Reflections on the “anti-Ramadan campaign” on X
This Ramadan, there seems to be a coordinated effort to demonize Muslims, Islam, and Ramadan by demeaning the Muslim fast as too easy, or claiming that Ramadan is a month of indulgence and feasting. I want to share with any sincere readers a few reflections on this:
1) Fasting is for God
Muslims do not fast to impress other people. This seems very difficult for some people on this app to understand. We do not fast because it is impressive or difficult or as a way of flexing superiority. Islam means submission to the Creator, and our fast is simply an act of submission. Simply put, we fast for God according to how He instructed us to fast, it does not matter what you think of our fasting.
God says, “Every deed of the son of Adam is for him, except for fasting. It is for Me and I will reward it.” (Bukhari 1904)
2) Changing Narratives
It was just a few years ago that Ramadan would be attacked as being too extreme and difficult. Muslims were demonized for forcing a “barbaric” practice on themselves and their families by starving themselves. Clearly, this false narrative failed, and many people have woken up and seen the beauty of Islam and Ramadan.
In panic mode, the narrative flipped 180 degrees. Suddenly, the Muslim fast isn’t long enough or isn’t real fasting. It is just “skipping lunch”. This sudden shift in narrative shows that these folks are running out of ideas and will now throw anything at the wall to try and make Islam look bad. They know that every Ramadan thousands of people convert to Islam, and they are running out of ideas on how to stop this.
3) The Religion of Ease
Muslims never claimed that our fasting is harder or easier than others. It is not a competition and we do not even think about this when fasting. Our fasting is purely for the Creator as a means to get closer to Him. Having said that, even if our fasting is easier than the fasts of other religions, that it not an issue. In fact, the verse obligating fasting in the Qur’an explicitly states that God intends ease for us, not difficulty.
“Ramadan is the month in which the Quran was revealed. Guidance for humanity, and clear portents of guidance, and the Criterion. Whoever of you witnesses the month, shall fast it. But whoever is sick, or on a journey, then a number of other days. God desires ease for you, and does not desire hardship for you, that you may complete the number, and celebrate God for having guided you, so that you may be thankful.” (Qur’an 2:185)
Our fasting is not meant to be unbearably difficult. It is simply a means of achieving a heightened state of awareness of God through self-discipline for God. This is really the key point that people miss; fasting, Ramadan, all of it is for God, not for you.
4) Feasting is a Problem
Videos are circulating of Muslims feasting in Ramadan and this is being used to demonize Islam and Muslims. The reality is that Islam does NOT encourage elaborate feasts, and this has nothing to do with the teachings of Islam. It is a cultural problem that exists in some Muslim communities that Muslim scholars speak out against.
Ramadan is meant to be a month of self-discipline and reflection. The feasting is a problem, and I honestly hope these videos make people reflect. Perhaps it will make these Muslims wake up and start taking Ramadan seriously. There are plenty of Muslims who fast properly and eat moderately in Ramadan. Those who indulge are not doing it properly. This is a human problem, not an Islam problem.
5) Experience Ramadan for yourself
Finally, I call all sincere non-Muslims to experience Ramadan for yourself this year. It is a great time to get to know Islam and Muslims, and to learn what our religion is all about. Take some time to meet your Muslim neighbors, visit the local Masjid, read a translation of the Qur’an, and experience fasting with your local Muslim community.
I am sure that if you do this, you will find your perspective changing. Ramadan is a deeply spiritual time. It is not only about fasting. There are community prayers late at night, community gatherings, increased charity, quiet time spent in reflection and Qur’an recitation. It is a time of drawing closer to the Creator. In all the drama online, this point is often lost.
Take time to actually meet Muslims and experience Ramadan with us, and you will discover the true beauty of drawing closer to the Creator.
Ramadan Kareem to all sincere people.
