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The observation of Ramadan in Islamic culture has been going on all month long, and festivities will soon be popping off across the globe now that the commencement celebration of Eid al-Fitr has arrived.
For those on the outside looking in, it’s easy to see that many Muslims across the world have been using the sacred period of fasting, prayer, reflection and community to make this particular Ramadan a memorable one.
RELATED: 6 Important Things To Know About Ramadan
As the latter post suggests, the idea behind “taking care of your Imaan” is to simply protect your belief in the six articles of faith, which include the initial belief in Tawhid or the oneness of God, belief in the angels, belief in God’s work in creating the Holy books, belief in the existence of prophets, belief in the Day of Judgment and finally the belief in Qadar or in other words divine destiny. When you add not eating or drinking from dawn until dusk into the mix, not to mention the individual burdens that Muslim Americans can face when balancing cultural traditions alongside Western ideologies, the month-long journey definitely doesn’t come without its fair share of trials and tribulations. That’s why we wanted to put together a helpful guide that breaks down how you can support someone of Islamic faith in your life just by understanding what this past month has meant for them.
From respecting changes in behavior that can often be triggered by the circumstances of fasting, to understanding that not all Muslims are alike, take a minute to view Ramadan from a whole new perspective.
To go without eating for the sake of sport is hunger without purpose. Enlightenment comes with allowing God to nurture your mind in the absence of dietary nutrition.
They aren’t suddenly “being weird”; their life circumstances just currently aren’t normal.
In other words, life has been very different for Muslims over the past 30 days. Their movements will reflect that, so having understanding of that grace period is key.
Ramadan is about letting whatever you need work on be your biggest test for change. Those working on a need to develop patience for example may need you to meet them halfway as they work on bettering that side of themselves.
Being that nothing is consumed during the fasting hours of Ramadan — not water, not even gum! — running down a list of exemptions with your Muslim friend can come off as redundant or even veer into cultural voyeurism. In short, don’t ask questions you already know the answer to.
Many Muslim Americans can sometimes feel a sense of FOMO when experiencing traditional Western holidays from the outside looking in. Ramadan is a time where that same holiday magic comes alive for an entire four-week period, and presents are definitely not out the question. As The Prophet Muhammad once said, “Give each other gifts and you will love one another.”
Even when balancing work, making time to practice bettering that relationship with God is the key to making it all matter. Although difficult, balance is a huge thing that should be respected.
While the ideologies of Islamic faith are shared throughout the culture, how it plays out varies by the region or even individual. For example, Muslims of Saudi Arabia are far more traditional in their thinking compared to Egyptian Muslims that are more open to cultural changes.
Traditional dishes like Atayef, a Middle Eastern-style pancake stuffed with all sorts of savory delicacies, are some of the biggest highlights for Muslims when it’s actually time to eat and especially during the huge feast for Eid al-Fitr. Even with fasting being one of the primary pillars, food will always play a huge part in Ramadan.
The biggest disconnect between American culture and Islam, or any foreign culture for that matter, is the willingness to stay ignorant to what’s happening outside the States. We can all do a little better at expanding our minds to the outside world we’re inhabiting together.
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