Ramadan Important Spiritual, Educational Institution: University of Maryland Scholar
“We can think of it as a moral school. A school which teaches us high morality, self- restraint, discipline, patience and, of course, charity, through feeling the pain of others, and, therefore, learning to share everything we have with others,” Dr. Sahar Khamis, who is originally from Egypt, told IQNA in an interview.
Dr. Sahar Khamis is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Maryland, College Park. She is an expert on Arab and Muslim media, and the former Head of the Mass Communication Department in Qatar University. Dr. Khamis is a media commentator and analyst, a public speaker, a radio host, and a former Human Rights Commissioner. She is the co-author of “Islam Dot Com: Contemporary Islamic Discourses in Cyberspace”.
Following is the full text of the interview:
IQNA: Islamic teachings emphasize that fasting has a very direct impact on human morality and spirituality. What do you consider to be the most important moral effects and virtues of fasting?
Khamis: I believe that one of the most important virtues and moral effects of fasting is teaching us self-restraint, which means how to discipline ourselves and how to control even our halal desires and permitted ways of life, like eating and drinking. When we have this kind of strong will, determination, and perseverance, we will be more capable of controlling all our needs and desires, even after Ramadan.
In fact, I consider Ramadan to be a very important spiritual educational institution. We can think of it as a moral school. A school which teaches us high morality, self- restraint, discipline, patience and, of course, charity, through feeling the pain of others, and, therefore, learning to share everything we have with others.
I’m an Egyptians-American, and back home in Egypt we use the words “Ramadan Mubarak,” of course, which means “Have a Blessed Ramadan.” But we also use the words “Ramadan Kareem,” which means Ramadan is generous, because it is the time of generosity, charity, and giving, when we really reach out to ease the pain of the poor and those in need.
IQNA: One of the issues highly emphasized by fasting people is helping out and sympathizing with the poor during the month of Ramadan. Why is this issue emphasized so much?
Khamis: I think Islam is a religion of social justice. It highlights this principle of social justice, through urging Muslims to engage in charity to make sure everybody has enough to eat, enough goodies, and enough resources. This can only happen when we feel other people’s pain and suffering, which is one of the most important virtues of fasting, and therefore, we become more inclined to share whatever we have with others.
So, we can say that this whole idea of charity and philanthropy and feeling the pain of others is very much emphasized in Islamic teachings, in general, and in the context of fasting, in particular.
In fact, I’m actually writing a research paper right now about American Muslim philanthropy during the COVID-19 pandemic. This research paper tackles the different forms of charity and charitable activities that the American Muslim Community has been engaging in, especially during COVID-19 Pandemic crisis, which includes donations and giving to different charities, homeless shelters, helping the poor, the needy, the hungry, the elderly, and the sick, not just from among the Muslim community, but also other communities, both inside and outside the United States.
I believe that it’s very important to feel the pain of “Others.” In other words, not just those who belong to our own group, community, or religion, but everyone who is part of humanity at large, because the Holy Quran says: لَقَدْ كَرَّمْنا بَنِي آدَمَ
This verse means that Allah, the Most Compassionate and the Most Merciful, has dignified all of Adam’s offspring, which means all of humanity. Therefore, we have to extend all of our acts of charity, philanthropy, giving, and solidarity, not just to other Muslims, but to everyone else, regardless of race, color, ethnicity, or religion.
IQNA: Every year, Ramadan allowed families to gather together to end their fast during Iftar. How is this different this year, due to the constraints associated with the coronavirus outbreak?
Khamis: Of course, celebrating Ramadan during the pandemic is very different. Last Ramadan in 2020 and this Ramadan in 2021 are very different. In the past, we used to have big gatherings during Iftar, and families got together in large numbers to celebrate and break their fast together. This has not been possible last year and this year, because of the pandemic and the social distancing restrictions.
So, many people are arranging smaller gatherings or socially distant Iftars, and sometimes even an online Iftar, via Skype, ZOOM, or other internet-based applications. I’m a member of different interfaith groups, and I have been part of some of these online Iftars via Zoom and other online applications.
Of course, these online, internet-based Iftars are very different from having the whole family together. Also, as I mentioned before, I’m an Egyptian-American, and back in Egypt we used to have big family gatherings over Iftar, which is very different from the Ramadan climate in the United States.
So, I must say that the overall Ramadan celebratory environment is very different in Egypt compared to the US, and also different in the pre-pandemic era compared to the post-pandemic era.
However, we have to learn to adjust and adapt to all of these situations, bearing in mind that the most important thing is maintaining high spirituality and a strong connection with Allah, through reciting the Quran, fasting, prayers, and charity.
I think that there has been more emphasis in last year’s Ramadan in 2020 and this year’s Ramadan in 2021 on the individual aspects of worshiping, praying, fasting, and reciting the Quran, in the absence of the collective gatherings and social celebrations which we were used to before.
IQNA: What is the role of fasting and other acts of worship in Ramadan in self-purification and self-control?
Khamis: As I mentioned before, Ramadan could be best described as a school teaching us high morality, spirituality, self-restraint, discipline, and patience. Some of my non-Muslim friends oftentimes exclaim: “Oh my God! How can you fast for so many hours for 30 days? You don’t even drink water? Not even water?” They are always very surprised at the long hours of fasting without food or drink for 30 days in Ramadan.
But I look at it as a form of training. God wants us to practice self-discipline, self-control, determination, patience, and perseverance, which I believe are very important qualities for building our own personalities and our characters, as strong believers and strong human beings. These are some of the most important lessons we can learn from fasting, in the first place.
IQNA: How can Muslims use the spiritual potential of the holy month to show their way of life to non-Muslims?
Khamis: I think the most important thing is reaching out to “Others,” outside of our own small group or community, since the idea behind giving and philanthropy is not just giving charity to our own community, but really setting a good example and being a good role model, by helping whoever needs our help, regardless of whether they are Muslim, or not.
Therefore, we have to give generously to different causes, shelters, homeless people, the poor and the needy, the sick and the elderly, regardless of race or religion, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, due to the greater need for people to give during this difficult time.
I believe that the Muslim Community, in general, and the American Muslim community, in particular, set a great role model and an excellent example in the areas of philanthropy, charity, and giving, during this crisis, which is really impressive.
I would be happy to share my research paper on American Muslim philanthropy during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, once it is finished and published Inshallah.
IQNA: As a Muslim, what attracted you to fasting?
Khamis: I grew up in a religious household, and my family always stressed the importance of adhering to religion and applying religious teachings, including praying, fasting, reciting the Quran, and different aspects of the Muslim faith, Alhamdulillah.
So, when I was 9 or 10 years old, I started fasting half a day only, and when I grew older, I started fasting the full day, and later on I trained my own children to do same. So, fasting is something we learn from our own family and we practice it throughout our lives, Alhamdulillah.
IQNA: What good memories do you have of fasting?
Khamis: I was born in Egypt, and Egypt has a very different environment when it comes to celebrating Ramadan, compared to many countries all over the world, whether you are talking about Western countries, Middle Eastern countries, or even other Arab countries.
Egypt’s very celebratory environment during the month of Ramadan is truly unique and impressive. You can see lights, candles, and decorations everywhere, people eat special types of sweets pastries, and they break their fast with special drinks, and, of course, there are the beautiful, large family gatherings over Iftar.
There were even some special Ramadan songs back home that I remember very well, and, of course, I miss this special, magical Ramadan environment very much, because even if we have some big mosques, and a great community, here in the state of Maryland, where I live in the United States, it’s not the same like Ramadan’s spirit in Egypt.
Of course, during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis people have not been going to the mosques in Ramadan in large numbers like before. Last year, all mosques were completely closed, due to the pandemic, and this year only a few mosques are open with strict rules, such as social distancing, wearing masks, restrictions on the number of people who can attend, and requiring prior registration first, which is a very different Ramadan environment, for sure.
IQNA: Could you please share some of your reflections on Eid al-Fitr?
Khamis: An estimated 1.8 billion Muslims around the world celebrate this great day, which marks the end of 30 days of fasting in the holy month of Ramadan. This beautiful celebration and these pleasant moments are another opportunity to show the cosmopolitan nature of the Muslim community, which consists of greatly diverse groups, in terms of race, color, ethnicity, gender, and generation, to mention only some aspects.
So, I think that Eid al-Fitr, is an excellent opportunity to show this kind of unique Muslim mosaic, which reflects the amazing diversity and plurality within the Muslim community, at large.
Of course, Eid al-Fitr this year will also be celebrated differently, compared to previous years during the pre-pandemic era.
Most importantly, just like last year, most mosques will not hold a regular Eid al-Fitr prayer, due to the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. Some mosques will have a Zoom Eid al-Fitr prayer, which is very different from the regular prayer, of course, while other mosques are expected to arrange a small-scale Eid El-Fitr prayer in the mosque with limited numbers, social distancing, masks, and prior registration. I hope to attend one of these prayers to mark this important religious celebration Inshallah.
Interview by Mohammad Hassan Goodarzi
