Giving Up to Gain
Fasting and Eid al-Fitr
by Claire Law
Suitable for Whole School (Sec)
Aims
To reflect upon the spiritual benefits of fasting.
Preparation and materials
- You will need the PowerPoint slides that accompany this assembly (Giving Up to Gain) and the means to display them.
- Have available the video ‘Everything to know about Eid al-Fitr’ and the means to show it during the assembly. It is 1.30 minutes long and is available at: http://tinyurl.com/26myjm67
Assembly
- Show Slide 1.
Welcome the students to the assembly. - I wonder who here has eaten breakfast today. Put your hand up if you’ve had a breakfast of some sort this morning.
- Did you know that the word ‘breakfast’ is a shortening of ‘breaking a fast’? Fasting means avoiding food for a period of time, and breakfast is the meal where we break the fast of not eating overnight.
- Show Slide 2.
Every year, Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset during the holy month of Ramadan, which remembers when the Qur’an (the Muslim holy book) was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Since 10 March this year, Muslims around the world have been observing a fast by neither eating nor drinking during daylight hours. This means that breakfast during Ramadan needs to be very early in the morning, before sunrise. - Show Slide 3.
Muslims mark the end of Ramadan with a feast on Eid al-Fitr, which happens on 10 April this year. Eid al-Fitr translates as the feast of breaking the fast, and is celebrated in various ways, including through sharing food together. In Islam, after the fast of Ramadan, it is forbidden to fast on the day of Eid. - Let’s watch this short video, which shows us how Muslims celebrate Eid al-Fitr.
Show the video ‘Everything to know about Eid al-Fitr’ (1.30 minutes long). - So, Eid al-Fitr celebrates the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting. But fasting for spiritual purposes is not unique to Islam; people from various religions use fasting to gain spiritual benefits.
Show Slide 4.
In other words, people seek to gain by giving up – a point misunderstood by the person on the right in this picture! - Show Slide 5.
This year, Ramadan coincides with the Christian season of Lent, which is a time when Christians give up luxuries or treats as a form of fasting, again with the aim of achieving spiritual benefits. - Show Slide 6.
In Hinduism too, fasting for certain periods or days is considered a spiritual practice. Hindus choose to fast as a way to purify the body and mind.
Time for reflection
Whatever our religious beliefs or practices, let’s consider the idea of giving up to gain. This idea is at the heart of religious practices related to fasting. It’s also something that we can apply to various scenarios in our life.
- We might choose to give up scrolling through social media to gain time to revise for important exams.
- We might choose to give up some of our spare time to help a friend in need and gain increased connection with them.
- We might give up some of our money to gain the satisfaction of helping a charity.
- We might give up sweets or other luxuries to gain a better understanding of how life is for people who struggle to have enough food to eat.
When people fast as part of religious practice, they give up food - and sometimes drink - to increase their awareness and gratitude for what they have in life, as well as to provide a focus on prayer and connection with God.
The idea of giving up to gain lies at the heart of a short story that Jesus told: the parable of the pearl.
Show Slide 7.
‘The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!’ (Matthew 13.45-46)
Jesus told this parable to show that, by giving up things that we have, we can gain something of great value. For people of various religions, fasting is a way for them to give up something and gain great spiritual rewards in return.
So, let’s take a moment to consider our own lives. What might we choose to give up today to gain something valuable and worthwhile?
Perhaps we are looking to gain connection, love, forgiveness or friendship. What do we need to give up to gain this?
If we seek to gain forgiveness, can we give up the idea that we are perfect?
Pause to allow time for thought.
If we seek to gain friendship, can we become less selfish and self-centred, and show care towards others?
Pause to allow time for thought.
If we seek to gain respect from others, can we give up dishonesty and cheating?
Pause to allow time for thought.
If we seek connection with God, can we give up some of our spare time to pray?
Pause to allow time for thought.
Let’s pause in silence for a moment, and consider what the idea of giving up to gain might mean to us in our own lives.
Pause to allow time for thought.
Prayer
Dear God,
We use this time as a chance to reflect on the benefits of fasting and giving things up.
Help us to consider how choosing to give up something might benefit us and bring about a greater gain.
Help us to tune into what matters in our own lives.
Please give us clarity in finding ways to gain connection with what is of true value.
We ask you to bless anyone fasting today, and to bless richly those who celebrate Eid al-Fitr this month.
Amen.
