Islamic Fasting and Christian Season of Lent - Essay Example

Islamic Fasting and Christian Season of Lent This paper provides a detailed summary of the Christian Lenten season compared to Islam's fasting season. The two religions exhibit similarities and differences in various ways and pose different impacts on the respective religions. A brief overview of the traditions is an exemplary illustration of the best and the worst part of the seasons. This paper provides a detailed analysis of the various positive and negative impacts that the two religions have in the world today. The Christian season of Lent refers to the period of preparation before Easter. Ash Wednesday is the first day that Christians use to mark the period in western Christianity. The main purpose of Ash Wednesday is to remind us that lent is present, and we need to make an effort to acquire a close relationship to God through repenting. This is realization that God truly loves us because he died for us. The cross of ashes on one's forehead represents that Jesus does forgive all sins. Ash Wednesday is also a reminder that all people need God’s help, and it is a symbol that Jesus will help us (Allen 9). The period of Lent begins forty days before Easter and culminates in Easter Sunday. The Sundays are not inclusive in the forty days since God intended them for resting. Christians observe this period of Easter by fasting and repenting their sins. The church has set this period aside to give Christians a chance to reflect on the sacrifice, life, suffering, death, and resurrection of Christ. Roman Catholics, Anglican, Presbyterian, Lutheran, and Methodist comprise the churches that observe Lent. The Churches of Eastern Orthodox observe the Great Lent during the 40 days that precede Palm Sunday. Their practice of fasting continues during the holy week of Orthodox Easter. The Orthodox churches do not observe Ash Wednesday and their Lent season begins on Clean Monday (Allen 15). During this period, the Christians have an obligation to give up things they do regularly or make themselves righteous by praying frequently and doing meritorious deeds. Giving up meat is a sacrifice that Christians exercise. Fasting should enable Christians to become better people by sacrificing themselves for the benefit of other people. Giving up meats on Fridays is a form of sacrifice that represents the death, suffering, and sacrifice that Jesus went through during the time of his persecution (Allen 39). The Stations of the Cross’ are a significant part that Catholics partake in during the Lenten season. This is the practice that commemorates the journey of the death of Jesus. The stages presents all events that took place before the soldiers nailed Jesus to the cross. The steps remind us of the amount of suffering that Jesus endured. The priest reads the fourteen parts or other individuals act them. The Lent season provides us with renewal of hope. It encourages us during hardships and tragic experiences (Allen 51). Lent is a fulfilling season for Catholics since it a person’s relationship with God closer. People consider Lent to be a source of warming in their lives. This is because it is during this period that the relationship between one and God strengthens. The critical part of lent and the basis of the Lenten season is the intrinsic feeling inside a person. This feeling makes one feel scrupulous about doing an admirable deed. It teaches people to help other without expecting anything in return (Allen 77). The best part of Lenten season is that it enables us to draw closer to God through temporary sacrifice that we make. It gives Christians a chance to balance between cutting themselves off marvellous things and fasting. This season gives us hope that God will guide us during hardships and tragedies. We attain hope of guidance from God through the fact that Jesus resurrected and thus conquered death. The same way, God will assist us conquer tragedies and hardships. The worst part of the Lenten season is that it interferes with ones day to day life activities. People accidentally forget their goals as they divert from their routine activities. The season also interferes with schedules of college students by making it difficult to build consistent habits; making it difficult for individuals to comply with the requirements of the period. The Muslims fast to take their minds off material goods. The practice also encourages righteous deeds such as giving money to charity and building stronger relationships with the people that they know. During these Ramadan days, Muslims also engage in prayers nonstop during the entire month. The Muslims are unquestionably strict to the adherence of fasting and failure to observe this period leads to closure of restaurants and imprisonment (Ali 18). They are strict when compared to the Christians who do not have severe punishment for non compliance. The most critical part of the Ramadan season is to comprehend the right and wrong activities in life. This provides the basis through which Muslims lead their way of life on how to live with other people. Fasting in Ramadan makes people understand what God went through on the journey of dying for us. This sacrifice helps them to appreciate God, getting rid of unhealthy habits and gaining qualities such as honesty, loyalty and forgiveness (Ali 48). The best part of the Muslim season of fasting is that it enables them to differentiate between right and wrong. It explains the experiences of God that culminates in saving their lives. This encompasses them with values and virtues that help them appreciate God. As prophet Muhammad advocated for fasting, Muslims should also indulge in similar behavior. Fasting is recommendable for the Muslims since it encourages righteous deeds. Muslims engage in prayers during this period and learn to appreciate God. It is during this period that the Muslims identify the differences between right and wrong in the society and adopt doing righteous deeds. The worst part about this fasting is the physical aspect of fatigue and dehydration that comes from fasting during Ramadan; especially when playing sports. Players such as Sulli Muntari, a soccer player in Italy ran six miles on an empty stomach and lack of energy forces him out of the game. This example shows the impact that this holy season has on the Muslims (Ali 91). This season is the month that the Muslims first revealed the Koran. The Koran is the Islamic text that bears the word of God. Muslims believe that God revealed messages to Angel Gabriel who then relayed to Muhammad. The Muslins regard Mohammad as the founder of their religion. During the fasting period, Islamic religion expects the Muslims to read the entire Koran. This is similar to a catholic reading the whole Bible in a month. The Koran is the most sacred book among Muslims. Before sunrise, a Muslims serves the others with a meal called Sahur which provides them energy for the day. They would face imprisonment in various countries like Algeria in cases where they failed to fast or pray during the month. When the Muslims sight the new moon, it is an indication that Ramadan is coming to an end (Ali 104). The Muslims mark the end of this season by celebrating festivities and having fun. After the previous night of moon sighting, Muslims prepare for the EID prayer. This prayer is a gathering, mostly in a mosque to pray and recite that God is perfect, and no one else who deserves such praise. The EID prayer emphasizes that the ability to love comes from God. Fasting is recommendable for the Muslims since it encourages righteous deeds. Muslims engage in prayers during this period and learn to appreciate God. It is during this period that the Muslims identify the differences between right and wrong in the society and adopt doing righteous deeds. Both Lent and Ramadan are similar in that they strengthen the relationship between individuals and God. The differences that exist between the two religions are that the Islamic religion is manifestly strict when compared to Christianity. Ramadan is self fulfilling since the Muslims have a feeling of accomplishment during the season based solely on what they cannot do. During Lent season, Christians have the freedom to do whatever they want. Muslims learn a feeling of togetherness and acquire discipline to accomplish other goals in life. This is by far a more rewarding month in Islam in comparison with Lent, where the actions are not nearly as extreme. Muslims’ and Christians’ main goal in their respective fasting seasons are to get closer to God. They achieve this through sacrifice and prayer. Lent and Ramadan provides a stepping stone to achieving the spiritual, everlasting life that all people hope to attain. The whole Lenten season is similar and different to fasting in Islam in various ways. Fasting is both a moral and spiritual characteristic that the Islam observes. It refers to thoroughly abstaining from food, intimate intercourse, and smoking. The Muslims schedule fasting before the dawn breaks till sunset during the entire month of Ramadan that the Muslims regard as the ninth month. The Muslims declared fasting an obligatory duty during the second year of Hijrah for all Muslims (Ali 8). All the members of religion have an obligation to observe fasting. These forms of fasting are a lot more extreme than the Catholic fasting. The whole month’s goal for Muslims is for them to do no evil, speak no evil, see not what displeases Allah, hear no evil, and look to Allah with fear and hope. There exist similarities between Christian Lenten season and Islam’s fasting season. It is during this season that both Christians and Muslims learn to practice righteous acts. They learn to appreciate God who is their creator and savior. The seasons also have drawbacks since they call for self denial of one’s favorites. The two religions are advantageous to the members since they provide individuals with time to appreciate their creator. They enhance their hope of attaining eternal life, which is the main objective of all individuals. Work cited Ali, Maulana.The Religion of Islam: eBookIt.com, 2011. Print. Allen, Charlotte. A pinch of incense: A.D. 70 to 250, from the fall of Jerusalem to the Decian persecution: Christian History Project. 2002. Print. Read More