Ramadan is kind of like Christmas for Muslims - at least that’s how my friend Ahmed put it. Ahmed owns his own ”halaal” supermarket in Atlanta and is devoted to Islam. About this time last year, I went to visit him in his store and when I got to the counter he was beaming. The store was absolutely packed with customers from all over the Muslim world, and out of curiosity, I asked him, “What in the world is going on here”?
“It’s Ramadan!” he exclaimed.
“Yeah, I know. So why are there so many people buying food during the one month of the year that is supposed to be dedicated to fasting and praying?”
“This is actually the busiest time of year for me here in my store!”
“Really?!”
“Yeah, this is the biggest celebration we have all year. The way it works is that every morning we wake up early and eat a predawn breakfast known as ’suhoor.’ From then until sunset we are not supposed to touch a woman, smoke, eat, or drink anything. We do this to teach ourselves self-control and self-restraint. It’s a time for us to reflect on our spiritual lives, pray, show generosity to other people, and spend time with our families.
“When the sunsets, we are allowed to eat again. Our bakery can’t put out enough bread and pastries for the customers each day, and we sell more dates per hour than you could possibly imagine.
“Everybody’s in a good mood and looking for an opportunity to do something for somebody else.
“At the end of the month we have a huge feast called ‘Eid-ul-Fitr.’ We give out gifts and make donations during this time as well. It’s kind of like Christmas for Muslims. This is the best time of the year!”
All I could think of is that my Muslim friend has “a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.” What a warrior for Christ he could become!
This year Ramadan begins on September 13.
It’s a perfect time for Christians to fast and pray for the Muslim world. We should ask God to show people like Ahmed that their hope of eternal life doesn’t depend on all of the good things they do, but rather in the sacrifice Jesus Christ has already made for them. Salvation is by grace through faith alone, and the Muslim people need someone to love them enough to take this message to them.