Celebrating Ramadan far from home strengthens this asylum-seeker’s faith
This article was originally published by USA for UNHCR.
Celebrating Ramadan far from home can be challenging for many newcomers to the United States. The family, friends and traditions that defined how they observed the holy month in their home country can be difficult or impossible to replicate here in the U.S. Ramadan is recognized as a month when Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset for an entire month. But for Muslims, Ramadan is about much more than fasting; it’s a month of generosity, prayer and coming together with family and friends to celebrate long-held traditions.
We recently talked with Teddy Al Muktady, an asylum-seeker from Indonesia and passionate advocate for LGBTQ+ Muslim youth, about how he celebrates Ramadan and how his faith inspires his advocacy.
What’s your favorite part of Ramadan?
I love the sense of togetherness and self-reflection during Ramadan, and it's time to slow down, be grateful and connect with others in a deeper way. I'm originally from the Aceh province of Indonesia, and it is the only province in Indonesia that adopted Sharia law. So, for us as Muslims, Ramadan is huge. It's festive during Ramadan and Eid. I really miss it.
What is it like observing Ramadan in the United States, far from the faith traditions you observed in Indonesia?
If I compare Ramadan in the U.S. to that in Indonesia, it's totally different. I never hear a call to prayer like the Azan. It's really hard. During Iftar and Suhoor, we listen to Azan. We know by these prayers when it is time to eat and when it is time to stop eating. In Indonesia, you feel Ramadan everywhere—the call to prayer, the bustling streets before iftar. Here, it’s just another day for most people. But in a way, it helps me focus more on the spiritual side of Ramadan.
What traditions of celebrating Ramadan in Indonesia have you continued in the United States?
I try to keep the Iftar traditions alive by cooking Indonesian dishes, breaking fast with friends, and making time for prayer and reflection. Two weeks ago, I hosted an Iftar party because I love cooking. I had almost 15 people at the Iftar at my house; it's really tiny and I was anxious about how all of them were going to fit in my tiny house. I was shocked they all came. They loved my kolak. Kolak is a dessert made with banana, sweet potatoes and coconut milk all blended together.
Are there lessons or messages of Ramadan that are important to you and inspire you?
The lessons I take from Ramadan are to always be patient and show gratitude and empathy. Ramadan is a reminder to slow down and appreciate what I have and help those in need. For us, who live far away from the Middle East, from Gaza, we need to be grateful because we still can have a great Ramadan with our family in a good house and in a good community. Faith teaches compassion and justice. Events like interfaith Iftars help people see refugees as humans with stories, not just numbers. It brings people together to care and take action.
What role does storytelling play in helping build support for refugees and asylum seekers?
Stories make people care. When you hear a refugee’s story, you see their struggles and dreams, not just their status. It creates real connections and pushes people to help. For me, it was really hard the first time to tell the truth about myself and share my story. I came to the U.S. seeking asylum because I'm gay. And being gay and a Muslim is a big, big ‘no,’ particularly in my country.
How does faith inform and inspire your work as a refugee advocate?
Faith gives me the strength to keep going. It reminds me to fight for justice, lift others up and do everything with kindness. My relationship with God is intimate, and it’s my spirituality, so nobody, not even my mom or my husband, can disturb me when I'm praying. I was born Muslim, and for 26 years, I prayed because it was like a ritual from my family. But when I moved to Bali in 2016, I met Islam, the beautiful Islam that I had never met. I got goosebumps. It was during Ramadan, and because Bali is mostly Hindu, it is hard to find a mosque, so I'm playing Azan on YouTube, and at that moment, I was crying because it was the first time I met Islam. In my advocacy, I am always saying that your relationship with God is between you and God. Nobody can disturb it.
Continue reading this story here.