It is because of that pesky thing, the lunar calendar. Both the Jews, representing a tiny percentage of humans on this earth, and the Muslims, a most numerous people - celebrate their holidays jointly this year. These celebrations have nothing to do with each other. The curious thing is that both major observations begin on the same day this year. The Jews count this year as 5,768. The Muslims count back 1400 years and wait for the coming of a “Mahdi,” someone like a Messiah or leader who will redeem Islam.

From what I understand about Ramadan, it is observed in the ninth month of their calendar and celebrated by daily fasting (broken after sunset); prayer five times a day and study of the Quran.  The Jews, on the other hand, end one year and begin the next with confession of sins and one day of fasting.  The High Holy Days of Rosh Hashanah (New Year) and Yom Kippur (Day of Remembrance) differ drastically from Christianity and Islam.  One would have to be a Muslim to explain how this daughter religion of descendants of Abraham differs from Judaism.  Mohammad knew and studied both the religion of the Jews and its offshoot, Christianity. Jesus is considered a prophet, not a redeemer. Mohammad, the messenger of Allah declared himself the last prophet.  Muhammad went on a Hegira, a mission of conquest from Medina to Mecca and forcefully converted the idolaters there and created his religion and the force of it (belief in one God, Allah) swept across the ancient world. Conquest reached the edges of the Christian nations of Greece and the Balkans after it had already swept across North Africa and crossed the Mediterranean up into Spain. The forces of Islam were spent and driven back just across the border of France. Muslims ruled Spain until Ferdinand and Isabella drove them out. At the same time the Christian Monarchs exiled Jews who would not convert. Africa and Asia are potential sources of conversion by both the Christians who over the centuries made little headway while Islam seems to be on the march in those lands.

But this is about the unlikely confluence of Jewish High Holy Days and the Muslim month of Ramadan.  I can tell you about the Jewish High Holy Days special Prayer Books because Carol and I each own one.  Peace and wishes for a better world suffuse these books.  There is no thirst for conversion or conquest.  There is, however, much about sin and wishing to erase that of the previous year and hope for less or no sin in the coming year. I cannot say much about Islam for I read the Quran once long ago and have taken one course about the history of Islam.  I know quite a lot about the unfettered hate of a hero of Islam, Osama bin Laden, for he has shaken the roots of secular democracies, the United States and other countries like it. Although they do it differently, it is curious that the Jews and the Muslims find themselves praying at the same time during this month.