On Ramadan

We are currently in the Muslim month of Ramadan (near the end of it, actually--it ends when they can see the new crescent moon, which should be either Thursday or Friday this week). Ramadan is a month where devout Muslims fast during the daylight hours for the entire month. It is one of the five pillars of Islam, so even not-so-devout Muslims will take part to some extent. From a pragmatic standpoint, it means that here in Jerusalem, people in the Old City are generally a little more grouchy than normal (that's generally speaking, of course; there are still some very pleasant people here). From a spiritual standpoint, however, it is also a time of deep, deep darkness. Toward the end of this month, there is an evening called Laylat al-Qadr ("Night of Power") on which it was believed that the first verses of the Quran were revealed to Mohammed. Many Muslims will stay up all night praying, believing that Allah pays special attention to their prayers that night. Many people here celebrated that last night (it is a little confusing to calculate exactly which night it is, so some will celebrate it several days in succession). As thousands of people here pray for a revelation from Allah, I invite you to join us in prayer that the One True God will reveal himself to these people in the person of Jesus, His Son.