Δαφνη Ευτυχια Αρθουρος

"Living in a predominantly Muslim country, I never understood the importance of this month until I came to America. To me it served a different function than the one it does now, perhaps because I'm a different person now. Then, Ramadan was about family and food and the advent of Eid, a festival which happens the day after Ramadan ends.

"Nowadays, Ramadan is a bit different. I long for the community back home, I long for the happy iftars and the grumpy sehris which forced us to wake up in the middle of the night, stuff our faces and go back to sleep, hoping this last bit of food at sunrise would be enough to get us through sunset.

"While I long for those things, I understand how they could have overshadowed other purposes of this holy month - one of which is a spiritual cleanse. For the last few years, I have noticed that Ramadan seems to fall at the most opportune time for me. It is when I'm the most down, most lost, most in need of prayer and reflection that Ramadan arrives as a saving grace."

-- Zubia Hasan, "Reflecting on what Ramadan means to me", 2021-04-17

[Ramadan mubarak to everyone celebrating (and fasting) this month! Also a good Passion Sunday to everyone preparing for Easter, and of course a joyous Cheese Weasel Day to everyone in tech, or who has techies they're grateful for in their lives!]