I was on a train the other night, speeding toward a mosque in north London, in a moderately — well, very — bad mood. I’d spent the day deep in news of the war, counting bodies and bombs for the…
Letter to the Editor: A story for Ramadan and Lent
This year, in a somewhat rare convergence of calendars, Ramadan and Lent began on the same day — sacred seasons of prayer and devotion now wounded and scarred by missiles and bombs. That grave irony has called to mind, for…
Shooting incidents unsettle Muslims as Ramadan begins
Days after the holy month of Ramadan began, shootings targeting an imam in Utah and an Islamic center in Pennsylvania have rattled Muslim Americans as they look forward to weeks in which they gather frequently and in large numbers.
At the king of Jordan’s interfaith iftar, Orthodox and Catholic leaders attack Christian Zionism
King Abdullah II’s annual iftar has become a highly anticipated Ramadan event where members of the royal family, religious leaders and local notables, as well as Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and key members of his government, are all invited to…
Understanding Ramadan: Self-denial as a spiritual discipline
Sunday evening, March 10, opened the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Observed during the ninth month of the Muslim calendar every year, it is a period intended for self-denial, which enables more opportunity for prayer, reflection and devotion, according to The…
President-elect inspiring more prayer, worship and (social media) fasting
It could be that the election of Donald Trump is having an unintended consequence: Driving more Americans to the practice of fasting. It’s already been reported that prayer and worship attendance among mainline Christians are rising since Election Day. So…
For some imams, Ramadan is a month-long revival, Muslim style
Imad Enchassi likens the Muslim holy month of Ramadan to what some Christians described as getting some of that old-time religion. “I call it a revival camp” for Muslims, said Enchassi, imam of the Islamic Society of Greater Oklahoma City….
National Welcoming Week
Recently I went to an Iftar. This is the evening meal eaten during Ramadan by Muslims after the sun goes down. In Houston, where 25% of the population is foreign born, it is easy to become friends with someone from another faith,…
Things a Christian can learn during Ramadan
Ramadan begins on June 28th. Ramadan is the month when people who follow Islam fast from the time the sun comes up until it goes down. They do this for 30 days. Sometimes my Muslim friends laugh at me because…
Going to hell in a hand basket?
Just over a week remains for the month of Ramadan. I have had several opportunities to join with friends at area mosques to share in the iftar, i.e. breaking of the fast. I have had the joy of bringing along…