Burning the Flesh

Burning the flesh. There are a number of reasons why muslims fast for Ramadan but the original meaning of the word, burning the flesh, suggests a sort of self-destruct. Hopefully encouraging renewal. Muslims hold true that it is through the flesh that one is tempted - thus it is through a deliberate denial of the flesh that one is cleansed. Denial of the flesh - that's one thing, but burning...

Why fast? Like any other question, it has plenty of answers. Especially here. Some say that the Prophet Muhammed spent time wandering in the desert near Medina, an Oasis town in Saudi Arabia that he called home. And it was while the Prophet himself was wandering, fasting and burning during the lunar month of Ramadan that the Qu'ran was revealed. Some fast to remember that time in the wilderness like Jesus's temptation remembered during lent.

I was talking to my brother Boga, the 30-something divorcee that has plenty of insight into islam and the life of a baay fall. I was explaining that when I've fasted in the states I haven't really gotten up for the morning meal and prayers and was wondering about his experience. He said that it depends for him since he doesn't really eat much any way, but on top of practicality, he says that Senegalese get up in the morning to fill their tummies - otherwise, it leaves too much room for jinnies, or naughty spirits, to sneak in.

Every morning I get up at 5 and go get a baguette or two from the boulangerie just down the road, making my way through the other half-asleep zombies stumbling along to the calls from the mosque megaphone. The getting up isn't hard - what is hard is the cold, peppery T-BONE STEAK that my mom here served the first morning, let me remind you, 5 am. I ate what I could and without event or complaint hoping to forget it. Little did I know the steak would be back. The next morning what I couldn't eat was back on the plate with friends - what looked like the bits that my brothers and sister couldn't eat either. I stuck to bread that day. Day three, more steak. Day four, no steak, just bread served with a bit of relief. Day five no steak, but opens the breakfast pot and there's all the bones from the days before, um... does she want me to suck the marrow? It's become my little joke - one you have to have with yourself - she offered the same bones again this morning, but bread will do me fine thanks.

In reality, I really like the fast a lot, it's my 4th year and it's become really important to me. I've never done anything that's quite as thorough a behavior check - food, drink, words etc. Plus, after noon every day the emptiness is strangely centering and compelling to prayer. It's easier to bow and pray and harder to get up and do something else.