A Season of Fasting, Not a Season of War

In 2026, global military indices place Israel and Iran side by side in conventional strength, ranked 15th and 16th, respectively, by Global Firepower. The numbers suggest parity. The rhetoric suggests escalation. The alliances, especially Israel’s close relationship with the United States, add another layer of strategic complexity.

But beyond the indicators, alliances, and decades of proxy tensions from Hezbollah in Lebanon to Hamas in Gaza lies a deeper question:

What kind of world do we build during a sacred season?

This is a period when Muslims fast in Ramadan, restraining their appetite, ego, and anger for the sake of Allah. It is also the Lenten season for Christians, a time of repentance, sacrifice, and spiritual reflection leading up to Easter. For both faiths, fasting is not a weakness. It is discipline. It is purification. It is a conscious rejection of excess and violence within the soul.

War, by contrast, is excess unleashed.

The Qur’an reminds believers that saving one life is as if saving all of humanity (Qur’an 5:32). The Bible declares, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9). These are not poetic slogans. They are binding moral imperatives.

Yes, geopolitics is complex. Yes, history is layered with grievances from the 1979 hostage crisis to the Israeli–Lebanese and Israeli-Palestinian conflicts. Yes, states pursue interests, deterrence, and security.

But faith demands that leaders pause even in times of tension.

Fasting trains the body to endure hunger so the heart can awaken. It trains the spirit to resist impulse. It teaches restraint when one has the power to act. If there is ever a moment for restraint, it is now.

A war between regional powers would not be contained. It would draw in alliances. It would destabilize economies. It would inflame sectarian tensions far beyond borders. The Middle East has buried enough sons and daughters. It has known enough proxy wars. It does not need another open conflagration.

During fasting, Muslims break bread at sunset, praying for mercy. Christians kneel in churches asking for forgiveness and renewal. Both traditions speak of accountability before God. Both teach that power without justice is corruption. Both warn against arrogance.

This sacred overlap should not coincide with missiles in the sky.

The measure of strength is not merely ranking 15th or 16th. The greater strength is moral courage the courage to de-escalate, to negotiate, to refuse provocation, to choose dialogue over destruction.

Let this season remind leaders and citizens alike: restraint is not surrender. Mercy is not weakness. Peace is not naïveté.

When believers bow their heads in prayer, whether toward Mecca or before the Cross, they are reminded of the same truth: life is sacred, and God is watching.

This is a season for fasting.

This is a season for repentance.

This must not become a season for war.

May wisdom prevail over pride.

May restraint prevail over retaliation.

And may peace prevail over power.

About the Author:

Lolo Yeama Sarah Thompson-Oguamah is a Sierra Leonean media executive, civic advocate, and development practitioner committed to advancing ethical leadership, institutional accountability, and social cohesion. She works at the intersection of media, governance, and public engagement, promoting dialogue over division and justice anchored in moral responsibility.

Photo credit: A friend who is currently in Lebanon