LAST week marks a rare and significant event as three major religious observances - Ramadhan, Easter, and Passover - align.
This unique occurrence gives us a time to reflect on the diverse traditions and practices of the three Abrahamic faiths and how they can coincide and hopefully bring people closer together.
Ramadhan is the holy month for Muslims around the globe. It is a time of fasting, spiritual reflection, and charitable giving. It is a time to focus on our spiritual being and to deepen our connection with God.
Easter is a Christian holiday to commemorate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is a time of renewal and forgiveness, a time to celebrate the miracle of Christ's resurrection and the hope it brings.
Passover, on the other hand, is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt. It is a time to reflect on the suffering and hardships that the Jews endured during their enslavement and the sacrifices they made in their pursuit of freedom. During this time, Jewish families come together to celebrate with a Seder meal, which symbolises the journey from slavery to freedom.
This rare alignment of religious observances offers a powerful reminder of the similarities that exist between these three world religions. Despite different theological beliefs and practices, each of these traditions shares a common emphasis on self-reflection, humility, sacrifice, and a deep connection with God.
However, despite these commonalities, geopolitics still affects the lives of people around the world. These rituals and traditions, if given more spiritual importance, provide a unique opportunity for individuals from different religious backgrounds to come together and learn from each other. It is a moment when we can celebrate our differences, learn about each other's traditions and beliefs, and deepen our understanding of the common threads that unite humanity.
The realities in the world today do not show a good sign where Islam, Judaism, and Christianity work together especially the situation in the Middle East. The news last week reported that “Israeli forces stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan evening prayers for a second consecutive night, firing rubber bullets and stun grenades at hundreds of Palestinian worshippers”.
The data shows that 94 Palestinians have been killed since the beginning of the year. According to the Israeli human rights group B’Tselem more than 170 Palestinians were killed in Israeli raids in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem in all of 2022, the deadliest year since 2004, and in the same period in 2022, on the side of Israel 30 Israelis were killed. The killing on both sides continues.
We cannot be pessimistic and remain hopeless. These religions promote peace and equality. I believe that was a rare and significant event that offers a unique opportunity for reflection and appreciation of the diversity of our world's religions. As we embrace our differences and celebrate our commonalities, we can make strides toward a more tolerant, understanding, and peaceful world.