“Today is the start of Ramadan”, declared Norway’s state broadcaster (NRK) on Wednesday, both on main evening and on morning programmes. But the mosques that have established themselves in Norway largely disagree. They claim Ramadan starts Thursday 19 February, yet there is dispute over the timing. What is more certain is that the Christian fast was initiated on Wednesday, with Ash Wednesday, something that is somewhat overlooked among the elite, both here and there.
The Høyre leader lit Ramadan lights in Oslo
The Ramadan lights have been lit, in London, Copenhagen and Oslo, to mention some places where a thousand-year-old Christian tradition is being pushed aside in favour of Islam. The Høyre leadership in Oslo has once again lit Ramadan lights to celebrate the Islamic holiday. Mayor Anne Lindboe was apparently nowhere to be seen this year, but City Government Leader Eirik Lae Solberg, also from Høyre, was at least as warmly present as before. On Facebook he writes:
Today we are lighting Ramadan illumination in Oslo for the third time. It is with great joy that I can say that this has now become a tradition. And even better: This year the municipality has been given the opportunity to transfer responsibility for Oslo’s Ramadan illumination to the business community here in Grønland, and to the Muslim organisations. A great thank you to all of you for having cooperated with us and ensured that this tradition is now given a boost and can truly develop into an even finer festive occasion.
Further, the City Government Leader writes:
In a time of polarisation, conflict, confusion and violence, it is especially important that we safeguard holidays that mark reflection, fellowship and patience. It is also important that we mark the value of diversity. That we who live here in Oslo can meet one another in mutual respect from our different standpoints. In this way we safeguard what is also an entirely central element in Ramadan: solidarity. Ramadan Mubarak!
Muslims enthusiastic
The Muslims in the thread are nothing but enthusiastic, though not necessarily the Norwegians who comment:
What about the view of women within Islam? Are you celebrating that as well, Eirik Lae Solberg? Fun that you talk about diversity?! Traditional Norwegian Christmas celebration in school is in the process of dying out since Norwegian children must take into account all other religions, writes Morten. Do they do this at Christian and Jewish holidays? I ask because I do not know and am secular! asks Morten, and he receives a reply from Lae Solberg: It is the business community and the religious organisations that arrange this. In the same way as at Christmas and Easter celebrations. Before Christmas there was a Hanukkah marking in front of City Hall.
Both Islamic Council Norway and Muslim Dialogue Network have issued a press release stating that Ramadan 2026 starts 19 February, and not the 18th. Both write that they are in the year 1447. The illustration is perhaps how they imagine Norway somewhat in the future? Photo: Facebook.
Dispute over the Ramadan date
Both umbrella organisations for mosques established in Norway have found reason to announce that Ramadan did not start Wednesday 18 February, as it is being marked in many countries, but Thursday 19 February. That is to say, in the comment fields under the announcement of the date both 18 and 19 February are mentioned as the correct date for the start of the Islamic fast (the one that only takes place during daytime).
– It has happened again: The mosques in Norway have not managed to agree on when Ramadan starts. Some begin tomorrow, Wednesday 17 February, while others wait until Thursday. On social media we read about frustrated and confused Muslims. It is simply embarrassing that one cannot agree on a common date, writes Houmad.
– RAMADAN STARTS TOMORROW! We have the pleasure of announcing that the blessed month of Ramadan begins tomorrow, in shaa Allah. TARAWIH PRAYER THIS EVENING We gather for the first tarawih prayer this evening (Tuesday), writes Ali from the Islamic Cultural Centre Nordland.
NRK started Ramadan on Ash Wednesday
NRK Dagsrevyen thus had Ramadan as the main story Wednesday 18 February, and then as the theme for the daily report on Gaza. Far out in the broadcast there was also a tiny item about it being Ash Wednesday, in the Philippines. They scarcely found any Norwegian Christians who could have said something about what their tradition and fast entail. That said, NRK Nyhetsmorgen had invited both an imam and the presiding bishop of the bishops, Olav Fykse Tveit, to speak a little about their respective fasts. It became a telling segment, though perhaps not in the way the presiding bishop, the imam and NRK perceived the difference?
The Presiding Bishop met an imam
“In 20126 it is very important for us that people care a little about themselves. It is important that one finds out who he or she is. And that one reflects and places oneself in focus. The one who does not discover himself cannot discover god,” said Faruk Terzic, Bosnian imam and leader of the imam committee in the Muslim Dialogue Network. It was NRK that captioned with “god”.
Whereas Fykse Tveit had an almost opposite perspective on Christian fasting:
“Life is short. One must use it for the benefit of others. All confirmands take part in the Lenten campaign, and learn to share. And our need to be self-critical and look at what we need to change.”
NRK then asked whether Fykse Tveit is a little envious of the Muslims’ fast? The question was not explained, but perhaps what was meant was all the attention Muslims and Ramadan receive in Christian countries in the West? Fykse Tveit in any case replied that he had very great respect for the Islamic fast. In our tradition we have something to learn, he added, and again went into such matters as not thinking so much about oneself, but caring more about others.
Catholic ash cross
Catholics are perhaps more concerned with the Christian content of Christian traditions and holidays. The Catholic Church has in any case issued a statement on the occasion of Ash Wednesday, as they do on most special occasions in the Christian faith. There they explain why an ash cross is drawn on Christians’ foreheads on Ash Wednesday:
“Because in the Bible a mark on the forehead is a symbol of ownership. By allowing the forehead to be marked with the sign of the cross one symbolises that one belongs to Jesus Christ, who died on the cross. The ash also symbolises death and in that way reminds us of our transience. While the priest uses his thumb to mark one of the faithful with the ash, he says: ‘Remember, human being, that from dust you have come, and to dust you shall return,’ which is the same as God said to Adam (Gen 3:19; cf. Job 34:15, Ps 90:3, 104:29, Eccl 3:20).”
This is written by the Catholic Church in an article about Ash Wednesday and its significance.