Muslims have always held Ramadan as a manifestation of the community's spirit, and this is why they react so strongly to public violations of this duty. Since fasting is not solely an issue of faith in Islam, it is not only a personal matter of the individual but also a social obligation. Such an interpretation of a religious norm is incomprehensible in any other religion.
The Islamic fast which is the union of asceticism and joy - and even pleasure in certain cases - is the most natural and most radical educational measure that has ever been put into practice. It is equally present in the king's palace and the peasant's hut, in a philosopher's home and a worker's home. Its greatest advantage is that it is really practiced.
-adapted from Islam between East & West, by Alija Izetbegovic, p.210
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