D
dzheremi
Guest
I know Muslims do not fast during Ramadan for Muhammad. That’s just silly and I never suggested any such thing. I am aware that they are fasting in observance of what they consider to be God’s law. That’s all fine. The problem is not with Muslims fasting during Ramadan or even you fasting during Ramadan. The problem is if you are doing so out of an attraction to the Muslim faith instead of your own desire to draw closer to God as you are called to within your own tradition (not theirs).
I’ll give you an example of what I would consider an entirely appropriate and wonderful “co-fast” among Muslims. In his book The Crescent Through the Eyes of the Cross, Dr. Nabeel Jabbour, a Syrian Protestant, writes about fasting together with Muslims in his workplace while living in Egypt. He did so, even though he didn’t have to, and it came to a point where he became very weak at work and his Muslim co-workers were confused and concerned for him. They asked him “Is this the (Coptic) Orthodox fast?”, and when he told them it wasn’t, that he was fasting out of love for them and as a witness for his faith, they were very impressed.
This is different, you’ll note, than fasting because he is attracted Islamic practice. He is a Christian, fasting with a solid understanding of his own faith and motivated by the ethics and principles of HIS OWN faith. When you fast along with Muslims, will you explain to them why you are doing it? About your own faith’s principles and committment to asceticism and love of and submission to God, and love for them as Muslims and desire that they come to know Christ? If you do that (and I know it’s a tall order), it will be a wonderful thing. If you fast because you are attracted to what your perceive as the piety of their faith, then this does nothing to strengthen YOUR OWN faith or bring Muslims to a greater understanding of it. Remember: You are a Christian. You fast out of a dedication to Christ, who is God, and who wants you to bring Muslims to Him in whatever way you can.
And your own fasting? What about that? You are not fasting in recognition of “Ramadan” as being a holy month according to YOUR religion, are you? I am a proponent of the idea that fasting ought to be a regular practice among all western Christians (myself most certainly included), but not to honor someone else’s fast.
I am still considering the idea. I met several great Muslims (and a few less than great, sure) when I lived in Oregon. I’m sure they would not be against me fasting while they fast, and if it brought questions from them as to why I am fasting (as it should, since I never hide my Christianity), then it would be all the better. As it is, I am no longer living there, but it might still be good to fast for the general intention of the conversion of Muslims to faith in the true Christ, and for my own spiritual development and relationship with God.
Thank you for pointing out my problem of close-mindedness.
Yes, I am, if it is all a matter of what you perceive their intention to be. Protestants would argue that their intention in engaging in a symbolic “Eucharist” is to worship God just as much as the Islamic fast during Ramadan. More so, in fact, as those Protestants who maintain any sort of eucharist-like ritual are doing so in rememberance of Christ, who they believe to be God (which Muslims do not believe), and in rememberance of His sacrifice on the Cross (which Muslims do not believe).
Where did you find me saying that it is wrong that Muslims fast for 30 days? I don’t recall writing that. I think they’re wrong even if they fasted for 200 days. They are following the wrong faith. And of course there are many reasons why the Eucharist is not symbolic. My point in making the comparison is to emphasize the danger of being attracted to traditions outside of the Apostolic Christian faith by what you perceive as their piety.
Okay. What’s the problem here? If I thought it was bad to fast along with Muslims, I wouldn’t be considering doing it myself. You are missing my point. The fast itself is not wrong. Turning away from solid Christian teaching about why we fast in order to embrace another religion’s idea of what it is to fast is what is wrong. That’s all.
It really shows Muslim’s devotion to Mary.
