Celebrating Rebirth and Renewal Amidst War and Destruction: Eid al-Fitr, Nowruz, and the Spring Equinox
Key Takeaways
- Eid al-Fitr is framed as a lunar-timed culmination of Ramadan practices—introspection, prayer, fasting, forgiveness, and community—highlighting spiritual well-being amid sociopolitical stressors.
- Editorial work on Islamophobia- and antisemitism-focused psychiatric volumes emphasizes overlaps between Islamic and Jewish holiday structures, including ritualized reflection and communal feasting after fasting.
Eid, Nowruz and the equinox highlight renewal as war fuels trauma, hate and a need for mental health resilience and interfaith healing.
PSYCHIATRIC VIEWS ON THE DAILY NEWS
It looks like I am at it again, focusing on various special days during the year. I do so because it seems like these days reflect some of what seems most psychologically important to various people, societies, and cultures. The last such column was on the confluence of Jewish Purim and Hindu Holi earlier this month.
Today, we have a collection of important global cultural days. All emphasize some aspect of renewal, including psychological renewal, but amidst what seems to be the opposite, the traumas of war and other major conflicts. Perhaps at its paradoxically best though, the destruction can also give way to improvement. Given that some religious and cultural holidays are based on the lunar calendar, this is a rather unique commonality and opportunity this year.
Take Eid al-Fitr. Depending on the sighting of the waxing crescent moon, the global Islamic celebration of the “festival of breaking the fast” has begun. It marks the end of the month of Ramadan, which involves introspection, community prayer, fasting, and forgiveness.1
While editing the first edition of Islamophobia and Psychiatry, I was struck by the chapter writers who were working on their chapters during Ramadan.2 The chapters seemed to have a particular spiritual depth. The second edition, to be published any day now, was finished before this year’s Ramadan.3 Interfaith colleagues were able to work together and overcome differences of opinion. Unfortunately, a timely release, as the editorial board of The New York Times wrote recently, there has been another recent surge of anti-Muslim hate and Islamophobia that needs to be addressed.4
I learned much about Islam and its on influence on mental health and illness, as well as the potential of spiritual well-being. After that first edition, I was also lead editor of the requested Anti-Semitism and Psychiatry volume. From that and other sources, I was struck by some of the similarities between Islam and Judaism as far as such important holidays as Eid al-Fitr and Ramadan. There seem to be some similarities in Judaism in the 10 Jewish High Holy Days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Fasting is confined to Yom Kippur, but introspection, prayer, and community engagement is supposed to be present throughout. When over, akin to Eid al-Fitr, there is also a celebratory break-the-fast feast. This mutual striving seems to reflect humanity’s search for the best in us.
Besides our book series, one political attempt to connect the holidays was the introduction of House Bill 363 by the Pennsylvania All House Members on January 14, 2025. The title was “Making Rosh Hashanah, Eid al-Fitr, Yom Kippur and Eid al-Adha Official Holidays of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.” On September 30, 2025, more colleagues voted yes than no in the relevant committee. Apparently, the bill is still in processing.
Unfortunately, from a discriminatory and stereotyping standpoint, Islam with Islamophobia and Judaism with anti-Semitism has not only been simultaneously rising, but both religions are the background at war in the Mideast. Nuclear devastation at a much higher level than World War II seems to be hovering in our Freudian death desires and Jungian collective unconscious. The parties involved also have internal disagreements about these conflicts. The commonalities and intense emotional interchanges remind me some of the often-intense family conflicts and violence writ large.
Also related specifically to Iran is the Persian new year of Nowruz today.5 Persia is a traditional name for some of Iran. Nowruz has been celebrated over 3000 years, both in Iran and the Persian diaspora. Rather than coming out of Islam, it seemed to emerge from an ancient Zoroastrian festival. It also celebrates renewal, rebirth, and spring awakening.
So does the Spring Equinox of our solar calendar in the Northern Hemisphere, as nature seems to come alive once again, marked by March 20th. No wonder there are spring holiday breaks at most schools, often accompanied by celebratory parties.
In clinical psychiatry, rebirth and renewal is an implicit goal of treatment. At its best, the metaphor applies to the posttraumatic possibility of growth, strength, and resilience. That is becoming a growing global challenge from the increasing trauma and its rippling-out effects off global wars and other domestic traumas stemming from our political conflicts, and more. There are increasing informal reports of politics entering and adversely influencing clinical care, preventing certain cross-cultural patient and clinician referrals and matches. Interfaith colleagues are challenged in our relationships. More mental health services from prevention to recognition and to treatment are needed.
May all of concern—patients and the public, clinicians, and countries—find the positive potentials of rebirth, renewal, and relationships this spring.
Dr Moffic is an award-winning psychiatrist who specializes in the social, cultural, ethical, spiritual, and religious aspects of psychiatry, and since 2012 is in retirement as a private pro bono community psychiatrist. A prolific writer and speaker, he has done a weekdays column titled “Psychiatric Views on the Daily News” and a weekly video, “Psychiatry & Society,” since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged. He has been an advocate and activist for mental health issues related to climate instability, physical burnout, and xenophobia, among other social justice causes, serving on many related local and national community and professional Boards. He serves on the Editorial Board of Psychiatric Times.
References
1. Bridges CA. When is Eid al-Fitr 2026? End of Ramadan this week depends on moon. USA Today Network. March 16, 2026. Accessed March 20, 2026.
2. Moffic HS, Peteet J, Hankir A, Awaad R, eds. Islamophobia and Psychiatry. Springer International; 2019.
3. Moffic HS, Peteet J, Hankir A, Awaad R, eds. Islamophobia and Psychiatry. Second edition. Springer International; 2026.
4. The Editorial Board. Trump’s hypocrisy on religious freedom. The New York Times. March 19, 2026. Accessed March 20, 2026.
5. Pazooki A. Persian new year of Nowruz endures, despite tumult for Iranians. The Chicago Tribune. March 19, 2026. Accessed March 20, 2026.
