Ramadan: "Please tell me what you think"

Ramadan: “Please tell me what you think”

August 24th · No Comments · Christian, Imam W. Deen Mohammed, Interfaith, Muslim, Ramadan

Salam. I loved it. Can you imagine a world full of people like Rev. Nathan Day Wilson? I will share it with my Christian co workers. Thank you, Br Hanif. — Ayube

In actuality I deserve none of the thanks here. It started with a kind note from one good man to another:

From: Nathan Wilson <Nathan@fccshelby.org>
To: Michael Saahir <saahir@sbcglobal.net>
Sent: Thu, August 18, 2011 1:24:13 PM
Subject: Please tell me what you think

Michael,

I hope the attached is at least largely accurate!

Best,

Nathan Wilson

Rev. Nathan Day Wilson

Senior Minister

First Christian Church

118 W Washington St

Shelbyville IN 46176

USA

317/398-4407 tel / 317/392-6870 fax / www.fccshelby.org

That article (see here and here) next was forwarded to me and others by Imam Mikal Saahir, my good friend and fellow student of Imam W. Deen Mohammed, with the note:

Dear Believers, As-Salaam Alaikum and Ramadan Mubarak! Attached is an article about Ramadan and Muslims that was written by a Christian Minister friend in Indiana. He asked me for my opinion on his article. Personally, I thought it was excellent! Please join me by sharing with Rev. Nathan Wilson your opinion of his contribution at Nathan@fccshelby.org.

Please copy me your reply.

May the Peace that only G_d (Allah) can give be with you! From Michael “Mikal” Saahir

I in turn forwarded all that to my interfaith e-list. Soon, appreciation for Rev. Wilson began pouring in, as folks copied me their messages to him. I decided to archive some here, unedited (see below). But first, this addendum from Imam Saahir:

As-Salaam Alaikum and Ramadan Mubarak. Thanks to each of you (list undisclosed) for your wonderful responses to the article written by Reverend Nathan Wilson on Ramadan. If I may, just one additional request. If anyone would like to make a comment about the column online, that would be great! Maybe you can copy-and-paste what you have already shared. The editors love to see that people care about what we are writing. The link to the column online is

http://www.shelbynews.com/articles/2011/08/12/news/doc4e43f96a43bff160703650.txt

you can just rate the column at the bottom (1 is lowest, 5 is highest) or make a comment in the comment field. Thank you! Much appreciated.

Here are the comments that reached me:

Peace Nathan

Thank you for a wonderful article. I ejoyed reading it. I thought it was clear and accurate in describing the fast of Ramadan. I said today in a sermon/lecture at our jumu’ah prayer services that I believed that Christians and others would in the future learn to appreciate the Muslim community for upholding a Pillar of religion (fasting) that is a prescription not only for Muslims, but for Chritians and Jews as well. Coming from a Baptist Christian background (that includes parents in the AME church), I remember many references in the Bible scriptures related to fasting and prayer. However I rarely heard about an effort to fast during my time as a Christian. The closest thing was the Lent season and reference to giving up something like you mentioned. So I applaud you for witnessing to the truth. I would invite you to begin fasting yourself along with your congregation and join with the Muslim community in breaking the fast together. I am sure you will we welcomed with smiles and warm greetings. Wouldn’t that be something if we could learn to acknowledge each other and appreciate that all knowledge and understanding comes from G-d.

Please extend my greetings of peace to your congregation and Ramadan blessings to you. May G-d reward you for your effort to give testimony to this rich tradition that is part of your and my religion. And my prayers are with you for Peace in Ramadan! — Enrique

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I am so inspired by your article and more so by your courage to break the traditional interest-based boundaries that separate the human race. This Ramadan you and your family is in my prayers. Thank you for being unbiased and openminded. — Afifa

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c.b. today I will attend my first Ramadan service at the mosque. I will be going with a new friend from Bahrain. I am looking forward to my new step toward reconciliation. Luz

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DEAR REV NATHAN. MAY OUR LORD CREATOR OR THE HUMAN FAMILY KEEP BLESSING AND REWARD YOU FOR YOUR GOOD WORK. AS SALAAM ALAIKUM — ABDUL KARIM ALI

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CB, Excellent article. I also observed many friends and colleagues during Ramadan during our stay in the UAE (prior to 9/11). Ramadan Mubarak to you as well! — Evelyn

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Excellent! We need this sort of interactive communication to make this a better world. Best wishes for continued success in all your efforts. — Hope P. Cramer

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Rev. Nathan Wilson,

I wanted to take a quick moment and thank you for taking the time to write the article about your personal experiences with a Muslim friend during Ramadan. It is encouraging to have your support during our holiest month. I wish you a successful event on 9/11 in memory of those that we lost and all that served. I will pass your article to all my colleagues and blast it through social media.

Thanks again !

Sincerely.

Nezar Hamze
Executive Director
Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR FL)

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Thanks for sharing. The info is enlightening. — Rose Ann

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Thank you Rev. Wilson for the enlightening article, that CB Hanif forwarded to me, about Ramadan and the true Muslim’s love of peace, which is really another word for Islam. It is so much more effective coming from a Christian, and a priest at that. The use of your personal experience with the Muslim hiker, told simply but elegantly, made your comment worth its weight in gold. We need more like you to spread the message of peace. It is only through understanding responses like yours that we can overcome the hatred of those misguided 9/11 zealots and their counterparts in our own American society. My sincere thanks and congratulations. My God bless you. It is fpeople like you — Jews, Christians and Sabians — people who have “faith and do good deeds” that the Quran says “have nothing to fear in the hereafter.” — Gholam

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