Eid is soon. In the next couple of days, families from all around the globe will gather to break their fast for the last time, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan. As dates and desserts decorate the table, the sound of sheikhs reciting the Takbir al-Tashreeq rings in the background. It’s an exciting time for Muslims. However, it doesn’t have to be an exciting time for Muslims alone. Islam has been around for 1400 years, dating back to the time of Prophet Muhammad around 610 CE, making it almost as old as Christianity and Judaism. However, Islam is much more misunderstood. As a result, your average American may not know much about this holy month. This is a shame because the lessons that guide Muslims through Ramadan provide a lens the rest of the world should consider peering through.

So what is Ramadan? Aside from an excuse to stay out past midnight drinking chai after taraweeh, Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic Hijri calendar. This is a lunar calendar that is used to determine the date of Islamic holidays and rituals. Ramadan is considered the holiest month of them all because it’s the month where the first verses of the Qur’an were revealed to Prophet Muhammad. Muslims believe that for these 30 days, the gates of Heaven are open and the gates of Hell closed. Blessings and mercy from God are multiplied, particularly on Laylat al-Qadr (the Night of Power), the night the Qur’an was revealed. To make the most of these blessings, it’s also a time where Muslims strive to be on their best behavior.

The most common thing people know about Ramadan is that it requires fasting. This means no food or water (yes, not even water) from dawn until sunset. At its essence, fasting is a test of self-discipline. It teaches us to overcome our physical desires and habits to focus our attention on spiritually. The long hours of thirst and hunger turn into gratitude for the things usually taken for granted, encouraging us to be mindful of those who don’t have a choice in experiencing hunger and thirst. Thus, fasting allows us to recenter ourselves, remembering who we are in relation to our morals and duties to society.

Despite the countless lessons that can be drawn from a month of fasting, the world is still rather resistant to understanding Ramadan. A large contributing factor is that recent historical events have distorted the way society views Muslims. The most infamous is the Sept. 11th attack on the Twin Towers in New York City orchestrated by the terrorist group Al-Qaeda. Almost 3,000 people died that day, leaving the world angry and grieving. Unfortunately, the target of society’s anger became Muslims. Soon after 9/11, The U.S. government marked people of Middle Eastern, South Asian and Arab descent as national security threats and targeted their communities for mass surveillance. This coupled with the rise of ISIS and selective framing of global conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Palestine bolstered Islamophobic and xenophobic narratives for the rest of the world to run with. 

If we took a moment to move past these prejudices and stereotypes, we could use the lessons cultivated during Ramadan to better ourselves for the sake of others. A really big part of Ramadan is charity. Fasting opens our eyes to the reality of hunger, one that millions face every day without the promise of iftar at sunset. That’s why Muslims are encouraged to give throughout the month, whether through zakat (obligatory charity) or sadaqah (voluntary giving), to help uplift those in need. My friend Zhuldyz, observed her first Ramadan last year, let alone doing so across three countries. From professors in Ireland accommodating her needs to breaking her fast at an iftar with the very students she goes to school with, she found that charity and community transcend borders. At its heart, that’s what Ramadan is all about, showing up for one another with kindness, humility and care. And that’s something the world could use a little more of.

Ramadan also invites us to reflect on what lies beyond our immediate surroundings. As families gather for Eid celebrations, others in places like Gaza and South Sudan are struggling to find safety, clean water or even a meal to break their fast. The month teaches us to see their suffering not as distant tragedies, but as shared human experiences that call for our attention and action. Fasting nurtures empathy, and charity encourages responsibility, reminding us that our gratitude should be matched with compassion. In this way, Ramadan helps us contextualize global crises through a lens of solidarity, urging us to respond not with apathy, but with purpose.

So as the crescent moon signals the close of this sacred month, we’re left with more than just the memories of nightly prayers and shared meals. We’re left with a blueprint for how to live with intention, empathy and care. Ramadan may be coming to an end, but its values don’t need to. Whether you fasted or not, whether you’re Muslim or not, the spirit of this month offers something for everyone: a chance to slow down, look outward and lead with compassion in a world that desperately needs it.