Introspection: On Ramadan Solitude, Gratitude, and Goals

Last updated on: July 29, 2013 at 3:00 pm by Azra

Introspection: On Ramadan Solitude, Gratitude, and Goals 2013-07-27T00:09:19-04:00 Azra

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

It has been difficult to engage with other Muslims in my area for Ramadan (this wasn’t a problem for me last year). It’s a challenge to get to the masjid in the evening for the month’s special tarawih prayers, a soothing time to listen to the entire Quran over (approximately) 30 days. Where I live, fasts are 17 hours long. With full-time work occupying my weekdays, non-fasting hours are mostly spent trying to catch up on sleep and rehydrate.

When I try to think about what I enjoy most about the month this year, then, it is the solitude, the collective (yet wholly individual) introspection, embarking on newly-set goals (both spiritually and more generally). While at times it seems like everyone is celebrating the more collective, communal activities the month brings, it’s often not as common to hear people discuss how Ramadan quietly affects them on a more personal level. Sana’s post from last year, along with Nicole’s and Izzie’s from this year beautifully highlight an individual peace that comes with the month.

I enjoy the seeming creation of time the month brings, the clarifying space and quiet that results from taking a bit of a break: from food consumption, a normally-busy social calendar, swearing, and television, in my case (I’m still working on trying to cut back from the interwebs…). These benefits are unique to the individual, and have less to do with one’s spiritual goals than they do towards improving one’s habits generally. Or at least that’s how it seems at first…

A meditative trail.

Many daily activities, as a result of the mental clarity the month brings, become meditations: from going for walks around a nearby tree-lined lake, to preparing meals for iftaar, having a conversation with my sister, and sharing homemade bakhlava with a friend. There are so many moments like these in our lives that we rarely take the time to be thankful for.

Then there’s also the food. Although I go without it during the day, the meals that I do eat are so thoughtfully prepared, either by myself or so lovingly by others. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to slather tamarind chutney with nearly every snack I eat during the month.

A few days before Ramadan started, I was out running errands and happened across a lovely independent used bookstore. There was a wonderful selection of Islamic books (that put my local Barnes and Noble section to shame). There, I picked up a copy of Al-Ghazali’s On Disciplining the Soul and on Breaking the Two Desires. Really, life is amazingly serendipitous at times. I’ve been making my way through it slowly this month and am struck by the significance of developing oneself both spiritually and in one’s character—how completely intertwined the two are in Ghazali’s interpretation. We are unable to develop spiritually without building our own character.

This brings me back to the goals I set for myself at the beginning of the month, the breaks that I mentioned at the beginning of this post: there isn’t a strictly spiritual goal in the bunch that came to mind as I wrote them. And yet, these sorts of goals are ones that so many of us make during the month, alongside so many others, and in addition to the more conventionally spiritual goals we set for ourselves. I think Ghazali would posit that all goals are really one and the same. Valuing one over the other is a fruitless activity. Valuing the collectivity of the month versus the solitude of the month is equally fruitless: it is necessary for both to exist alongside the other.

Perhaps that’s where the importance of the month comes in: that it allows an opportunity to connect with others, improve our characters, be grateful for the many moments we take for granted in our lives, and focus on spiritual goals all at the same time. That is, to me, what Ramadan is all about. Some of us celebrate the month more quietly than others. However, we all receive the opportunity to work towards perfecting ourselves in ways that are fantastically unique and amazing, as I’m reminded as I read through my fellow MMW sisters’ beautiful posts again this year. That’s something that everyone can partake in, regardless of if you’re fasting—the opportunity for growth and introspection remains ever-present this month.

May everyone find a bit of quiet introspection this Ramadan.

For more on MMW’s Ramadan series, and to read the rest of this year’s Ramadan posts, click here.

Previous Post

July 29, 2013

A Ramadan Journey through Sri Lanka

Next Post

July 30, 2013 Tired of Explaining: An Interfaith Relationship in Ramadan

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Advertisements Art/Theater Books/Magazines Cinema Comics/Cartoons Culture/Society Events Fashion Film Friday Links Merchandise/Commodities MMW Announcements MMW Highlights Music/Radio News Photography Politics Profile Ramadan 2012 Ramadan 2013 Ramadan 2014 Ramadan 2015 Roundtable Satire Social Media Sports Technology/Science Television Uncategorized Video Web

Select a Month November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who said, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you"?

Select your answer to see how you score.

The Pharisee The Lost Sheep The Prodigal Son The Rich Young Ruler