Egypt chooses to turn the “good deeds” button on for Gaza during the month of Ramadan. Should virtue not be a constant?

By Rabih Hasbany

Just after dawn, Hamed Gaith came down the narrow staircase of his family’s home in southern Gaza dragging a small bag and said to his mother, “See you soon Inshallah.” They hugged at the gate and he kissed her hand and headed to Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt. Hamed is fictional, but I imagine this has been the story of many Gazan young men after Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi announced on Twitter that his country’s gateway to the Gaza Strip would be opened throughout the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, in what would be the longest uninterrupted opening since 2013.

The move is intended as a humanitarian gesture during the holy month. As al-Sisi mentioned on Twitter, the opening of the crossing would “alleviate the burdens of brothers in Gaza.”

According to Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, the opening of the Rafah crossing was the fruit of talks with Egyptian officials during a visit to Cairo. In a Friday prayer sermon, Haniyeh praised the steps Egypt had taken, adding that “we hope they continue, develop and increase.”

An average of 500 travelers a day are crossing the border, along with dozens of trucks carrying cement, steel, power engines and medical and food aid from the Red Crescent, officials said.

Al-Sissi, in a televised talk, said that Egypt has been communicating with Israel and the Palestinian authorities in an effort “to stop the bloodshed.” He urged Israel to “understand that the Palestinian reactions are legitimate and they should handle [the situation] very carefully.”

Following Israeli disengagement from Gaza in 2005, Hamas eventually beat out Fatah for control of the strip after violent clashes in 2007 between the two Palestinian parties. This subsequently resulted in a suffocating Israeli-Egyptian blockade that left Gaza’s 2 million inhabitants effectively stranded within the territory ruled by Hamas. Since then, the Rafah crossing has opened for at most a few days. Egyptian officials sought to restrict movement across the border after blaming Hamas for smuggling fighters and weapons into Egypt from Gaza to armed militant groups.

Analysis

Palestinian responses to al-Sissi’s initiative have been divided between gratefulness and suspicion. Palestinian authorities thanked Egypt for opening the crossing, stressing that the decision signifies the Egyptian government’s willingness to ease the suffering of the Palestinian people. Many Palestinians went to the street lifting banners to express their appreciation for the aid and support Egypt has provided them. With his bus waiting for him beyond the gate in Rafah, Ahmed Habib, a Palestinian who holds an Egyptian passport, said, “We thank President al-Sisi […] This decision came at the right time because we are really suffering. Closing the crossing complicates the suffering.”

On the other hand, other Gazans were suspicious. “This is political. I can bet my life on it,” said one 34-year-old Gazan as he waited among busloads of passengers at Rafah. “I believe this is part of a deal Haniyeh made with the Egyptians, who asked him to calm down the situation in Gaza.” He added, “We are not against it. On the contrary, we hope it will also include lifting the Israeli blockade. It would mean the marches were effective.”

According to the Lebanese newspaper Al Akhbar, the opening of Rafah is part of an informal agreement reached between Hamas and the Egyptian intelligence services that will see the Gaza rulers return to the 2014 ceasefire reached with Israel, as well as reduce the number of protests in Gaza.

While there may be multiple reasons leading President al-Sisi to take this decision, from an Islamic religious perspective it is being promoted as a virtuous act during the holy month of Ramadan. Yet, this also raises the question: If opening the Rafah crossing during Ramadan, in an effort to “ease the suffering of Palestinian brothers and sisters,” constitutes an act of virtue on the part of the Egyptian state, what is preventing the government from keeping the crossing open continually, or at least opening it on a more regular basis?

Virtue in Ramadan

Ramadan provides an opportunity for earning countless blessings and rewards. It is the month in which Muslims partake in prayers and good deeds with greater intensity than at other times of the year. Hence, Muslims commit themselves to making the most out of every moment of Ramadan. In order to do so, Muslims seek any opportunity to accomplish good works.

During this month, Muslims help those in need wherever and whenever they can, as these are the deeds which will compensate for their sins on the Day of Judgement. Donating towards a humanitarian cause during this month, such as a world emergency, will unquestionably go a very long way in Muslims’ minds.

Virtue non-stop

Virtue and good deeds, as understood from a Biblical perspective, are the fruit of faith in God and a means of expressing it. As James emphasizes, “faith apart from works is dead” (James 2:26). And in the words of Paul, we are saved by grace (Eph. 2:8), but we are saved for good works. Virtue and good deeds are the result of being new creations in Christ, testifying to the fact that we have been redeemed to reflect the craftsmanship and character of God (Eph. 2:10).

However, just as our Muslim friends do during Ramadan, we as Christians often also turn on and off the “virtue and good deeds button” at our convenience, switching as we see fit between the old creation of sin and the new creation in Christ. This creates within us a dichotomy, standing in contradiction to Christ’s teachings in scripture. Being “salt” and “light” in the world are gospel metaphors that indicate consistency and continuity in virtue. It is about “being,” not about “doing.” Quality salt and light, properly understood, lose neither saltiness nor brightness. Called to consistency in belief and practice, virtue must not become a light switch we turn on and off as we find convenient.

God’s calling is clear. We are to be salt and light in the world, anywhere and always.