How can an observant Muslim live in a country that many of its followers believe is at war with the entire religion itself?
For Muslims critical of the United States, particularly those living abroad, this question is posed quite often. But once you’re in America, it doesn’t take long to understand just how great it is to practice your faith here.
Consider the holy month of Ramadan, which began May 5. Most Muslims around the world observe Ramadan by abstaining from food, drink, sex, and even smoking from sunrise to sunset for 30 days. For fasting Muslims, it’s extremely taxing on the body and mind. It’s fairly common to be lethargic, irritable, and sometimes downright miserable.
Of the five pillars of Islam, Sawm, the third pillar literally meaning “to abstain” in Arabic, mandates that every Muslim who is able to participate do so to the fullest extent.
In the Muslim world, particularly in the Middle East, this obligation manifests in a significant routine adjustment for every Muslim. Virtually every shop and restaurant closes during the fasting hours of the day, but are open at night. Access to goods and services is limited.
In the United Arab Emirates, which is particularly Western-friendly, all employers are legally required to shorten work days by two hours. Labor laws like these can be particularly hard on many Muslims who are exempted from fasting. If the person is a child under 13, sick, elderly, pregnant, menstruating, breastfeeding, or traveling, then they’re exempted from fasting.
It’s one of those unwritten rules in Muslim countries where piety is considered currency. If you can’t fast, your spiritual worth is diminished and you risk being ostracized.
On the other side of the coin, Muslims who are fasting might find it more difficult to observe Ramadan in countries like the United States because they’re part of the minority. Instead of the whole country recognizing the Islamic holy month, Muslims struggle to get into the spirit of fasting or taking part in the festivities. Some Muslims find themselves mentally drained from having to explain what Ramadan is to non-Muslims to the point where the phrase “not even water” has become a humorous proverb in some Muslim circles.
But this isn’t just about individual experiences for Muslims observing Ramadan. In a pluralistic society like the U.S., Muslims are afforded something unique: the opportunity to practice their religion the way they want. With the First Amendment, no government can tell anyone how to observe Ramadan. There’s no religious police as in Saudi Arabia or Iran where you’re at risk of being reprimanded or, worse, imprisoned, tortured, or killed.
Of course, one’s Ramadan experience largely depends on what the observer brings to it. Having the right mindset, filled with good intentions, might be all that’s needed to preserve their spiritual connection with God. When you get down to it, that’s ultimately what matters the most.
