English Podcast

Ramadan is a significant month for Muslims, during which they prioritize their religious obligations. It was originally a cultural tradition before Islam, but when Prophet Muhammad received the Quranic revelation, it became an Islamic religious month. Some non-religious Muslims, known as nominal Muslims, also observe Ramadan for reasons such as cultural identity and tradition. It gives them a sense of belonging and allows them to express their identity without fear. They also participate in Ramadan for familial and community connections, attending prayers and social gatherings. Additionally, Ramadan provides an opportunity for personal growth and reflection, even for nominal Muslims. Overall, observing Ramadan highlights the importance of faith, tradition, and community in shaping individuals and their connections. What you just heard was the Adhan, a summoning gesture for Muslims to recite prayer during Ramadan, the 9th month of the Islamic lunar calendar. So what is Ramadan, and why is it significant to the point that Muslims prioritize their religious obligations above all? According to O. Faruqi, in his book Islam, Religion, Practice, Culture, and World Order, long before Islam, the month of Ramadan was regarded by the Arabs as a holy month. The Arabs reckoned Ramadan as the month of spiritual stop-taking. Throughout its creation, they were especially keen to please, to settle old debts and disputes, to do good to their neighbors. Islam continues the tradition of dedicating the month of Ramadan to religious pursuits. So, it was originally culture that heeded Ramadan as a holy month. In 1610 AD, Prophet Muhammad received the first Quranic revelation, which Muslims believed to be the word of Allah or God. This shifted Ramadan to be the Islamic religious month that remains familiar to us today. As a devout Muslim, I have witnessed the mosque halls built to the point of suffocation during Ramadan, only to remain somewhat empty for the rest of the year. This reoccurring pattern has persisted without exception every year, showing no indication of changing anytime soon. I have come to realize that this situation occurs because some Muslims only attend the mosque during Ramadan, while being absent in other times because they do not actively practice Islam. So why do non-Muslims also observe the religious month of Ramadan, despite the usual lack of religious devotion? For this podcast, I am defining non-religious Muslims as people who do identify with Islam due to their reasonings, but typically do not practice their faith completely. I will be calling them nominal Muslims. Based on my observations and research, during Ramadan in the year 2024, I have broken this phenomenon down to three common reasons, standing traditions and identity, familial and community connections, and personal growth or care. For many nominal Muslims, their adherence to Islam is just something they grew up with. It is all that they know. It is a known fact that religion plays a crucial role in shaping one's culture. Many cultural practices have come out of Islam, such as dressing modestly, not eating pork, and abstaining from drinking and dating. They never delved into the reasons behind these practices, but have simply accepted it as tradition. It has simply become a part of their identity. I interviewed a girl named Zia, where she says, I feel like it's wrong for me not to wear an abaya during Ramadan or eat pork, it goes against who I feel like I should be. Zia doesn't practice Islam, more so, she does not believe in God at all. However, the tradition she grew up with is a keystone to who she is. She also said, I just come because that is what I have always done. My first photos, before I even had memories, were of me in the mosque. So while Zia has not used a mosque to pray, it has served as a profound part of her identity and tradition. Another girl, Maryam, said this when she asked if she identified as Muslim. In a spiritual aspect, I wouldn't say I identify as Muslim, but like culturally, like within like doing the prayers and like when I go during Ramadan and stuff, like culturally, like yes, I am Muslim, but just like that spiritual journey and like all of that stuff, like I wouldn't really identify as Muslim and all that. She identifies being a Muslim in a cultural sense, whilst spiritually, she is not really there. This was said after she mentioned that she was more comfortable of being perceived as an American, despite not being one. The Western world has made it difficult for Muslims to integrate to their culture, so they choose to stay within their own. According to Sanjaktar, the perception of Islam as being an enemy of the West has caused a consequence where Muslim youth become more and more marginalized and alienated from broader society. In an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty, many Muslims tend to barricade themselves within their communities. Here they can openly identify themselves as Muslim. Therefore, while not being religious, Ramadan gives nominal Muslims a chance to express their identities by adhering to their traditions, practices, or simply giving them a space to be who they are without fear. Another reason nominal Muslims come during Ramadan is due to familial and community connections. During Ramadan, mosques host the Rawi prayers, a ritual involving the recitation of the Quran. This prayer is exclusive only during Ramadan. Everyone is encouraged to join these prayers and many Muslims, nominal and religious, do. Mosques also host Sahur Fests to bring the community together to eat tasty food, support community businesses, and provide other social benefits. I was able to observe a Sahur Fest held at Masjid Omar bin Abdul on March 23rd in Wilburn, Georgia. Thousands of people were in attendance, including nominal Muslims. In many cases, these nominal Muslims would not seem any different from a religious Muslim. They were fasting, listening to nasheeds, and attending the Rawi. Their inconsistency in observing the Rawi prayers distinguished them from devout Muslims. They lacked familiarity with performing wudu, a cleansing ritual, and frequently relied on observing others' actions without fully engaging in the prayer themselves. However, their main purpose in attending is simply to spend time with family and friends at social gatherings, as Ramadan is the season for such events. In my interview, Maryam says, During Ramadan, I fast. I keep like Rosa and all. So, I really go to Masjid to break fast and to do Ishtar with my family and my friends. During Lilat al-Qadr, it's known as the Night of Power. So, they say whatever wish that you have will be granted on this night. So, I like to pray during Lilat al-Qadr so that I can pray for my family, I can pray for my friends, and just people that I love and I care about. Just like others at the Suhoor Fest, she comes to the mosque to conduct the rituals with family and friends even though she does not believe in them. Interestingly, she also uses Lilat al-Qadr as an opportunity to pray for others despite being a nominal Muslim. During Ramadan, nominal Muslims seize the opportunity to bond with their religious family and friends through observances that foster a sense of community closeness. Engaging in religious practices during Ramadan provides them with a sense of belonging within the community. Lastly, according to my research, nominal Muslims observe Ramadan to personally grow. While I did not directly observe this, much research supports that Ramadan is the period for Muslims to grow and reflect. According to Farooqi, Islam has described total abstinence from food and sex from dawn to sunset precisely in order to stir up consciousness. To think of life and death, and to train the individual to resist the threat. The threat to individual and group life must be resisted, and Muslims must be taught and trained in the art of resistance. Patience, forbearance, perseverance, defastness, and suffering, and privation. These are the qualities Islam seeks to cultivate through fasting. As a result, many nominal Muslims report that they feel rejuvenated and can meditate on life. Ramadan presents a new opportunity and challenge for both nominal and devout Muslims to reflect on themselves and consider ways for personal growth and positive transformation. Therefore, nominal Muslims can experience spiritual satisfaction, albeit in a different manner from devout Muslims, enabling them to forge deeper connections with their faith if they choose to. Additionally, this fosters a heightened sense of self-awareness, leading to a clearer understanding of their life's purpose. Through personal observations and research, it becomes evident that many nominal Muslims participate in Ramadan rituals despite not adhering to religious practices in other times. They use continuous traditions and cultural identity as primary motivations for observing Ramadan. For them, engaging in religious practices serves as a reaffirmation and provides a sense of belonging and identity within their families and wider community. In essence, Ramadan serves as a time of spiritual renewal and communal unity, bringing together Muslims of all kinds. Observing Ramadan highlights the significance that faith, tradition, and community can have in shaping an individual and the connections they hold. For nominal Muslims, Ramadan serves as an essential aspect in preserving their identity and maintaining ties within their community. For more information, visit www.fema.org