The numbers “16:8” and “5:2” may be familiar to some as signifiers of modern fasting trends. During intermittent fasting, 16:8 signifies 16 hours of fasting with eight hours of eating in between, and 5:2 refers to two days of fasting and five days of maintaining a regular eating schedule during any given week.
I bring this up because we are now in the depths of Ramadan, a period during which Muslims fast as an act of instilling spiritual discipline. Ramadan is of course about much more than just fasting, nonetheless it is a feature of the holy month that is most visible to non-Muslims. It often even serves as the focal point of discussions between Muslims and non-Muslims about its physical, mental and spiritual benefits. For what it’s worth, Muslims may well point out that 16:8 is basically Ramadan fasting, and 5:2 is a modern reinvention of the prophetic tradition of fasting on Mondays and Thursdays.
In sum, Ramadan provides a wonderful opportunity for people to come together, regardless of faith and background, and find common interests and values that they might otherwise not be aware of. This has been the case all over the world for hundreds of years, and – for as long as I can remember – in the UK, too.
However, given the current churn in the country’s politics and the dominance of social media in our lives, I have noticed a lot more chatter around Ramadan that might reflect, but in turn also exacerbate, misgivings among some about the holy month. The prevalence of these attacks is probably best explained by the fact that this year, Lent, the Christian period of fasting, coincides almost entirely with Ramadan.
Like Ramadan, Lent is predicated on abstention, spirituality and giving – yet some people in the UK have chosen to be wilfully ignorant of these commonalities.
A case in point is the display of Ramadan lights in central London, which has triggered criticism from several quarters, particularly on social media. While some have reasonably asked why there are no lights to celebrate Easter, other complaints have sounded alarmist and in some cases even bigoted. “We are a Christian country. Easter is one of the main feasts in the Christian calendar,” wrote one. “It should not be overshadowed by other religious events.” “Ramadan lights at Easter. This is cultural displacement,” wrote another.
Since the beginning of the month, a number of posts with pictures of bacon and alcohol have emerged on social media targeting Muslims. These posts, often put out at the time of breaking fast, would run messages like: “Anyone else fancy a nice bacon sandwich at noon to celebrate Ramadan?” and “Highly recommend Ramadan toasties, great after 12 beers and a brass”. As a Muslim who fasts and does not consume either of those items, such images do nothing to put me off; in fact, if anything they strengthen my resolve to continue fasting. But it is puzzling as to why images of items that committed Muslims don’t have an interest in consuming would be deemed tempting to us at all.
There have also been posts asking why Muslims are complaining about fasting when it is supposedly easy. In one video clip, viewed more than 43 million times as of writing this piece, one commentator says: “Just found out Ramadan ‘fasting’ is having a massive breakfast before the Sun comes up and dinner after the Sun goes down: otherwise known as skipping lunch.”
Such flippant remarks suggest that those who make them either know little about the challenges of fasting or don’t care enough to find out, or both. Put differently, critics and haters either don’t have a basic understanding of Ramadan or the desire to connect with those involved in it.
The overlap between Ramadan and Lent has prompted some parents to complain that their children know nothing about the latter. As a mother who wants her children to learn about all traditions, I couldn’t agree more. But it begs the question as to why these same parents haven’t done their part and enlightened their children about such an important concept. I come across people who, while professing to being atheists or finding no value in going to church, lament about Lent’s relatively low profile in our common consciousness.
As someone who takes her faith seriously, it saddens me to hear such sentiments being expressed on a regular basis – as does the fact that church worship is on the decline in the country, as multiple surveys have revealed in recent years. But the most disheartening aspect of these conversations and social media posts is that the overlap between Lent and Ramadan presented a wonderful opportunity for Britons to connect with one another over values that bind us – and yet it is unclear whether all of us embraced it.
Certainly, key spiritual institutions around the world took the initiative to make this happen.
The Vatican wrote: “This year, as both Christian and Muslim traditions converge in the observance of Ramadan and Lent, believers have a unique opportunity to show the world that faith transforms both individuals and societies, acting as a force for unity and reconciliation.” The Muslim Council of Britain also celebrated the connection by posting: “We wish our Christian friends a meaningful Ash Wednesday and a spiritually enriching Lent.” The Catholic archbishop emeritus of Abuja, Nigeria said: “Both Ramadan and Lent are times to draw closer to God, be more fervent in prayer, and help the poor.”
Might those criticising Ramadan not make better use of their time and energy focusing on learning more about Lent and perhaps even observing this most Christian of traditions? Would this not lead to a much-needed appreciation of other traditions, including Ramadan?
At the very least, it’s important for them to understand the basic truths at the core of fasting. The act, in and of itself, is about thinking about others rather than about the self, and a struggle to be better rather than indulging in our worst instincts.
We still have a period of overlap left during which time those of us who fast will do so in our own ways. Whether it is Ramadan, Lent or any other tradition of fasting – yes, we will count 16:8 and 5:2 as well – there is still a window for people to reach out to one another and make connections. In a world where it seems harder than ever, we should make the most of these opportunities.
