Thought For The Day – Wednesday 11th March 2026
A Holy Month
Above: Ramadan lights in London. Photographs: From the “Ramadan Lights” website.
Our thoughts continue to be those appropriately observing, and giving up things for, their faith at this time of year.
Christians are respecting Lent, a period of remembrance before Easter.
We will deeply reflect on this at our forthcoming Lent and Easter services.
In Islam, Muslims are observing Ramadan, the month of fasting or Sawm, one of the Five Pillars of Islam alongside faith, prayer, charity, and pilgrimage. Ramadan involves not eating or drinking in daylight hours. Muslims eat, and drink, in the evening, together, experiencing Iftar meals.
Islam is a religion of peace, understanding, and compassion. So, fasting only occurs, and only can happen, if Muslims are healthy enough.
In the month of Ramadan, Muslims will continue to, and even further, pray, and worship, Allah, attending mosques, and reading the Qur’an. For Muslims, the Qur’an, revealed by the Angel to Jibril to Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) is Allah’s guidance to the world.
Indeed, the month of Ramadan celebrates the precious and sacred gift of the Qur’an in Islam, which Muslims will particularly remember on “The Night of Power”, when many will stay up all night, praying for forgiveness, and when Angels, the Messengers of Allah, visit the earth.
This year, The Night of Power is expected to fall on Sunday 15th March 2026, depending on the sighting of the moon. “The Night of Power” is “ The Night of Glory, better than a thousand months” (Qur’an 97).
A key aspect of Ramadan is charity for, and empathy and solidarity with, the poor. “Love for humanity what you love for yourself”, said Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him).
Pictured below:
A drone light show last month in Cairo, Egypt. Photograph: Mohamed Abd El Ghany/Reuters.
Iftar meals in Gaza. Photographs: Mohammed Saber/EPA, and Abdel Kareem Hana/AP.
