Ramadan: a time for reflection, restraint

By Jane Muhlstein

Ramadan does not have one true message. "There are as many meanings of Ramadan as there are Muslims," teaches United Submitters International, an Islamic organization. This is a good representation of the deeply personal holiday that is recognized by millions of Muslims around the world and many here at Santa Clara.

As many students on campus look forward to the celebration of Christmas, many others are in the midst of their primary religious observation. Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, is the time when Muslims believe their holy text the Qur'an was first revealed to Muhammad.

This year, Ramadan began at dawn on Nov. 5 and will end at sunset on Dec. 4. This holiest of periods is a chance for Muslims to tune up their spirituality, said Thamer Rajapakse, junior and president of the Muslim Student Association.

"The whole month is like spiritual training for the rest of the year," he said. Taking part in Ramadan includes the learning of self control through intensive worship, reading of the Qur'an, giving to charity, purifying behavior and doing good deeds.

An integral, well-known and often misunderstood aspect of Ramadan is fasting. From the time dawn breaks in the east to its setting in the west, Muslims who are old enough and physically able are obligated to abstain from food, drink and sex. Fasting takes place during the sun-up hours to create the experience of hunger and develop sympathy for the less fortunate, as well as learning thankfulness and appreciation for God's bounties.

Compared to other forms of worship, fasting is by far the most personal.

"Fasting is unique in that I can be fasting and no one else will know. Fasting is just between you and God," said Rajapakse.

One of fasting's enduring themes is that of sympathy for the less fortunate. "It is relevant today because poverty is so rampant," said senior Sheereen Siddiqui. "You learn to realize what you have and once you do that, you become more aware of the outside world."

Fasting can also spark intense self-reflection on the part of many Muslims.

"A lot of Muslims feel like they are closer to God because they are trying to be better than they already are," continues Siddiqui, who uses the time to examine her life over the last year and to recommit herself to Islam and its five pillars: faith, prayer, the zakat (almsgiving), the fast and pilgrimage.

"I use it as a starting over period," she said. "It's not that you just aren't eating, but it is an entire change in lifestyle where you are more aware of what you are doing throughout the day. I try to be more careful about what I do and what I say."

Rajapakse explains that Ramadan marks an opening of the veil between heaven and earth. Therefore, it brings many people into a much closer connection with God.

"Many Muslims take this time to quit smoking and to quit other bad habits," he said.

The Muslim calendar is based on the lunar calendar, so Ramadan moves throughout our year, based on the solar calendar. Last year, the end of Ramadan was almost concurrent with Christmas.

"The fact that it was happening during Christmas time last year was a big deal," said Rajapakse.

He took a pilgrimage to Mecca for the end of Ramadan last year. There he prayed and fasted with over 2.5 million other Muslims from all over the world. "I met people from everywhere, Turkey, England . . . they literally overflowed the place and wound up praying in the streets."

While he would love to go back this year, the end of Ramadan is during finals week and he has studies he needs to tend to. His mother is going back to Saudi Arabia this December and he cannot wait to take the trip again.

"It's really something you look forward to," he said.