Ramadan question:

Caitlin, is your observance of one day of Ramadan insulting to Muslims?

No. Everyone I have met welcomes participation and interest in their religion. More importantly, we need to stop viewing Islam as "other." Do we get insulted by those who go to church only on Christmas and Easter? Do we call out as hypocrites those who pray to God only in the hardest times of their lives? What about people who wear crosses or get them tattooed to their bodies because they like how the cross looks or because they see symbolism in the object? See what I mean... we shouldn't judge Muslims and Islam the way we have been taught in our culture.

Muslims, like those of other religions, believe that it is your heart and attitude that matter. I'm not doing this day for "fun" or because it's cool. Like I said in my last post, I want to learn and experience it, and I want to show outward respect for my Muslim friends. To reiterate, have you ever gone to church just because someone you respect invited you? Have you prayed for a loved one because they believed, even if you didn't? To me, the concepts are the same.

Islam

My friend from Uzbekistan, Rustam, is teaching me about Islam. I’ve taken two classes on Islam at Muskingum, and I’ve read several books and numerous articles dealing with the religion, but seeing how one Muslim lives his life every day is a whole different matter.

Rustam prays five times every day. He knows the Koran well. He doesn’t drink or smoke. He’s not allowed to hug or kiss a girl. One time Rustam told me, “I am human. Of course I want to do these things. But living my life the way that I know is right is the most important thing.”

I know many other Muslims who are not so strict about their lifestyles. I appreciate learning about Islam from someone who is not only a close friend, but is someone who knows what he believes, why he believes it, and lives accordingly.

We have talked about what Christians think of Islam, and what Muslims think of Christianity. Basically, one simply has to decide which teachings to believe. Both sides think the other started out correct, but then went down the wrong path.

I can’t stop thinking about one thing… Both Christianity and Islam cannot be right. If what I’ve been taught my whole life is true, does God not hear Rustam’s prayers? Why would God listen to me, a horrible person, and not Rustam, who is so pure and sincere in his faith? My heart hurts when I think about this, and I have to believe that God does listen.