It is not a coincidence, in the sight of God, that Muslims and Christians started fasting at almost the same time this year, 2025. While Muslims began the 29 or 30-day (Ramadan Fasting) on March 1, Christians started their own today, March 5.
The liturgical year is the Church calendar that is observed by Catholics, Anglicans, Lutherans, Orthodox Christians, and several other denominations. Today, which is Ash Wednesday, worshippers receive a cross-shaped mark on their foreheads made from ashes. These ashes are obtained by burning palm fronds from the previous year’s Palm Sunday. It is marked by the use of palm fronds, which worshippers wave during processions or fashion into crosses to take home.
This tradition commemorates Jesus Christ’s Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem when his followers laid palm branches before him, as recounted in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
The Lenten season is a solemn period characterised by fasting, prayers, penance and almsgiving.
Lent is a 40-day journey of sacrifice, prayer, and charity, echoing the time Jesus Christ spent fasting in the wilderness.
The 40-day duration mirrors the fasting periods of Jesus Christ before his public ministry, as well as those of prophets Elijah and Moses, who each fasted for 40 days at different times.
The Lenten season culminates in Easter, which falls on April 20 this year, the Sunday after Palm Sunday.
The mode of the Fasting between Muslims, as can be seen and as it’s clarified in the Holy Books are different but the thread that runs through them is the same: self-denial, self-discipline, fear of the Creator, spread of love, charity and compassion amongst others.
As a matter of fact, God sent different prophets as Messiahs to their people all in order to straighten good conduct of the people in His ways. One of such conducts is embedded in the Ramadan fasting and Lent: Service to humanity and the Creator Himself.
There are a lot of lessons which humanity in general and Nigerians in particular need to learn, especially from the prophets of the great two religions, and by extension, the coinciding of the two Holy religious observations.
Of course, religious scholars are in a better position to detail the significance of the religions as institutions towards communing with God, the benefits they are to the adherents and above all, the joy in the adherents forming a united front to create enabling environment to practice them, but it must be stressed from the beginning that the “clash” of the Fasting in the two religions deserves a special attention.
In fact, it should not be lost on discernible observers and analysts that the coincidence of Muslim Ramadan fasting and Christian Lent presents a unique opportunity for interfaith unity in Nigeria, a country with a rich tapestry of diverse cultures and religious traditions.
It is clear that both Ramadan and Lent emphasize themes of sacrifice, self-discipline, and reflection. This shared focus provides a common ground for dialogue and mutual understanding between Muslims and Christians, allowing adherents of both faiths to appreciate each other’s practices.
In both traditions, fasting involves empathizing with the less fortunate and developing a greater appreciation for blessings. This should naturally leads to collaborative efforts in community service, charity and social justice initiatives, where both Muslims and Christians work together to address poverty and other social issues.
The overlap of Ramadan and Lent should encourage interfaith discussions and events, and this is a viable time for places of worship to host interfaith gatherings to promote dialogue about the significance of fasting, prayer, and spiritual growth in both religions.
Opportunities for communal eating to break the fast, known in Islam as iftar and shared Lenten meals should be platforms for fostering local community ties, aimed to creating a spirit of unity and cooperation among different religious groups.
Indeed, interfaith engagements during these periods should help mitigate misunderstandings and tensions that sometimes arise in multi-religious societies.
By highlighting similarities, communities should be able to focus on shared human values rather than differences.
Schools and educational institutions may seize the opportunity offered to incorporate discussions about Ramadan and Lent into their curricula, to encourage students to learn about and respect different faith traditions.
The overlap of the two great religious observations should be tailored to lead to cultural exchanges, where both communities share their unique practices, foods and traditions during these periods, enriching each other’s experiences.
It is also a good time for interfaith bodies to engage in activities during these significant periods for the purpose of providing spiritual enrichment for individuals, as they gain insights and perspectives from another faith tradition.
In Nigeria, interfaith dialogue during this overlapping religious period should contribute significantly to peace building and reconciliation efforts; this is in a nation that has, at one time or the other, been grappling with religious and ethnic tensions.
Yusuf Ozi-UsmanYusuf Ozi-Usman, nipr, is Editor-in-chief of Greenbarge Reporters online newspaper and hardcopy magazine in Abuja, Nigeria.
