Thomas Repass, April 10th, 2024
In A.D. 610, the Prophet Muhammad, deep within the caves of Hira, was given the Quran by the angel Gabriel. This moment, known as Laylat al-Qadr or ‘Night of Power’, was the subsequent kick off of the Islamic religion. Ramadan is therefore a celebration of this moment, where Muslim worshippers spend a month fasting from dawn to dusk in order to grow closer to Allah and allow for peace
However, during this particular period of Ramadan, tensions are higher than ever. With the current genocide in the Middle East, there was hope that this event would bring about a cease-fire, and allow for progress to be made towards peace. As of today, no such agreement has been made.
In recent news, worshippers are flocking to the ruins of mosques such as Al Farouq in attempts to continue their faith despite hardships, and a myriad of images can be found consisting of Iftar (meal after dusk) and Suhoor (meal before dawn) in homes that have been razed. History has repeated itself; Muslims once again are dining under the stars and praying through ruins, watching smoke rise in the distance as modern gunfire peppers once prosperous communities. You can hardly imagine such people surviving a day in this environment, let alone a month whilst fasting, and yet they continue to do so.
In more perceivable news the Bruin Broadcast sat down with a few members of the BHS Muslim Student Association, including Asmaa Abusamra and Salma Seyam, for their take on Ramadan. The first question asked, how long have you participated in Ramadan? Answers varied but gradually were made clear through excess information. Starting at around second grade, parents begin to let their children participate in Ramadan. For younger children who may not be able to go the full day, there are allowances regarding consumption halfway through the day, but full fasting begins around the age of ten. Salma proudly declared with a smile, “All my life I’ve been fasting.”
This year, Ramadan is occurring during the Christian holiday of Easter. When speaking with Salma, I joked about having been asked if Ramadan was ‘Muslim Easter’. She laughed and replied that they’re different, but that Egypt has a similar celebration called Sham el-Nessim, where Spring is praised through a feast with a ghastly amount of good food.
As we transitioned to our next question, our subjects became elated. “What’s my favorite part of Ramadan? You can’t just ask me that!” Dear reader, I can. I wish I could transcribe the flurry of high pitched noise and excitement that suddenly erupts at the mere idea of all the beauty Ramadan holds. Familial spirit abounds within them, and a shared sense of community is made clear. Salma happily declares, “We’re gonna decorate the house! That’s gotta be one of my favorite parts, we put out lights and little thingies! Oh my gosh, Fanoos!” A tangle of arms and excited giggles fly into the air as Salma finds her phone and begins to show pictures. “So there’s a lot of styles and stuff, but they’re like lanterns! We bring them out every year for Ramadan and they’re just little trinkets and I love them! Oh! And another thing-” Salma continues on, telling stories about her family gathering for television at Iftar, about the desserts her mom makes, and that feeling of expectant happiness right before she finally eats at the end of the day. Back in Egypt, she experiences all these joys tenfold, and she tells me vividly about that feeling of Iftar. The day breaks gently, then all at once, devoured by the prayer call and a vibrant blaze of sunset; in Egypt however it’s extra special because people fly kites. Her uncle has promised to teach her to make a kite (and has yet to do so).
I ask next about what non-Muslims can do to be respectful during Ramadan. Asmaa says it’s best to ask your Muslim friends for advice, and to be respectful by not eating right in front of them; Salma echoes this reply by laughing and scrolling through memes with me about it, telling me that it’s a case by case situation in which as long as you aren’t blatantly racist and instead are genuinely respectful, most things can be forgiven. Both answers made me smile, as both ladies seemed to speak with a compassionate edge that only highlighted their well-founded morals for which Ramadan celebrates.
Next, I asked a difficult question, one that had permeated my mind but felt too foul to mention. It was like a bad taste on the tongue, a wicked elephant within the room that I finally found the courage to ask. “With the current situation in the Middle East, do you believe there might be a ceasefire?” At this Salma seemed to shift in complex emotions. She told me very candidly that she does not believe ‘situation’ is a proper word for it, and that ‘genocide’ fits much better by definition. She then tells me that she had hoped fervently for a ceasefire and was aggrieved by the lack of one. Both Asmaa and Salma portrayed to me that Ramadan was a peaceful holiday, purposefully created for Muslims to become closer with Allah and to practice the virtues of honest living, discipline, and patience. Genocide does not reflect these values, and is therefore a shame to those who perpetrate it during such a holy time. I felt sympathetic to our two young women, but also a sense of wonder towards their calm vigor.
Our last question came naturally after such a complex issue: what can we do to help? The Muslim Student Association suggests that you join them for Club days to experience and learn about their Islamic culture, and Asmaa told me that even simply raising awareness of the topic was a perfect way to support them. Salma went as far as to suggest buying food at the concession stand opposite of the gym, as the majority of the money spent on sweets and treats there ends up going to relief in the Middle East.
Finally, I would like to make a statement. While Blacksburg High School must remain an equitable, nonpartisan institution, I hope this will still resonate with our readers and staff. The story of genocide in the Middle East is a very difficult one to approach, especially with the constant back and forth of insatiably biased news outlets claiming opposite facts. In a conflict written by the victors this has no author, because frankly no one is winning at anything other than confusion and horror. Take my advice, be the person who flies a kite at sunset. Go unwind a great big beast of a toy that soars through the air against a crimson sky and fill your life with joy and laughter and the smell of good food as the sun fades away. With each bite there is appreciation, with each moment there is a feeling not to let time be taken for granted. After all, that’s exactly what Ramadan is all about.
Dates to look out for!
2024: March 10th-April 9th
2025: February 28th-March 30th
(Photo Credits: Salma Seyam)
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