14 Ramadan 1431

Fasting used to have a prominent place in Christian spirituality. In a book about the Desert Fathers, it is written:

An old man was asked, ‘‘How can I find God?’’ He said, ‘‘In

fasting, in watching, in labours, in devotion, and, above all,

in discernment. I tell you, many have injured their bodies

without discernment and have gone away from us having

achieved nothing. Our mouths smell bad through fasting, we

know the Scriptures by heart, we recite all the Psalms of David,

but we have not that which God seeks: charity and humility.’’

(Ward, B. (ed.), The Desert Fathers: Sayings of the Early Christian

Monks. London/New York: Penguin Books, 2003., number 90)

Someone asked an old man, ‘‘What is humility?’’ He replied,

‘‘Humility is a great and divine work. The road leading to

humility is through bodily labours, and considering oneself a

sinner, inferior to all.’’ Then the brother said, ‘‘What does that

mean, ‘inferior to all’?’’ The old man said, ‘‘It is this: not paying

attention to others’ sins, but always to one’s own, praying to

God ceaselessly. (Ward, number 166)

Although Protestants are considered less ascetic than Catholics and Orthodox Christians, fasting played an important part in Pietist spirituality, which stemmed from the Lutheran tradition.

The fundamental framework for Wesleyan spirituality (expressed in a

tract called the Large Minutes) had five elements: prayer both

personal and collective, scriptural reading and meditation,

frequent Communion, fasting on Fridays, and spiritual conversation.

The Oxford or Tractarian Movement of Anglo-Catholicism also emphasized fasting.

Today, I personally know of a number of Mennonites who fast at least for a few days of Ramadan, and on other occasions, often in solidarity with those suffering from war and oppression.

May Allah let our fasting bring us humility, ceaseless remembrance of God, and compassion and solidarity with all those who suffer from the ravages of war, persecution, and other miseries.