Tomorrow is the first fast of Ramadan, so I thought I’d dig up this perverse piece I wrote on Ramadan three years ago and put it back into circulation (opens in a new window). I have yet to post any of the Ramadan material I promised in that post three years ago, but as Scripture says, “the patient will be given their reward without measure” (Qur’an 39:10). As is typical of God’s promises, the expected pay-off here ranges between infinity and 0, which is about what you can expect of my promises as well.

Az-zawiya hindiya: the Indian zawiya, or Sufi spiritual lodge, Old City Jerusalem

The title of this post comes from the following thought in Arabic:

جعله الله شهر مجاهدة

Ja’al-allah shahr mujahida: “May God make it a month of striving.”

“Striving” translates “mujahida,” a verbal noun that has the same conceptual and etymological root as “jihad.”  In English, we cut to the chase, and make it all jihadi.

So yeah–forget “Ramadan Kareem.” Have a jihadi Ramadan.