Ramadan, Lent, and Yom Kippur: One Fasting – Three Refinements
Table of Contents
Fasting
is total or partial abstinence from food, drink, or any gratifications for
religious, ethical, or health purposes or reasons. The latter two purposes
(ethical and health) are not the subject of this writing. Fasting for religious
purposes is the theme of this writing, therefore, we will try to describe each
fasting practice as independent of the other. In this writing, we will consider
fasting from the perspectives of the three Abrahamic religions: Judaism,
Christianity, and Islam. The description of the practices will be in descending
order (that is, Ramadan, Lent, and Yom Kippur and not chronologically as they should
be). The reason for this approach is to remove the veil of the archetype from
the reader so that each religion’s fasting is understood as a refinement.
The
Islamic month of Ramadan is a time of penitence and complete fasting from
sunrise to sunset. During this period, Muslims are encouraged to devote
themselves to prayer and recitation of the Qur’an.
For
Christianity, both Latin Church and Greek Orthodoxy always observe 40 days of
fasting and penance during Lent.
In
the Torah, there are many dietary laws, customs, and observances the people are
obligated to keep, especially on days of penitence, such as Yom Kippur (that
is, the Day of Atonement). Below are descriptions of the different Fasting
practices of the three Abrahamic religions.
The Ramadan
Ramadan
is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar during which period Muslims are
obligated to fast from dawn to dusk. It is also a time of prayer and
almsgiving. It is a celebration of community iftars and
community prayers. The term iftar means ‘break of
fast’, that is, the evening meal the Muslims eat to end
their daily Ramadan fast at sunset which happens at the ‘call of
prayer.’
The
first meal is the pre-sunrise meal called sahur which marks the
beginning of the daily fast during Ramadan. The meal is consumed before the
fajr prayer. The fajr prayer is the ‘dawn
prayer’ (also the third prayer of the day) and is one of the five
mandatory Islamic prayers.
Ramadan
is calculated from the last night of the Sha’ban, (that is the
eighth month of the Islamic calendar) to the last night of the month of
Ramadan. The Sha’ban is also known as the month of ‘separation’;
according to tradition, ‘the pagan Arabs used to go out in search of water.’ It
is on the Sha’ban that the Muslims determine when the first
day of Ramadan fasting will begin. During Ramadan, Muslims are expected in
addition to prayers and other things, to observe the following:
Fasting (sawm)
Fasting
(Sawm) is abstinence from food, drink, smoking, and sexual engagements. Fasting
is the fourth of the five pillars of Islam.
Almsgiving (zakat)
Almsgiving
or zakat is understood as a kind of giving alms to the Muslim Ummah.
In Islam, Ummah is regarded as a religious tax or obligation.
In the Qur’an, almsgiving is next to prayer (salat). It is an
obligation for all Muslims who fall under the criteria of wealth to give 2.5%
(1/40) of their total savings and wealth which is above a minimum amount
referred to as nisab. The total sum of the collected money is
shared among the poor and needy, the new converts to Islam, those who are being
freed, and debtors. The money is also used for Allah’s causes and travellers
are gifted from it.
Reading of the Qur’an
Muslims
strongly believed that the Qur’an was revealed by God to the prophet Muhammad,
through the archangel Gabriel for 23 years. This oral revelation began in the
month of Ramadan when Muhammad was 40 years old and ended at his death in 632.
For Muslims, the Qur’an was Muhammad’s greatest and most important miracle and
proof of his prophethood. Thus, during the month of Ramadan, Muslims are
obliged to recite the Qur’an.
Night of Qadr
This
is considered among Muslims as one of the odd-listed nights of the last 10 days
of Ramadan. According to Muslims, it was the night the Qur’an was first sent
down from heaven and the first revelation of the first verse to the prophet
Muhammad. For Muslims, these last 10 nights of Ramadan are the most blessed of
all nights. The blessings and mercy of God flow in abundance, people’s sins are
forgiven, prayers are answered, and the yearly decree is pronounced to the
angels who respond according to God’s plan.
From
the preceding, we can imagine Islamic fasting as linked to the Islamic
faith. We have described Ramadan and what is required of a Muslim.
It is a refinement like no other. It is distinct and unique and yet not far
removed from the general understanding of the term ‘fasting.’ Let us examine
Christianity’s fasting, its provenance and refinement.
Lent
What
is Lent? In Latin, Lent is Quadragesima, which means 'Fortieth'.
According to William Saunders, “Lent itself is derived from the Anglo-Saxon
words lencten, meaning "Spring," and lenctentid,
which means not only "Springtide" but also was the word for
"March," the month in which most Lent falls.”
Lent
is a penitential religious observance in the Christian liturgical calendar that
begins on Ash Wednesday, (thanks to Gregory the Great - c.540-604, who
moved Lent to a Wednesday, and now it is called Ash Wednesday. Until then, Lent
began on Quadragesima (Fortieth) Sunday). It is the beginning of the
Christian’s forty-day journey of prayer, penance, fasting, and almsgiving. Lent
comes to an end at sundown on Holy Saturday, which is
the Easter Vigil.
Lent
is the period Christians are particularly obliged to prepare themselves through
fasting, prayer, self-denial, repentance of sins, mortification of the flesh,
almsgiving, and works of mercy.
The
length of time of the Lenten period is variously calculated. At the Council of
Nicaea (325 A.D.), which was the first Ecumenical Council, Lent is to be
observed for forty days, a number in line with a long biblical history: The
forty days' fasts of Moses, Elijah, and especially of Jesus in the desert after
which he was tempted by the devil.
Different
Christian denominations define their Lenten observance according to their
practice: In the Latin Church, for example, Lent starts on Ash
Wednesday and ends on Maundy Thursday evening. This
Lenten fast does not include Sundays but continues through Good Friday and Holy
Saturday, as a result, the total number of fasting days comes up to 40 days
of Lent.
Some
Protestant and Western Orthodox Churches begin the Lenten period on Ash
Wednesday and bring it to an end in the evening of Holy
Saturday. However, in the Eastern Orthodox Churches, they calculate the
date of Easter using the Julian Calendar. Therefore, their Easter occurs after
the Easter of Catholic and Protestant Churches, which calculate theirs using
the Gregorian Calendar. During Lent, Christians are encouraged to pray, fast,
and give donations; hence, the three pillars of Lent:
Prayer
Prayer
is lifting of mind and soul and communicating with God. It is invoking the name
of God, singing his praises, and making thanksgiving offerings to him. It is
customary in Lent for Christians to engage in reading daily devotional texts,
visit churches during Holy Week, and engage in Stations of the Cross,
that is, following Jesus as he makes his way to Calvary carrying the cross on
his shoulders.
Fasting
On
Ash Wednesday, the Christians receive ashes on their foreheads which remind
them that dust they are and to dust they shall return. From Early Christianity,
they practised what was known as the Black Fast. That meant that
the believers did not eat food for a whole day until the evening, and at
sunset, the believers would break the fast of that day with supper. Christians’
fasting begins from Ash Wednesday through Holy
Saturday. Throughout this period, Christians are encouraged to abstain from
meat, drink (that is, wine), and in some cases from dairy products as well as
from sexual activities. This Lutheran handbook for the Discipline of
Lent gives some examples of areas of abstinence:
- Fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday with only one simple meal during the day, usually without meat.
- Refrain from eating meat (bloody foods) on all Fridays in Lent, substituting fish for example.
- Eliminate a food or food group for the entire season. Especially consider saving rich and fatty foods for Easter.
- Consider not eating before receiving Communion in Lent.
- Abstain from or limit a favorite activity (television, movies, etc.) for the entire season, and spend more time in prayer, Bible study, and reading devotional material.
- Do not just give up something that you have to give up for your doctor or diet anyway. Make your fast voluntary self-denial (i.e., discipline) that you offer to God in prayer.
However,
some conditions, such as health, pregnancy, or old age are reasons for
dispensation from fasting to some individuals.
Part
of the custom of Lenten observances includes the veiling of the crucifixes, the
omission of Glory be to God and Alleluia during
the celebration of Mass and replacing the Alleluia with some
penitential texts, the wearing of purple vestments by priests, and visiting the
sick, poor, and home-bound and elaborate weddings are not encouraged currently.
Almsgiving
It
is an act of love. There are spates of literature in the New Testament urging
believers to give to the less fortunate and to care for and love one another.
Giving to another person is like giving to God: “Amen, I say to you,
whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me”
(Matthew 25:40). The act of giving does not depend on surplus; it is an
act of giving oneself. Jesus gives an example of a widow:
When
he looked up, he saw some wealthy people putting their offerings into the
treasury and he noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins. He said, ‘I
tell you truly, this poor widow put in more than all the rest; for those others
have all made offerings from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty,
has offered her whole livelihood’ (Luke 21:1-4).
Jesus
also said: "When you give alms, sound no trumpet before you, as the
hypocrites do in the synagogues and the streets, that they may be praised by
men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give
alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing" (Mt
6:2-3). He urges the Christians to give secretly so that they would receive
their reward from God. In Acts 4:34-35, we read about the early Christian
communities and how they viewed almsgiving: "There was no needy person
among them, for those who owned property or houses would sell them, bring the
proceeds of the sale, and put them at the feet of the apostles, and they were
distributed to each according to need."
From
the preceding, we have briefly described the Christians’ Lent. We can see that
the Lenten practice has a characterized provenance in its right, unlike
Ramadan. Though there are some inimitable and imitable practices. Next, let us
now describe the Judaic fasting practice, Yom Kippur.
Yom Kippur
The
Yom Kippur, otherwise known as ‘the Day of Atonement,’ falls in the month
of Tishrei (that is, September or October using the Gregorian
Calendar). It is the height of the 10 Days of prayer and repentance that comes
before the Jewish New Year, known as Rosh Hashanah. Traditionally,
on Yom Kippur, the Jews believe that each person’s destiny is sealed by God,
thus they are urged to repent and ask for forgiveness for their sins.
Yom
Kippur is the most solemn Day of Atonement. In Leviticus, 23:26-32, God gave to
Moses these rulings:
Now,
the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement; it shall be a holy
convocation for you: you shall deny yourselves and present the Lord’s offering
by fire, and you shall do no work during that entire day; for it is a day of
atonement, to make atonement on your behalf before the Lord your God. For
anyone who does not practice self-denial during the entire day shall be cut off
from the people. And anyone who does any work during that entire day, such a
one I will destroy from the midst of the people. You shall do no work: it is a
statute forever throughout your generations in all your settlements. It shall
be to you a sabbath of complete rest, and you shall deny yourselves; on the
ninth day of the month at evening, from evening to evening, you shall keep your
sabbath.
Thus,
Yom Kippur which is the most sacred day of the Jewish year closes the Days of
Repentance. On this day, God decides the fate of everyone for the coming year.
The Book of Life is sealed and all those who repented for their sins are favored
with a pleasant New Year. On Yom Kippur, the Jews are encouraged to abstain
from food or drink for 25 hours. Other observances include:
Refrain from Work
Yom
Kippur is regarded as the most sacred day of the year, and it is often
considered the ‘Sabbath of Sabbaths.’ The above citation of Leviticus says it
all.
Visit to Synagogue
The
most important part of Yom Kippur is the time spent in the synagogue. Even
non-practising Jews would want to attend the synagogue on Yom Kippur. According
to tradition, it is the only day of the year with five services, and they are:
The Kol Nidrei
This is the opening prayer of Yom Kippur. It is the "annulment of
vows" recited at sundown of Yom Kippur Eve. According to Jewish scholars,
the Kol Nidrei is not a prayer, but rather a declaration that
deals with promises, vows, and other sorts of verbal commitments commonly made
over the year.
The Morning Service
The
morning service ("Shacharit") is made up of the
morning prayers, the Shema, the Amidah, the reading of
the Torah, the Yizkor service, the Musaf service,
and the priestly blessing.
The Musaf Service
The
Musaf Service follows the Morning Service and is made up of the Musaf
Amidah, (the cantor's repetition of the Amidah), the Avodah (recounting
of the Yom Kippur service in the Holy Temple), and the priestly blessing.
The Afternoon Service
This
is made up of the reading of the Torah, the Amidah prayer, the
cantor's repetition of the Amidah, and the recital of Avinu
Malkenu (that is, "Our Father, Our King").
The Neilah
This
means “closing the gate” and marks the end of Yom Kippur. It is made up of some
opening prayers, the Amidah, the cantor's repetition of the
Amidah, Avinu Malkenu ("Our Father, Our King"), a
declaration of our faith, the sounding of the Shofar, and some
closing prayers.
Other
elements in Yom Kippur include the confession of sins (vidui). The
gathered worshippers loudly confess their sins and they do so in the plural.
On
the eve of Yom Kippur, families, relatives, and friends gather for a sumptuous
meal that must be finished before sunset. This is to prepare them for the 25
hours of fasting. At the end of the Yom Kippur liturgy, the people return home
for a meal.
Attire
It
is customary for religious Jews to appear in white dresses on Yom Kippur. White
symbolizes ‘purity.’ It means that they appear pure before God. Also, some
married men wear kittles (white burial clothes), which signify
their repentance.
Almsgiving
The
Jews have a custom known as Kapparot (that is, the swinging of
a live chicken or pot of coins over one’s head while saying a prayer). At the
end of the prayer, the chicken or pot of coins is given to the poor. It is
considered an act of seeking forgiveness from God or atoning for one’s sins.
Fasting
in Judaism is unique and aims to direct the people back to God in a way that
every Jew must strive to be included in the Book of Life. The inclusion in that
Book is an assurance of a happy New Year.
Conclusion
The
three Abrahamic religions have shown that fasting is a ritualistic path to God.
A ritual that includes prayer, almsgivings, devotion, self-denials,
mortifications, works of mercy, and total repentance. Though each practice is
unique, it can be a common ground for Jewish, Christian, and Muslim inter-relation.
It is one fasting.
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