Ramadan and Lent coinciding offers a rare and valuable opportunity to spread love and respect between millions of Muslims and Christians in the UAE and globally, religious leaders have said.
Spiritual leaders urged the faithful of both religions to not only focus on abstaining from food but also to reject harmful words, deeds and acts.
For both Muslims and Christians, Wednesday is the start of a period of fasting, prayer and reflection. Christians who observe Lent pray and fast or give up something they enjoy for 40 days. Muslims give up all food and drink from dawn until sunset for a month.
Sheikh Dr Fares Al Mustafa, religious and cultural affairs adviser, imam and khateeb at Al Farooq Omar bin Al Khattab Mosque and Centre in Dubai, emphasised the need to set aside differences and focus on what unites people.
“It is about spreading love and peace with a clean heart that removes all bad energy,” he told The National.
“This is the start of Ramadan so, for 30 days as you study and pray, there should be peace in our hearts. There is no room for hate or negative thinking. It should be filled with thoughts of God and peace.”
Divine sign
He said Ramadan and Lent starting on the same day was a divine sign.
“It is a signal from God,” Sheikh Al Mustafa said. “This is the message to spread love. It is a sign that all religions are from God, we are all brothers and there is no need for any broken bridges.”
He said it was vital for people to remember that the significance of Ramadan extended to far more than fasting.
“The target is not only fasting but a clean soul and a clean body,” he said. “Religion is to serve humanity so if you are Muslim, Christian, of any faith, then humanity and helping others – this is of importance.”
Deep respect
Bishop Paolo Martinelli, Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia, spoke of the power of a shared experience, deep respect and humanity.
“Lent and Ramadan offer a powerful sign to the entire world. Observed this year during the same weeks, they stand as a shared testimony that humanity without God loses its own humanity,” he told The National. “The happy coincidence of the common beginning offers a providential opportunity to deepen our mutual esteem.”
The bishop spoke of the uniqueness of people of both faiths observing days of “profound spiritual intensity” through fasting, prayer and charity that would develop into deep respect and genuine empathy.
“By engaging our bodies, especially through fasting, we are granted the grace to recognise one another as ‘seekers of God’ within the shared experience of our common humanity,” said the bishop, who heads the Catholic Church's Vicariate of Southern Arabia, which covers the UAE, Oman and Yemen.
Abstain from hurtful words
President Sheikh Mohamed shared a congratulatory message to all who are celebrating Ramadan in the UAE and elsewhere.
“With the arrival of the holy month of Ramadan, I extend my sincere best wishes to the people of the UAE and across the world,” he wrote on X. “Ramadan is a time for reflection and generosity, and an opportunity to strengthen bonds within families and communities.”
Pope Leo XIV, in his message for Lent, urged people to fast from words that hurt and offend.
The head of the Catholic Church asked the faithful to abstain from “using words that affect and hurt our neighbour. Let us begin to disarm our language, renouncing hurtful words, immediate judgment, speaking ill of those who are absent and cannot defend themselves, and slander.”
Bishop Martinelli explained that the Pope’s message highlighted dual love for God and our neighbour.
“This reminder allows us to grasp the profound connection between love for God and love for our neighbour,” the bishop said.
“The journey of Lent leads us to discover that our relationship with God passes through our relationship with our neighbour. If fasting from food leads us to discover our desire for God, abstaining from offensive words leads us to consider our neighbours as brothers and sisters.”
