of humanness remaining. The elements of helping the poor is vital—they have as much right to be clothed as wealthy people have as much right to enjoy their wealth.

There is a central egalitarian issue involved during Ramadan regarding the question of rich and poor and the guarding towards maintaining an equitable balance to relieve the frustration of society, an attempt at social balance, to flush out exploitation, meanness and anxiety.

During Ramadan when Satan and his followers are "bound up" according to the religious text for the duration of the month to allow people a "breather" and not to be deflected from doing good, the issue of giving alms and zakat becomes much more stronger. There is a new almost bombastic spirit to give. It that period more of the wealthy give the conditional zakat on their property, ownership, investment than any other times of the year to the poor or societies helping the poor. But this giving applies to the whole spectrum of communities, applying across-the-board. Ramadan becomes a month of giving where people are nicer to each other than any other time of the year, and where brotherly feeling is felt leaving aside recriminations, and hatred.

This becomes part of a wider general atmosphere for in Ramadan, Salat (prostrating to God, five times a day) becomes widely practiced with more and more people praying both at home and more importantly in mosques across Muslim countries. Indeed, these become fuller and more intense especially in the evening during and after the Ishaa’ prayer when people stand before the Imam to perform the Taraweeh, an "extra" non-obligatory prayer and getting closer to God.

People become more pious, there is a greater sense of humility in worship especially for those that practice their Salat and religion through out the year. Holding one’s tongue, not engaging in idol talk, speaking the truth and devoting more time to the question of God and religiosity becomes a morning, evening and a nighttime affair. During Ramadan life revolves around Ramadan.

It is fair to say, because of its special nature and significance—there are around 1.5 billions in the world and millions upon millions living in Europe, the United States, Canada, Latin America and Australia—it is a dominant and a domineering force, with everyone fasting at the same time, putting their hands up in prayers to the Almighty God.
This force however, by no means serves as a threat, but it is waves upon waves of people, supplicating to God and seeing the light in their prayers with their objective to serve their religion rather than any other. For these people Ramadan has become a common practice to stretch one hand to God while helping ordinary people.
© Marwan Asmar September 2009
<m_asmar_2000@yahoo.com>

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