Reaching out in Ramadan, by guest contributor Vicky

(Originally written for and published on the blog Bethlehem Blogger)

Reaching out in Ramadan

I first heard of Ramadan as a little girl at school in the Middle East. I am not Muslim, and nor is anyone in my family, but I grew up steeped in Islam. I developed a fascination with the mosques our bus passed on the way to school, getting particularly fond of one blue-and-gold construction with an ornate minaret that reminded me of a Chinese pagoda. I liked mosque architecture, especially the curve of the dome against the burning blue sweep of sky, and the way the crescents atop the minarets stood out clear and sharp against the gathering dusk. Inside, I valued the feeling of space. Standing with my feet sinking into the velvety carpets, and looking up to the ornate calligraphy that swirled round the base of the dome, I felt as though at any minute I might take flight. It is a sensation that I still get in traditionally designed mosques today.