So what's up with Ramadan?

Ramadan is a month long Muslim religious observance celebrated in the ninth month of the Muslim calendar.  The ninth month being the month that the Qu'ran was revealed to the prophet Mohamed.   During the month they fast (no eating, drinking, chewing gum, or smoking) from sunrise to sunset.  Each day at sunset there is an Iftar meal.  Iftar literally meaning; to break the fast, and is often done as a community.  The Muslim calendar is different than the Gregorian calendar we follow, it follows the moon.  So each year Ramadan falls a little earlier than the year before, this year it began September first.  They thought it would end on the 30th but it actually ended on the 29th.  Don't laugh but there is actually a "moon committee" that is responsible for all the sightings.  They say when each month begins and ends.  The month of Ramadan ends with Eid al-Fitr, this is a week festival as big as our Christmas.

Why do they do this?  It is supposed to teach them patience and humility and remind them of the poor.  They are supposed to concentrate on "being extra good".  It is also a month of charity, they give a portion of their years earnings to these little kiosks set up at the grocery stores and malls.  I don't know if all this happens but it's probably like anywhere there are those who their faith is important to them, others who just follow the rules, and those who just say they do.

Those are the basic facts on Ramadan, now here is how it has impacted us.  Every restaurant and coffee shop in every mall is closed.  The large hotels would keep one restaurant open with a curtain over the door for lunch.  All restaurants open in the evening but don't serve until sunset.  Many serve elaborate Iftar meals with many special dishes, it's like a month long of Thanksgiving dinner.  Most Muslims are up most of the evening celebrating and eating so they sleep late in the morning.  Store hours are strange, just a few in the morning and than closed all afternoon and then reopen at eight o'clock until midnight.  All Muslims go into work late and leave at two o'clock so they can rest before beginning their night time activities.  You can imagine with half the workers in the offices not being Muslim what a crazy month it is!  The streets become gridlock with school and employees all out at the same time.  As the month goes on they are more tired and irritable!  A few friends and I have been saying we are Rama-done!!  You have to drink a sip of water in an empty elevator or a restroom stall if you're out and about for hours.  I have even been in a parked car and put my head down by the floor board just for a sip of water!  On the other hand it is a month of festivities!  Special tents sent up everywhere for all the evening functions.   We have been to several Iftars, large and small and have real enjoyed the experience.  Malls, stores, and even some homes decorate, mostly with moons and stars.  There are lots of "Christmas lights", and mall fronts lit up with lights that change.  One mall had hanging moons, camels, Arabian coffee pots, etc.  The craziest thing was we did not know what day it was going to actually end until we woke up on the 30th and found out it ended the night before!  It's like two eras clashing; the "moon committee" had to say the month ended and then tells everyone by Internet!  You gotta laugh!  Public Holidays (school and government) had off all week because they new Eid would fall during that week.  But, the private sector only gets two days, and you don't know when they are until it happens!  It's a crazy thing we call life here in the Middle East.

What have I as a Christian learned?  So much, for one thing, their religion encompasses every aspect of their lives.  What they eat, drink, wear, go, etc.  What would our communities look like in the United States if all Christians allowed God to encompass every part of their lives?  At the same time it is very sad to see so much legalism and no grace.  Every prayer and all that they do helps them "earn" their way to paradise.  I am so thankful for the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, God's son, and what that means to me.  Ramadan for me has had it's share of inconveniences but most of all has been a month long Thanksgiving.  I have been daily reminded of how much I am thankful for!