We don’t have to confine good deeds to seasons

We’re more aware of our behavior at certain times of year. Like New Year’s resolutions for a lot of people. Or religious seasons like Advent and Lent.

For Muslims, it’s now Ramadan, time to turn again. Away from some behaviors, toward others.

During Islam’s sacred month of Ramadan, U.S. Muslims are stepping up holiday charity toward non-Muslims to counter anti-Islamic sentiment since the Sept. 11 attacks, experts said.

Key edicts of Ramadan, which began yesterday at sunset, are to fast and promote good conduct. The devil is said to be shackled, making it easier than during the rest of the year to perform good deeds and give charity.

Catholics make the point of sacrificing and giving more charitably especially during Lent, too. But all people of faith and goodwill are called to live this way all the time.

“For decades, Muslims were internally focused, and I think September 11th accelerated the natural process of becoming more externally focused,” said Ihsan Bagby, author of several studies of Muslim worship trends in the United States. “It’s not like the impulse to do good is some new idea in Islam; concern for the poor, the weak is throughout the Koran. It’s just that Muslims in this country hadn’t implemented it very well. Now a wave is starting to form.”

Good news. Let’s take the opportunity of any wave of goodwill and get some grassroots, cross-cultural peace and social justice efforts going that will make more of a difference than our political leaders currently are. One outreach would be to help them be more aware of their behavior.