Ramadan at Cambridge
By Sir Cam
Cambridge, England

It was a chilly evening. A blanket of clouds covered the city. No chance tonight of seeing the new moon then. That is, the eagerly awaited sight of the moon that announces the commencement of Ramadan. Somewhere over this land someone must have witnessed a thin crescent radiating soft light through the clouds. I didn’t. The announcement, nevertheless, was that Cambridge was beginning Ramadan on Tuesday, October 4.
There is something very exciting about Ramadan. It’s not the food, or lack of it. It’s not the social get-togethers, or the collective prayers. May be there’s a very special nur, or spiritual light that descends in this month.
Remember, after all, it was the light of the final revelation, the Qur’an that shone on earth during Ramadan. Taraweeh, or the long night prayers in Ramadan, are a daily reminder of that historic event.
Perhaps it’s also to do with the thrill of self-discipline and abstinence. We live in an age of indulgence and excess and extravagance. Ramadan curtails all that. Being without food or drink from sunrise to sunset is the external manifestation of inner control. For one whole month the body and soul are cleansed physically and spiritually with the hope that the affect will last the whole year round.
We also live in a time of me, me, and me. Selfishness rules OK. Fasting during Ramadan helps overcome that. We are reminded about the poor and the needy of the world. Not eating and drinking during the day prods us to think of the unfortunate ones. It makes us grateful, thankful to the Almighty, for all the blessings bestowed upon us. Hopefully, it trains us to be more caring and considerate in society.
Then, at the end of the month, we have the joy and jubilation of Eid. That is even more an occasion to extend our hands of friendship to those we know and those we don’t know. It is the time to give in charity and share our happiness with everyone. A mere smile helps wipe away the gloom. And, as they say, laughter is the best medicine.

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Editor: Akhtar M. Faruqui
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