Observing Ramadan Amid COVID-19: Embracing Silence
By Sofiya Asedrem
Respect silence. "Silence is a rare gift in our busy world. After someone has spoken, take time to reflect without immediately filling the space with words. This applies to the speaker, as well – be comfortable leaving your words to resound in the silence, without refining or elaborating on what you have said.”
For the close to 2 billion Muslims around the world, Ramadan is the month when the first verses of the Quran were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. Muslims are called upon to fast during this time– “oh you who believe, fasting is prescribed to you, as it was prescribed to those before you, that you may learn self-restraint” (Quran 2:183). We tend to focus a lot on the fasting part, but do not pay enough attention to the latter portion of the verse --- learning self-restraint. For me, silence is part of that. Communication and relationships can be challenging, yet when we learn to slow down and respect silence, we can better approach any situation that we encounter. This is especially true in the context of quarantine, when we are ever more intimately living with those who share a space with us.
This year, observance of Ramadan amid COVID-19 has been unique - and for many Muslims, challenging. Many of us are used to coming together to break the fast, joining side by side for the nightly taraweeh prayer at the mosque, and listening to the beautiful voice of our Imam reciting verses of the Quran. Because of this health crisis that we are facing, we are unable to visit our mosques, or break the fast with extended family and friends. Instead, we are confined to our homes.
For me, this has provided the opportunity to embrace principles that I have learned were essential to the life of my Prophet, Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) - - silence and deep inward reflection. During his life, he spent much of his time alone in meditation at the cave of Hira, a mountain outside of the city of Mecca. In my home, I have created a space for this kind of reflection, too. In our little apartment, the space that used to be our dining room, has been transformed into a simple “home mosque” with prayer rugs, and religious books. Our dining table has taken a sidestep, as I moved it into a corner of our living room. In this way, I have tried to be intentional about the way we organize our space, to reflect that during Ramadan, our priority is the inner-self, focusing on the heart and soul, not food.
The prominent Muslim scholar, Imam Al Ghazali reminds us, the greatest fast is that of the heart, not of the stomach. Deeper than not eating – I view Ramadan as a time to slow down, reflect, and check in with myself. It is quite remarkable that when your stomach is empty, you possess a deeper awareness of the status of your heart. Do I invite negativity? Any grudges? Is my heart attached to things that are not beneficial for my body and soul?
As Muslims, we know that our fast is not accepted if we engage in other negative actions like backbiting, thinking negative thoughts, or hurting others. For me, I am home with my husband, my 4-month-old son, and my mother-in-law. Fasting during these times has helped me to reflect on my responses to my loved ones around me. At times of frustration, where my first reaction would be to release tension at my husband, or lose patience with my son or mother-in-law, my hunger reminds me that I need to stop, embrace silence, check the state of my heart, and respond with compassion and empathy.
So during this month, I encourage you, too, to think about how you can respect silence. How can incorporating this practice in your life help you and those around you to reach a state of peace during a time that can be filled with anxiety, stress, and negativity?
Sofiya Asedrem is a graduate of The George Washington University where she completed her undergraduate degree Magna Cum Laude in International Affairs with a concentration in International Development. She is currently a master’s degree candidate in Political Science at UCF, and is a staff assistant at the Peace and Justice Institute at Valencia College.
Each week we will be posting one of the 13 Principles for How We Treat Each Other from the Peace and Justice institute at Valencia College.
This week we focus on the sixth Principle, respect silence. As many of us practice social distancing in our homes, it seems that our busy world has slowed down. We must remember to respect silence our mind brings during meditative moments and activities. We also must respect silence within a conversation. After someone has spoken, take time to reflect without immediately filling the space with words. #PJIPrinciples
Click here to access all of the Principles available in English, Spanish, French, Haitian Creole, and Portuguese.
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