Happy Eid al-Fitr to Muslim staff and PGR students in the Race and Faith Network
RFN wishes you and your families well as you mark the end of Ramadhan.
Happy Eid al-Fitr to Muslim staff and students
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Ramadhan Kareem – 30 days of Ramadhan part 3
Aside
In addition to our recent post about Ramadhan we are releasing posts to recognise the three categories of blessing over the 30 days of Ramadhan. Post contributed by Hasan Gilani.
Days 20-30
This is called Nijaat, meaning ‘salvation.’ These are also known as the Days of Seeking Refuge. This final stage of the month is about seeking sanctuary from the fires of Hell. Fasting itself is said to be a shield from Hellfire that’s as effective as any physical shield used in battle.
And the dua for this part of the month is…
‘O Almighty Allah, save me from the fire of Hell.’
These last ten days of Ramadhan are very significant as they are when Laylat al-Qadr takes place. Variously translated as Night of Power, Night of Destiny and other names, it commemorates the night when the Qur’an was first revealed to Muhammad (Peace be upon him). Although the prophet did not mention a specific date for the Night of Power, he did say to “seek it in the last 10 days on the odd nights.”
So Laylat al-Qadr is thought to fall on one of the odd-numbered nights in the final ten days of Ramadhan.
Many Muslims take part in the practice of Itikaf, which means staying in the mosque for several days and devoting themselves to secluded worship, away from the distraction of all worldly affairs.
Easter for Orthodox Christians
Post contributed by Fr Ian Wallis, Faith & Spirituality Advisor, Orthodox Church
Easter is more properly known as ‘Pascha’ in the Orthodox Church because the early Church used languages – e.g. Aramaic, Greek, Latin – where ‘pascha’ was the accepted translation of the Hebrew word, ‘pesach’ (= ‘passover’) and the conservative nature of the Church has kept the use of this term.
‘Pascha’ survives in English usage as an adjective, as in a ‘Paschal Candle’, which in many Western churches is a special candle that is blessed at Easter, and then subsequently plays a part in the rite of baptism.
The apostolic preaching interprets the death and resurrection of Christ as a new passover for humanity: ‘For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: therefore let us keep the feast, not with the old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.’ (1Corinthians 5, 7,8 AV)
The date of Passover/Pesach (as computed by Jewish authorities) was also instrumental in determining the date of the Christian feast of Pascha: the churches were agreed about this although they did not all celebrate Pascha on the Sunday following Pesach.
When the rabbinic authorities (towards the end of the second century CE) established a new way of computing the date of Pesach – one that specifically disregarded the date of the spring equinox – many Christians questioned the propriety of computing the date of Pascha using a revised date of Pesach i.e. a date computed by a method that was not in use at the time of Christ.
As the Church did not have an agreed method for computing the date of Pascha, it fell to its meeting (known subsequently as the ‘First Ecumenical Council’) at Nicea in 325 CE to decide (amongst other things!) two key elements in the method, as follows:
- Pascha should be celebrated on the same Sunday by all churches;
- And the Sunday of Pascha must be the first after the full moon following the spring equinox.
In more recent centuries, the different dates for Easter/Pascha in the Church came about when the Church in the West adopted the New Style/Gregorian Calendar; and the difference arises specifically in fixing the date of the spring equinox, which is a more astronomically correct calculation underlying the Gregorian Calendar. The whole Orthodox Church keeps to the Old Style/Julian Calendar (when computing the date of Pascha) and employs – what has been referred to as – a ‘notional equinox’.
Even before the Gregorian Calendar was adopted, the Church’s forms of worship in the West had developed along different lines from those to be found in the East; and although the basic structure of the eucharist and other services is similar, the style of the ceremonial used in the Orthodox Church is markedly different from that in the Western Church.
A traditional ikon for Pascha representing Christ’s resurrection
Outside of church, Orthodox Christians celebrate Pascha in accordance with a variety of local traditions, mainly to do with those foods that should have been abstained from in the Lenten fast, such as eggs, cheese and meat. ‘Pascha’ is also the name given in Russian usage to a special form of cheesecake, which is a key element of their Paschal breakfast.
Ramadhan Kareem – 30 days of Ramadhan part 2
Aside
In addition to our recent post about Ramadhan we are releasing posts to recognise the three categories of blessing over the 30 days of Ramadhan. Post contributed by Hasan Gilani.
Days 10-20
The second set of 10 days is called Maghfirah, meaning ‘forgiveness.’ So these are also known as the Days of Forgiveness.
This is the time when Muslims ask for forgiveness and peace from Allah.
They should apologise for all their mistakes, change their ways and forgive those who have done them wrong.
The dua for this Ashra is:
‘I ask forgiveness of my sins from Allah who is my Lord and I turn towards Him.’
Ramadan Kareem – 30 days of Ramadhan
Aside
In addition to our recent post about Ramadhan we are releasing posts to recognise the three categories of blessing over the 30 days of Ramadhan. Post contributed by Hasan Gilani.
Days 0-10
The first ten days of Ramadhan are also known as the Days of Mercy. This is called Rehmat, meaning ‘mercy of Allah.’
This is the time when Muslims seek mercy and blessings from Allah.
The dua for this part of the month is:
‘O My Lord forgive and have Mercy and you are the best of Merciful.’
In line with these prayers and the meaning of this Ashra (10 days), Muslims display mercy through acts of charity, by treating others well and helping people whenever they can.
Ramadhan – 13th April to 13th May
Ramadhan is the ninth month of the Islamic (Hijri) calendar.
Featuring contributions from: Dr Hasan Gilani, Najiya Slimani, Fiona MacNeill (ed.)
About Ramadhan
Ramadhan1 is the ninth month of the Islamic (Hijri) calendar. The exact dates of Ramadhan vary every year. This is because Islam uses a calendar based on the cycles of the Moon. The lunar year being shorter and each month having 29 or 30 days only, Ramadhan moves forward every year. This year in the UK, Ramadhan will begin on Tuesday 13 April. Since many Muslims still like to rely on the moonsighting to determine the beginning of the month of Ramadhan, there may be a difference of a day in various parts of the world when Ramadhan begins. Across the globe, from approximately 13th April until 13th May 2021, close to one billion people will be observing Ramadhan.
Fasting during Ramadhan is one of the 5 pillars of Islam, along with the Muslim declaration of faith, daily prayer, charity and performing the Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca. It is an act of deep personal worship and an exercise in self-restraint. Muslims should not engage in cursing, fighting, or gossiping. It is seen as a way to physically and spiritually de-toxify. It is the month in which the Holy Qur’an was revealed to the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH2).
Muslims fast (no eating or drinking) between dawn and sunset. This is called Sawm/Syaam (fasting). For Muslims, it is a very beneficial act of worship as it teaches self-discipline, gratefulness for the bounties they enjoy and reminds them of the suffering of the less fortunate. Muslims often donate to charities during the month.
To prepare for the fast, Muslims eat what is commonly called ‘Suhoor’; a pre-dawn meal of power foods to get them through the day.
Can Muslims be exempt from fasting?
Pregnant and menstruating women, elderly people, those who are ill, have to take ingested medication or those that are travelling do not have to fast. Children are not expected to fast until they reach puberty.
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Source: MyUS.com
Practices and Observances
Muslims use this opportunity to make extra spiritual efforts and try to give up bad habits. It is a special season for prayer, charity and good deeds.
Many Muslims try to read the whole of the Qur’an at least once during Ramadan. They will also attend special night prayers (Taraweeh) in Mosques during which the Qur’an is read.
Some Muslims take this opportunity to perform Umra (optional pilgrimage to Makkah KSA3) and visit the Prophet’s Mosque in Madina (KSA) and spend as many days/night as possible for worship and spiritualty.
An Iftar dinner at the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey
They will also try to get together with family and friends (wherever possible) especially on the occasion of breaking the fast and have a collective meal at sunset by preparing and sharing various dishes. They will also help people in need by setting a Ramadan Table wherever people of all religions are welcome to share Iftar4 (break the fast at sunset). Iftar dishes can be very colourful and rich and prepared with care, however most Muslims will traditionally break the fast with a few dates and milk or water before going for anything between the traditional Harira (Moroccan soup) in North Africa to Samosas and Bajias (Pakoras/Bhajees) in the Asian continent alongside many local savouries and sweet drinks and dishes.
Jama Masjid of Delhi, one of the largest mosques in India during Eid.
How to respectfully recognise Ramadhan
Many Muslims are accepting and welcoming of others around them who are not observing Ramadhan and it is OK to eat or drink next to someone who is fasting. Muslims welcome questions about Ramadhan.
It is always good practice to greet and express good wishes at this time of the year, whether just before Ramadhan or in the first few days of the month. Muslims do culturally exchange best wishes and congratulate each other by saying “Ramadan Kareem / Happy Ramadan!”
In general Muslims don’t expect any “special treatment” during fasting as they are religiously encouraged to incorporate fasting in their normal daily activities, however it is good practice to ask Muslims colleagues if they need work to be adapted to their “focus hours”. They will highly appreciate it and it will boost collaboration at work.
At the time of Eid, saying “Eid Mubarak” is a good way of congratulating Muslims on the occasion of Eidul-Fitr.
Remember that not all Muslims fast (for medical reasons for example) so if you see a Muslim not fasting, avoid asking them in public.
An example of a Ramadan Kareem image for Muslims to send via social media.
Comparative Theology
Quran says: “O you who believe! fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may guard (against evil)”.
In other religions, there are various forms of fasting, as fasting is widely recognised as a practice for spiritual purification, increasing awareness, or self-discipline. In Islam, fasting is an act of worship, whereby a Muslim draws closer to God by abandoning food, drink, and sexual intercourse from dawn to sunset.
Jews observe ten days of repentance starting with Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) and ending with Yom Kippur. Check out the recent Talk it out blog post about Passover/Pesach for more information about Judaism.
Lent is a forty-day period of fasting which is observed by the Roman Catholic, Anglican, and the Orthodox Church. Read the recent Talk it out blog post about fasting for Orthodox Christians.
How do Muslims mark the end of Ramadan?
Laylat al-Qadr – The Night of Power/Destiny
The final 10 days of Ramadhan are marked by lots of worship as Muslims seek to have their prayers answered on “Laylat al-Qadr” (The Night of Power/Decree) which is considered the holiest night of the year for Muslims and can fall on any ‘odd’ numbered day within the last 10 days. This night commemorates the night that the Qur’an (the literal word of God which was relayed to humanity through the Prophet) was first revealed by Allah (God) to the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) through the angel Gabriel. It is believed to have taken place on one of the final 10 nights of Ramadan in 610 CE, though the exact night is not specified in the Qur’an. This night is believed to be a night whereby good deeds are multiplied. (The night of Laylat al-Qadr is better than 1000 months as stated in the Qur’an).
The observance of Laylat al-Qadr holds additional significance to Muslims as a night in which the angels descend to earth leading to a night of peace, forgiveness, blessings and divine guidance (qadar) until dawn. It is commemorated with solemnity, devotion and prayer. Some observers spend the final 10 days in the mosque in retreat (I’tikaf).
Eid ul-Fitr – Festival of Breaking the Fast
Eid ul-Fitr marks the end of a month of fasting from dawn to sunset, as well as spiritual reflection and prayer. The day starts with morning prayers, wearing best attire and a big meal is usually the main event, but there’s lots of ways other people celebrate too.
Eid ul-Fitr is the festival day, one of the most important, similar to how important Christmas is for Christians.
Gifts can be exchanged, especially to young children who receive clothes and money.
An example of an image for social media celebrating Eid.
Further reading
- ‘Fasting in different religions’ – article on AboutIslam blog
- The Meaning of Fasting and the Wisdom Behind It – translated article on Dar Al-Ifta al-Misriyyah5
- Ramadan for Dummies: 16 Things non-Muslims should know about the Holy Month – article on Al Bawaba6 blog
Resources and events
Many mosques will remain open this year during Ramadan for prayers. They will continue to observe safety guidance by wearing face masks and respecting social distancing.
Every year, Muslims break their fast together in the mosque and share dishes. This year they will get together to break the fast with something light and pray together but without sharing food. They will then have the full meal in their homes with their families.
However, the night prayers will be shorter than usual. Many online programs take place to allow people to take part in various religious activities and lectures from home. Many Mosques in Sussex will have daily Zoom activities.
Any Questions?
Members of the network have said that they are happy to answer questions from the university community about Ramadhan. Please submit your question using the comments area below or contact Fiona MacNeill via teams/email (internal questions from staff/students only).
- Arabic: رَمَضَان , also spelled Ramazan, Ramzan, Ramadhan or Ramathan. ↩
- Peace be upon him. A phrase attached to holy figures in Islam. See this page of Wikipedia for information. ↩
- Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ↩
- Also known as ftoor ↩
- Egyptian Islamic advisory, justiciary and governmental body. For information see this Wikipedia page. ↩
- News and blogging site based in Amman, Jordan. ↩
Fasting for Orthodox Christians
Contributed by: Fr Ian Wallis, Faith & Spirituality Adviser, Orthodox Church
The Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church is a body with a long history, and a wide geographical spread. It should, therefore, not be at all surprising that there are (and always have been) differences of practice within it; and that applies as much to the practice of fasting, as it does to the practices of prayer, and worship, that accompany it: what is said here about fasting can only be taken as a general guide.
‘Fasting’ is commonly understood as going without food for a limited period of time, but the Orthodox Church more usually employs the term (in the church calendar) as days when Christians should abstain from certain types of food and drink: this means that on ‘Fast Days’ it is customarily understood that meat and fish (including any sea creature with a backbone) should not be eaten, neither should eggs and dairy products, nor olive oil (other vegetable oils are often substituted) and wine (usually understood as including all alcoholic beverages) should not be consumed.
However, the Gospel teaches Christians that fasting should be done in secret (Matthew 6:16-18) it is better to break the fast than to draw attention to the fact that you are fasting. In particular, when eating with people who are not keeping the fast, Christians are encouraged to be careful to eat what they are given, and also to provide for others a choice of food i.e. no one should be forced to fast.
In Britain, there is a long history of Catholic practice, and substituting fish for meat on Fridays is a well-known custom. However, the Orthodox Christian wider form of abstention (outlined above) is not so well-known, and neither is its extension to include most Wednesdays throughout the year. Similarly, Lent (or the ‘Great Fast’) is relatively wellknown as a period of abstention in preparation for Easter (or ‘Pascha’) but not the fast before Christmas (or the ‘Nativity’) sometimes called the ‘Philip Fast’ (because it starts on 15th November, which is the day following St Philip’s Day). Even less well-known are the fasts in the summer: one before the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul (29th June) and one before the Dormition (or Falling-Asleep) of the Most Blessed Virgin (15th August). The Orthodox Church’s calendar tells us when these fasts begin and end (including a number of days not mentioned here) and also those ‘Fast Days’ when fish, wine or oil are allowed.
The Gospel teaches Christians that fasting together with prayer can be of great effect (Matthew 17:21) and the change of diet is offered as a help to prayer. Prayer can be understood as a way of releasing our spirit to love others: if you have loved and served your family, your friends, your neighbours, and your enemies, you have kept the fast.
Photo by Kamil Szumotalski on Unsplash
Holy Week Blog: Easter Sunday
Today is the final day of our daily blog posts for Holy Week
Thank you for joining us and we hope that you have found these posts helpful and informative.
Contributed by Christian members of the Faith and Spirituality Team.
As soon as the Sabbath was over, at dawn, the women gathered to return to Jesus’ tomb with the intention of anointing his body and wrapping it in a shroud. But when they got to the tomb, they discovered it had been opened. Jesus was not there! The accounts of this discovery vary in the different gospels. Mark tells us the women saw a young man dressed in white, who told them to go tell the disciples that Jesus had been raised from the dead and they were terrified; Matthew’s gospel tells us first an angel appeared to the women and then Jesus himself, telling them to go tell the disciples. In Luke’s two men appear to the women and tell them to go tell the others and much later Jesus appears to them all; and in John’s gospel there is quite a bit of toing and froing, with Mary Magdalene first discovering the empty tomb, returning to get two disciples to have a look. They can’t figure it out and leave. Then as she stands weeping at the tomb, Jesus appears to her. What actually happened we will never know. But in the days to follow, in various ways, people thought they saw him and they seemed to know that Jesus was still with them; and in this knowledge their sorrow turned to joy and they knew they were forgiven for the ways they had let Jesus down. You can read these accounts in the final chapters of each of the gospels.
Christians today believe the resurrection of Jesus was all about the power of love. Jesus lived a life of complete love and his continuing presence in the lives of those who follow him reveals that love is so powerful nothing can defeat it, even death. Resurrection also points to a basic principle of life: good can come out of even the most tragic of circumstances. Dawn follows even the darkest of nights.
In churches, Christians will celebrate with singing, music, shouts of “Christ is risen! Alleluia!” and with joy unbounded! From the Iona Community’s Stages on the Way:
A Prayer for Easter Day
Lord God,
Early in the morning
when the world was young,
you made life in all its beauty and terror;
you gave birth to all that we know.
Hallowed be your name.Early in the morning,
when the world least expected it,
a newborn child crying in a cradle
announced that you had come among us,
that you were one of us.
Hallowed be your name.Early in the morning,
surrounded by respectable liars,
religious leaders,
anxious statesmen
and silent friends,
you accepted the penalty for doing good:
you shouldered and suffered the cross.
Hallowed be your name.Early in the morning,
a voice in a graveyard
and footsteps in the dew
proved that you had risen,
that you had come back to those and for those
who had forgotten, denied and destroyed you.
Hallowed be your name.This morning
in the multi-coloured company
of your church on earth and in heaven,
we celebrate your creation, your life,
your death and resurrection,
and your love for us and all the world.So we pray,
Bring new life,
where we are worn and tired;
New love,
where we have turned hard-hearted;
Forgiveness,
where we feel hurt and where we have wounded;
And the joy and freedom of your Spirit,
where we are prisoners of ourselves.Thank you God,
that dawn comes after darkest night
and we can begin again. Alleluia!
Amen
Easter Dawn II. Painting by Shirley J. Veater
The material from Iona comes from Stages on the Way, 1998. Copyright(c) WGRG, Iona community, Glasgow Scotland. wilgooselscotland. Reproduced with permission.
Artworks by Shirley Veater used with grateful thanks. www.shirleyveaterdesigns.co.uk
Holy Week Blog: Saturday
Blog posts will be released each day until Easter Sunday 4 April
Contributed by Christian members of the Faith and Spirituality Team.
Saturday
Saturday was the Sabbath, a holy day of rest. The disciples were shattered, shocked, heart-broken, terrified, inconsolable. They were probably in hiding. But all the men would have felt guilty. They had not defended Jesus or stayed with him; they were not at the cross to witness his death; they did not help take his body down. Only the women had stayed and observed and wept; and they had seen where his body was taken. Mark tells us nothing about this long sad day.
Some Christians will hold a vigil through the night. Others will spend the day decorating their church with flowers, as if anointing the body of Christ and in preparation for the morrow.
Holy Week Blog: Good Friday
Blog posts will be released each day until Easter Sunday 4 April
Contributed by Christian members of the Faith and Spirituality Team.
Friday
Jesus was held in the high priest’s house overnight and the interrogating was brutal. In the morning he was taken to the Roman Governor, Pilate, who also interrogated him. He did not find Jesus guilty of much except perhaps self-delusion; but the crowd had been whipped up to demand the death penalty. Pilate conceded and sent Jesus to be crucified. As Jesus was now a capitol prisoner, the soldiers treated him with the utmost severity and mocking him as a self-styled King, they made a crown out of thorns and squeezed it onto his head. He was then made to carry the cross from the prison to a hill outside the city, called Golgotha. He was nailed to it and it was erected, Mark tells us at 9am. Two others were crucified at the same time. Jesus died at 3pm. While on the cross he was goaded by the crowd; but his response was to ask God to forgive them, for they did not know what they were doing. After he died, his body was taken down and put into a newly made tomb and the tomb was sealed. The whole story can be found in Mark, chapter 15.
Good Friday is the most solemn day in the Christian calendar; it is only “good” because Easter Sunday will follow. It is observed by Christians in many ways. The most common is to gather at mid-day for an afternoon of prayer, music, reflection, concluding at 3.00pm when people leave in silence. From the Iona Community’s Stages on the Way:
It was on the Friday
that they ended it all.Of course,
they didn’t do it one by one.
They weren’t brave enough.They did it in crowds…
in crowds where you can feel safe
and lose yourself,
and shout things
you would never shout on your own,
and do things
you would never do
if you felt the camera was watching you.It was a crowd in the church that did it,
and a crowd in the civil service that did it,
and a crowd in the street that did it,
and a crowd on the hill that did it.And he said nothing.
He took the insults,
the bruises,
the spit on the face,
the whips on the back,
the curses in the ears.
He took the sight of his friends turning away,
running away.And he said nothing.
He let them do their worst
until their worst was done,
as on Friday they ended it all.
And they would have finished themselves
had he not cried,
“Father, forgive them.”And begin the revolution.
Women at the foot of the cross. Painting by Shirley J. Veater
The material from Iona comes from Stages on the Way, 1998. Copyright(c) WGRG, Iona community, Glasgow Scotland. wilgooselscotland. Reproduced with permission.
Artworks by Shirley Veater used with grateful thanks. www.shirleyveaterdesigns.co.uk