A former Muslim's reflections on some of the ethical disparities of fasting
by Wissam Yousif
Ramadan has two faces.
Most people see its happy face. Ramadan is a happy part of the year for Muslims, and no one can really tell why. On one hand, Muslims have to fast Ramadan anyway, so they are not looking for an extra blessing, but rather a fulfillment of an ordinance, a Pillar of Islam. On the other hand, they talk about a month that is especially generous in its blessings, “Ramadan Kareem,” when God multiplies His rewards for good deeds more than the rest of the year. It sounds like He doesn’t care for benevolence, for example, throughout the rest of the year, the way He cares for benevolence in Ramadan.
