The Month of Ramadan

The month of Ramadan is one of the most blessed and sacred times for the global Muslim community. It is currently upon us and will last until June 26th. 

This year, Ramadan happens to fall at the start of summer, whereby able-bodied Muslims are obliged to fast, abstaining from all food and drink during the daylight hours.

According to the Qur’an, the singular purpose behind the fasting is to attain a reverent and deep awareness of God.

The aim of the fast lies beyond the physical aspects of sensing hunger and thirst, intensified due to the heat and the lengthening of the summer days. There are many elements related to the fast that are conducive to bringing about higher states of spiritual consciousness of one’s state of being.

For example, when one senses the pangs of hunger and thirst, this should bring about a sense of empathy toward others who are less fortunate and do not readily have access to a steady supply of sustenance. Not only should this provide an impetus to help the needy, but it should also direct us to the Giver of all sustenance, instilling a deeper sense of appreciation and gratitude toward God for all of the countless blessings He has bestowed upon us.

The fasting also can provide a sense of self-discipline and sacrifice.

Furthermore, when a Muslim fasts, they also should abstain from acts that would be considered sinful, such as a lustful gaze, backbiting, speaking lies or causing any form of harm toward others. This leads to a Muslim fasting not only by their stomachs, but by their other limbs and organs, including their eyesight, tongues and hearing, abstaining from all that which displeases God.

Taking it to another level, indeed, the highest grade of fasting is that of the heart whereby a person consciously abstains from overly thinking of anything other than God Almighty, remembering and thanking Him in every aspect of one’s existence.

This also represents the innermost core of the concept of reverent and deep awareness of God, the very purpose of performing the fast.

Abd Alfatah Twakkal is the imam and spiritual leader of the London Muslim Mosque.

Canadian Muslims aspire to peace, tolerance and justice

It seems as if an invisible weight is placed upon my shoulders every few days, and the hijab on my head feels heavier. All this happens in the four minutes or so that it takes me to catch the radio news as I drive my kids to school in the mornings.

Islamist. Terrorist. Islamic State. Jihadist. Radicalized. These are all words now conflated with Muslim in the minds of the general population.

Let’s be clear. People such as those labelled this way do exist and carry their corrupt ideology, beliefs and agendas that, in their warped minds give them the licence to wreak havoc on society — your society and mine. Not only have they perverted my religion, but they’ve also hijacked my identity, stolen my security and left me captive in society’s basket of “bad apples.”

Their every heinous act piles another layer of weight on my shoulders.

I am a Canadian Muslim woman, proud to wear many hats: Mom, wife, friend, neighbour, community builder, school parent council leader, chauffeur to dance, piano, swimming and martial arts classes, and the loudest soccer mom in the stands. But with each of these hats, I also wear others — head scarves, in my case — that invite the invisible burden of labels that get applied so commonly, without people pausing to reflect upon the impact of these words to render innocents powerless and vulnerable.

Fatima Coovadia picks up her children Ihsaan Patel, Nuha Patel and Muhammad Patel from school in Saskatoon on June 21, 2016. (Michelle Berg / Saskatoon StarPhoenix)

I wish that I could change the lens and transform the image of “Muslim” from the Omar Mateens of the world to just me — the me who is just like you. I pay my taxes. I don’t text and drive. I am a regular at the Tim’s drive-thru. I like and react on Facebook. I weed my garden and shovel my sidewalk, and I bleed green.

I also pray five times a day, meet my charity obligation and fast during Ramadan. I also have completed a pilgrimage to Mecca. This does not make me different from you. It simply makes me closer to my Creator. It makes me more mindful of His bounties and prompts me to reflect on how I can be the best person, the best Canadian that I can be.

I am a regular citizen, a champion for equity, and a mom who wants her daughter to be able to enjoy shopping without self-consciously tugging at her hijab.

I remember a time when society was like a box of chocolates — when each individual brought a unique flavour to the community. The differences brought a new dimension of interest and talent that enriched us all. There was a unique place for each piece within the box.

Then 9-11 happened. Many innocent people died on that day, and in response 100,000 equally innocent people died in a flash in a war that we now know was based on false assumptions. When will this madness end?

There is a great need for us to share our values, and to get to know each other better.

Islam is part of the Abrahamic tradition alongside Christianity and Judaism, and it is practised by more than a billion peaceful people around the globe, transcending gender, race, ethnicity, language, culture and geography.

In Canada, Muslims serve as doctors, builders, accountants, restaurateurs (ever willing to spice up one’s taste buds), teachers and so on. We practise our faith and live our lives as ordinary Canadians — these are not mutually exclusive. We aspire to the same values of peace, tolerance, justice and good neighbourliness as our fellow citizens.

After all, it is the actions of the doer that are most important. Good people have good values and lead good lives.

How good will it be to feel like that unique chocolate again, surrounded by equally unique neighbours, each with their own space within the same box.

Fatima Coovadia is a mom and health-care consultant in Saskatoon. Story first appeared in the Saskatoon StarPhoenix on June 25, 2016. Used with permission.

Misgivings about ISLAM? Read On!

Like the English spelling of Mohamed, Mohammed, Mohamad, Mohammad, Muhamed, Muhammad, all of which I have encountered in my work among refugees, Islam contains a spectrum of interpretations. Like the different Christian denominations living out the Gospels so the Qur’an, is put into practice in a variety of ways. There is the spectrum from extreme conservatism all the way to a more modern and freer interpretation of the faith with the inspired text interpreted according to our times rather than the literal one per se. Furthermore, many different cultural flavours influence Islam throughout the world. Besides, Islam is affected by its Islamic theocracies and every facet of Government alignment with or attempted separation from Islam. 

These varied religious interpretations and cultural influences have some bearing on Muslim women’s attire ranging from the burka, the complete black covering from head to toe, to the niqab, still fully covered but with the eyes showing, to the hijab, the head scarf worn all the time by some women if outside their home, or by others only when praying, to still others attired in ordinary street clothes. Muslims hold Jesus as a great prophet and accept Mary as his mother and thus to be honoured.

In many eras in history, religious or faith paths have suffered from extreme fanatics who have committed heinous atrocities. Like other religions, Islam presently has its fanatical extremists, the “jihadists”, who under the guise of Islam, pursue their own tyrannical drive for a country through fierce combat and chilling executions. ISIS, Boko Haram, Al Qaida, Al-Shabaad and the Taliban belong to such groups. No true Muslim regards them as believers or followers of Islam! Moderate Muslims are by far the greater majority of believers in Islam, especially in the Western World.

What might one do to understand Islam better and to put prejudice to rest? Start by getting to know at least one Muslim. Nod and speak to the next Muslim you meet in an apartment hallway or on the street in your neighbourhood or workplace. In our time it is not unusual to have a Muslim as doctor, dentist, lawyer, teacher, etc. Meeting just one Muslim can extend to meeting a whole family. Try visiting a mosque, they often have events open to the public.

My life has been enriched through the Muslims I have come to know. Yours will be too!

Maria van Leeuwen, CSJ