Muslims join in Lenten fasts for solidarity

(The Christian Science Monitor) You can’t really understand another person’s experience until you’ve walked a mile in his or her shoes. Bassel Riche, a Muslim American, learned this firsthand. 

After years of hosting fast-athons at the University of Houston during which students of other faiths joined him for one day of the Ramadan fast, he decided to return the favor and join his Christian friends during Lent. 

“Sacrificing something for Lent has been a personal gesture of solidarity on my part for the past three to four years,” Riche said, cofounder of interfaith initiative EidPrayLove. “Towards the end of last year I began to brainstorm ideas of how to . . . have more of an impact. Especially with all the misconceptions that are being spread about Islam and our beliefs, it is an important step to combat this negativity with positive action.”