Most citizens of Oxford continue their day-to-day activities as the summer continues to roll by, but a small part of the community have made major changes to their daily agendas.
Ramadan, the lunar month when Muhammad received his revelations from Allah through the angel Gabriel, is a time of fasting to commemorate the coming of the Quran to the earth, according to the Islamic faith.
Waking before the sun rises, practicing Muslims eat a meal before the day begins, and another after the sun sets. These meals sustain them because this month is a time where people will deprive themselves of food, water, tobacco and other pleasurable things.
Muslims will appear at the mosque and recite prayers and passages from the Quran. The reverence, tonality and synchronization of these prayers are poetic.
“It allows the individuals who celebrate to recognize that Allah is their provider,” said James Bos, religion professor at the university. “It allows them to become God-conscious as opposed to self-centered.”
Ramadan allows one to focus on devotion to Allah by allowing practitioners to empathize with the underprivileged, according to Bos.
Bos said Islam, in literal translation, means submission: submission to Allah.
“Submitting one’s desires for that entire month is a very practical way to show one’s submission,” Bos said.
Bos said if you’ve never gone without food before, you don’t necessarily feel that sorry for people who are currently going without food. Also, a significant portion of Muhammad’s preaching was taking care of the underprivileged and the oppressed.
“Ramadan is a month in which people are allowed to experience, somewhat temporarily, what it’s like to be one of those oppressed or underprivileged persons,” Bos said. “That motivates them in other time periods to give to those individuals.”
Asad Uddin, a senior public policy leadership major, said Ramadan is significant to him because it is a way for him to focus and reconnect to Islam and to Allah. Uddin said having Ramadan during the summer is a perfect time because when Ramadan takes place during the school year it is hard to balance work, play and religious duties.
“It allows you to be more empathetic to those who are less fortunate as than you, and it makes you more grateful at the end of the day,” Uddin said. “It’s also a reminder of where your place is and how you can see if you can do better.”
Uddin said it’s especially tempting because America is not in a full Muslim society. In a society that is based on a multitude of cultures, religions and race, there are many instances where he is the only one participating in Ramadan.
“Not everyone does Ramadan. Especially if you are hanging out with friends and they are eating lunch or something in front of you, the temptation is there,” Uddin said. “It’s almost like a test that says like ‘Can you handle this?’”
Uddin said he encourages students to try Ramadan, maybe not for the full month, but to try and do it for a week.
“It’s a really an enlightening, spiritual experience that everyone should try at least one time, just to see what it’s like and how all other Muslims do it,” Uddin said. “If you want to learn about Islam, I think definitely Ramadan is the best place to start exploring.”
Uddin said Ramadan is especially interesting because many Christians, especially Catholics, can relate to this religious tradition through the Christian lent season, making the two communities understand each other better despite other differences.
“To me it’s kind of beautiful, because, especially Christianity in general and Islam, they share so many similarities in terms of similar belief systems,” Uddin said. “These kinds of events and rituals, it’s definitely a good way to relate to others.”
Bos said having this time to publicly demonstrate their beliefs is important for consolidating the identity of worshippers.
Ramadan is viewed as an opportunity to get closer to God, and to understand His purposes better. It also allows people to recognize their own limitations, one’s mortality, Bos said.
“Muslims are good people with high ethical standards,” Bos said. “They are interested in bettering themselves and bettering the world.”
Ramadan fasting ends this Thursday, followed by the Eid al-Fitr or “festival of breaking the fast.”
