Breaking bread, breaking barriers

Ramadan brings together not just families, but also people of various beliefs and communities, writes HAFSA FATHIMA

June 24, 2016 03:49 pm | Updated October 18, 2016 12:38 pm IST - Chennai

A family break their Ramzan fast at the historical Jama Masjid, in Old Delhi on the first day of holy month of Ramzan's Eid-Ul-Fitr Photo: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar.

A family break their Ramzan fast at the historical Jama Masjid, in Old Delhi on the first day of holy month of Ramzan's Eid-Ul-Fitr Photo: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar.

In Ramadan, the holy month of fasting, our family gatherings get a little unusual. They happen at 3 a.m., when we fight off sleep and stumble down to the kitchen for Suhoor, the pre-dawn meal, and try to cram in as much food before light appears. We gather again to do the same at sunset as we break our fast at Iftar. Like most families, we juggle exhausting routines at work and school, but during Ramadan, we’re guaranteed to make spending time with each other a priority. When we sit down to share a meal, or join a congregation in prayer at the mosque, or perform an act of charity, we’re recognising one of the most important aspects of this month; the coming together and the celebration of a community.

Unity has always been a part of Ramadan’s lore, dating back to the time of The Prophet, who would gather with his companions at the mosque in Medina to break his fast. It’s a tradition that’s lasted to this day. While Suhoor may have you too tired to engage in conversation, Iftar is the quiet break from the noise of the day when you talk to and pray with those closest to you. Though Iftar is usually spent with family, it’s becoming common to see more people meet at the mosque to break their fasts together. Potluck Iftars, particularly abroad in more diverse Muslim communities, see people of different cultures bring food from their homelands to share (with one thing in common: a copious amount of meat). Sharing is also an integral part of the values practised during the month, both of food and of the experience. Iftar today sees an intermingling of different people; those who are fasting, and non-Muslims who join in to share the feast, and who’ve tried their hand at fasting themselves.

For a younger generation, social media has emerged as a way to connect; Instagram is littered with photos under hashtags like #iftarwithfamily and #ramadan2016, while Snapchat stories document the journey of a fast in a matter of seconds. Blogs thrive with tips about how to stay energised during a fast, the best foods to eat, and reminding their followers to do simple acts of good throughout the day. While these actions can be presumed to be self-indulgent and taking away from the spirit of the month, watching others around the world experience similar circumstances can be encouraging enough to get you through a long day.

Companionship isn’t a one-dimensional concept, and Ramadan encourages people to go beyond their immediate social spheres. There’s the obligatory Zakat, alms-giving to the poor, but generosity goes beyond that. Sometimes, it’s as simple as calling someone to wake them up for Suhoor, to ensure they don’t miss it. It’s inviting the fasting college student over for a home-cooked Iftar, because they’re too tired to make it themselves. It can be volunteers passing out food on the highway to fasting people who may not make it home in time for sunset.

Ramadan is a month where a community is made stronger by the actions it does, like a mosque in Toronto opening its doors to the LGBTQ community for Iftar. And when the day seems long, your body tired, and you need to remind yourself to be patient, there’s enormous comfort in knowing that a billion other people are doing the same.

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