Monday 27-04-2020 - 09:10

Written by Usama Vania, 3rd year student and member of Bristol Islamic Society

Image credit: Aaminah Hafezi, 3rd year student and member of Bristol Islamic Society

As the eve of the first night of Ramadan closes in and the first dawn of the month fast approaches, Muslims across the world will be in an expectant yet apprehensive mood. The prospect of spending Ramadan alone and away from their families is a real one for many, especially students. In years gone by, fears of isolation were allayed by the abundance of local initiatives such as communal iftars and the spirit of generosity and sharing. Bristol, in particular, is a good example of this, with the community coming together to organise the coveted annual Grand Iftar, the largest of its kind in the UK.

However, this year, social distancing measures will mean that for many, this Ramadan will be like no other. Mosques across the country have taken proactive measures to close even before the lockdown was announced and Muslim organisations have taken the lead in encouraging people to spend Ramadan at home.  

On the one hand, the prospect of missing out on practices such as supererogatory night prayers (Tarawih) at the Mosque will be daunting for some. On the other, technology has opened a plethora of options to engage in ways which weren’t previously conceivable. A cursory glance at social media would be testament to this, with virtual iftars being organised, recipes being shared and reminders exhorting people to what is virtuous and praiseworthy. In any case, one could argue that the Ramadan Spirit is still very much alive as we have found more creative ways to connect with one another at these testing times.

However, such a sentiment would be misplaced in the grand scheme of things. The purpose of fasting from food, water and sexual desires from dawn to dusk for 29 or 30 days is meant to bring about a state of God-consciousness. The idea being that if we as humans can come to control these most innate of desires, then we can engender a state of self-control which will help us to excel in this life. We also know that it was in the month of Ramadan that the Qur’an was first revealed, as a guidance for mankind (2:185). Thus, Ramadan is the synthesis between regaining self-control and finding meaning when engaging with Divine guidance. The day of Eid, which marks the end of Ramadan and the beginning of the next lunar month of Shawwal, is a celebration of this God-given guidance, where Muslims glorify God in reverence, awe and gratitude. 

In many ways the past few months have shown us the fragilities of society and how, as one Muslim intellectual put it, “God has flipped the world with a single strand of RNA.” (Quote from Mohamed Ghilan). The lockdown has allowed us to focus on what’s important, away from the vagaries of life and the distractions which stop us from reaching our true potential. As such, having more time to reflect in isolation might allow us to better engage with this God-given guidance, be even more productive and in a positive way, have a Ramadan like no other.

 

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More Info

Connect to other Muslim students at Bristol with Bristol Islamic Society.

Learn more about Ramadan at the Global Lounge Ramadan Kareem event on Thursday 30 April. Open to all students.

Join the Care Leavers and Estranged Students Network's Virtual Iftars each Friday during Ramadan.