Not only do I want to belatedly wish a Happy Ramadan to all my Muslim and Moroccan friends, but I also want to express particular sympathy and warm wishes to those who are observing the fast in the United States. Not only is there in my observation a bit of a chill toward Muslim religious expression in this country, but also the supportive environment of universal observance is lacking. In my experience in Morocco, Ramadan is the most festive time of the year, a time of celebration, sharing, and mutual hospitality as people break fast together. Even as a non-Muslim observing the fast, I never felt so welcome in Morocco as I did during Ramadan. Fasting was not an individual hardship but a shared commitment, because the community participated as a whole in a mutually supportive environment. In contrast, in the widely dispersed communities in the United States, Muslims are more likely to find themselves observing the fast singly or in small groups amidst a largely indifferent community.
So to those persevering in their beliefs and traditions even in countries that largely do not share them, I want to express an especially warm Ramadan Mubarak.
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