Archive for Wednesday 30th October 2002 - Festivals
One third of the world’s population will be focusing on deeper inner truths this week. On Monday, a billion Hindus around the world began to celebrate the five-day festival of Divali and today more than a billion Muslims start the month long fast of Ramadan.

Divali, or the Festival of Lights, is the highlight of the Hindu religious calendar and honours the triumph of good over evil and knowledge over ignorance. It marks the return from exile of Lord Rama 2,000 years ago. Hope is reaffirmed and as part of a resolution for the Hindu new year a positive commitment to friendship and goodwill is made. For Muslims, Ramadan is a time of both worship and contemplation, celebrating the revelation of the Koran to the Prophet Mohammed by the Angel Gabriel some 1,400 years ago.

The Koran is to Muslims what the Old Testament is to Jews and Christians. The month-long code of abstinence means no eating, smoking or sex during daylight hours. The traditional test for fasting-time is that, if there is sufficient light outside to distinguish a black from a white thread, food should not be consumed. Fasting is one of the five pillars, or essential principles, of Islam, which include faith, prayer and concern for the socially needy. There is both a social and moral dimension to this month of self-purification – with its focus on sharing the sufferings of the poor and deprived and enjoying the company of fellow Muslims. The daily fast is often broken, emulating the Prophet himself, with dates and water. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. As it is a lunar festival, the holy month comes around 11 days earlier each successive year. The evening of the 27th day, known as the Night of Power, marks the first day of Mohammed’s revelations. And the fast culminates in three days of festivities. Let’s wish them all, Muslims and Hindus alike, every success in their quest for deeper, more fulfilled lives.

Mark Winter