How rare it is for two Abrahamic religions to coincide on such similar holy days: a period of sacrifice meant to help us appreciate the simple blessings in life—of which there are many—while understanding how fortunate we are. 

We do this through fasting or similar sacrifice that compels us to change our routine and reflect on what’s truly important, while considering more seriously the needs of those less fortunate—of whom there are many–and in all this we deepen our spiritual connections and draw closer to the divine.

Although shorter, the Jewish day of atonement—Yom Kippur—is very similar in purpose.

For today’s message, Basel of our 2025 team, graciously shared his reflections in response to my request for his thoughts about Ramadan as an Iqraa runner.

First, though, we owe respect and blessings to Rev. Jesse Jackson, who passed away last night, at the age of 84. Known for his stump slogan that recognized the equal value of every individual—“I am…somebody”—Jackson had the moral conviction to disregard American Establishment efforts to suppress discussion of Palestinian rights. Jackson met with PLO chairman Yasser Arafat multiple times, including here at the World Conference Against Racism in South Africa in 2001.

Here are Basel’s reflections on Ramadan:   

“Some of us in Iqraa will be observing the fasting month of Ramadan. The month is a transformative experience, physically, mentally, and spiritually. To my fellow runners, this might be familiar. Every week of the month resembles a stretch in a race. The first mile is always the hardest, so is the first week of Ramadan. Slowly, your breathing and body find their rhythm, and you mentally elevate to a state of real confidence and drive.

This is also what you experience halfway through Ramadan when you feel closer to something higher than yourself, that there is more to life than just the dreary cycle of material consumption. That is also when you realize that you are far stronger than you thought you were, that you can get by with little food and rest and still feel happy because you thought of others and made sacrifices for them, be it God, the poor, or for Iqraa, the Palestinian students waiting to have a fair chance in the grand race that is life. That thinking of others is the essence of the Ramadan experience. As you draw closer to the finish line, you are exhausted and wobbly but happy.

That happy feeling for Iqraa runners is also mixed with a deep sense of sadness and reflection as we think about the lives of Palestinian students in the Holy Land and their daily hardships. Bittersweet are also the last days of Ramadan, when you realize that this meaningful spiritual journey, in which you were deprived of normal rest and your sustenance was constrained, has made you better in many ways. May you continue to run well, and may your Ramadan be blessed.

~Basel

Running (rehabbing) for a brighter Palestine!