Senior Reporter
otto.carrington@guardian.co.tt
As the sacred month of Ramadan unfolds alongside the Christian season of Lent, two prominent religious leaders are describing the moment as both spiritually significant and socially transformative.
Mufti Mohammad Zaidur Raza, Spiritual Head of the Anjuman Sunnat-ul-Jamaat Association (ASJA), and Reverend and author Clifford Rawlins say the rare alignment offers an opportunity for deeper interfaith understanding and collective spiritual reflection.
Mufti Raza explained that Ramadan, observed according to the Islamic lunar calendar, lasts 29 or 30 days and shifts roughly 10 days earlier each year. Lent, observed by Christians under the Gregorian calendar, lasts about 40 days and culminates in Easter.
“Though there are differences in duration and method, the essence is very similar,” Mufti Raza said. “In Ramadan, we fast to abstain from wrongdoing, discipline ourselves, purify our souls, and seek forgiveness from Almighty Allah. It is about developing God-consciousness and reforming our character.”
He added, “When we look at Lent, we see that our Christian brothers and sisters also engage in fasting, repentance, and spiritual growth. The objective is closeness to God. The path may differ, but the destination is the same.”
Reverend Rawlins agreed, noting that Christianity and Islam share common roots in the Abrahamic tradition.
“We are not totally different,” he said. “We come from the same patriarch, Abraham. Christianity flows through Isaac and Islam through Ishmael, but the foundation is the same revelation of one God. That shared heritage must mean something.”
Rawlins said the periodic alignment of the lunar and solar calendars serves as a reminder of that shared foundation.
“When the calendars align and we fast together, even unintentionally, it is a powerful symbol,” he said. “It tells us that beneath theological differences, there is a shared call to repentance, humility, and renewal.”
Both leaders stressed that fasting is not merely about refraining from food.
“It is an act of humility,” Rawlins said. “We deny ourselves the pleasures we take for granted. We become more aware of those who suffer daily without choice. Fasting teaches empathy. It forces us to confront how we have failed God, how we have failed one another, and even how we have failed the earth.”
Mufti Raza added, “Ramadan teaches patience, generosity, and compassion. It reminds us that discipline of the body leads to purification of the heart. When a believer controls hunger and thirst, they also learn to control anger, pride, and injustice.”
However, Rawlins urged that the season should not stop at personal transformation.
“Our world is in turmoil,” he said. “There are wars, rumours of wars, devastation in places like Gaza, Palestine, South Sudan, Afghanistan, Yemen, and Ukraine. This is not just a time for private prayer; it is a time for spiritual engagement.”
He referenced biblical teachings that certain evils “cannot be driven out except by prayer and fasting.”
“When one prays, one can put a thousand to flight; when two pray, ten thousand,” Rawlins said. “Imagine the power if Christians and Muslims prayed and fasted together as children of Abraham.”
Mufti Raza echoed the call for unity. “It may be the alignment of the lunar and solar calendars that brought this moment,” he said, “but for those who reflect deeply, it can also be seen as a divine reminder that God has given both communities a simultaneous opportunity for renewal.”
Both leaders acknowledged that fundamentalist voices may resist comparisons between the faiths, but they insisted that shared values should take precedence over division.
“To be human is to be kind,” Rawlins said. “If we allow this season to make us kinder, more disciplined, and more conscious of God, then we can help bring harmony to this nation and beyond.”
