Ramadan

Sunset photo by Brayden

Tonight is the start of Ramadan, an Islamic holy day that marks the discovery of the Qur’an by the Prophet Muhammad.

The Islamic calendar is totally lunar, so Ramadan is a few weeks earlier each year, at the sighting of the thin crescent moon, hopefully at sundown tonight.

Ramadan is a month of blessing. By night, Muslims read the Qur'an, and celebrate the compassion of God with special prayers. 

By day, they give to charities, and observe the discipline of fasting: They eat an early morning meal before the sun rises, then eat and drink nothing until after sundown. The Ramadan fast includes abstinence from falsehood and anger, in words and in deeds.

Even though I don't partake in a fast, I observe Ramadan in this same spirit, renewing my relationship with God, and exercising self-discipline and generosity. I hope to build my empathy for Muslims as they observe their month-long fast.

Agenda:
1. Celestial awareness
2. Daily prayer for Palestine

3. Simple sunset ceremony

1. Celestial awareness: 
Ramadan lasts from tonight's crescent moon to next month's crescent moon. It's not a seasonal observance because it falls at a different season every year; I think of it as a celestial observance.

As part of my effort to have empathy for Muslim's as they fast, over the years I've attempted to have a heightened awareness of the movement of the moon during this month, and each day's sunrise and sunset. This has grown into a year round awareness. (It also helps that my ducks need to be let in and out of the coop with the sunset and sunrise.)

This month I will mark the sunrise with a daily prayer, and sunset with a 

2. Practice a daily prayer for Palestine:
One of the main points of Ramadan is to help Muslims to develop generosity and empathy, and I embrace that purpose.

This year I want to focus my empathy efforts on Palestine, and I need to weave contemplation and ritual into this work. When I think of Israel and Palestine my heart breaks and I can't breathe; I need to take time to breathe, and to honor my grief.

I will say this short prayer each day at sunrise:

O Spirit of Love and Truth, hold the children of Gaza and ease their pain and suffering. 

I pray for my Arab and Jewish kin to know deep and lasting healing. May they find mercy.

May there be a turning in each of us and in the world. May the fire of justice rise from the belly of the earth. May the bombings cease. Amen.

3. Simple sunset ceremony:

The Ramadan fast is broken at sunset each night with a meal called iftar. One year I had this simple Turkish-style iftar meal with Ezogelin (EZ-oh gel-EEN) soup, flat bread, goat cheese, black olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, and dates. The soup is very tasty and filling, and the recipe is here.

This year I've decided to have a simple ceremony at sunset: I will eat one date slowly, and feel gratitude for the simple pleasures of the day.