Ramadan dawns for billion Muslims - Oct 5 2005
By Joseph Mallia
Staff Writer
Four weeks without daytime food or drink, extra sessions of prayer for peace and forgiveness, and a recitation of the Quran begin today with the Muslim holiday of Ramadan.
The monthlong religious observance is like a crash course in spirituality, said Dr. Farouque Khan, president of the Islamic Center of Long Island, in Westbury.
"Going a day without food, water, coffee, the things you enjoy, you learn the art of self-discipline," Khan said.
"At the end of the day you realize that if you put your mind to it, you can do many things," Khan said. "Not eating all day brings us closer to those who are too poor to eat, to the billions of people who are starving."
Muslims give more to charity during Ramadan, and they examine their lives in the light of spiritual ideals. Families awaken before dawn for suhoor, a meal that helps them make it through the day. Then each evening they gather with other families to break the day's fast. At the end of the month, entire communities and neighborhoods gather to celebrate.
Observing Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam, along with having faith, praying, giving to the poor and making a pilgrimage to Mecca.
The holiday will last 29 or 30 days, based on the end of the lunar month. It starts with the sighting of the new moon. Joining more than 1 billion others worldwide, some Muslims in New York started fasting yesterday, based on the sighting in their home countries, such as Egypt or
Pakistan.
But most American, Mexican and Canadian Muslims followed the direction of the Islamic Society of North America, Khan said. "The preponderance of opinion is that unless the new moon is sighted in the place you live the month doesn't start," Khan said.
One of the month's highlights will come Oct. 22 when Muslims and Jews are scheduled to celebrate Sukkot and Ramadan together in a 4 p.m. service at Temple Beth-El in Great Neck, followed by a shared meal to break
their fasts.
Copyright (c) 2005, Newsday, Inc.
This article originally appeared at:
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/longisland/ny-lirama054455592oct05,0,376038.story?coll=ny-linews-headlines
Visit Newsday online at http://www.newsday.com/
Staff Writer
Four weeks without daytime food or drink, extra sessions of prayer for peace and forgiveness, and a recitation of the Quran begin today with the Muslim holiday of Ramadan.
The monthlong religious observance is like a crash course in spirituality, said Dr. Farouque Khan, president of the Islamic Center of Long Island, in Westbury.
"Going a day without food, water, coffee, the things you enjoy, you learn the art of self-discipline," Khan said.
"At the end of the day you realize that if you put your mind to it, you can do many things," Khan said. "Not eating all day brings us closer to those who are too poor to eat, to the billions of people who are starving."
Muslims give more to charity during Ramadan, and they examine their lives in the light of spiritual ideals. Families awaken before dawn for suhoor, a meal that helps them make it through the day. Then each evening they gather with other families to break the day's fast. At the end of the month, entire communities and neighborhoods gather to celebrate.
Observing Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam, along with having faith, praying, giving to the poor and making a pilgrimage to Mecca.
The holiday will last 29 or 30 days, based on the end of the lunar month. It starts with the sighting of the new moon. Joining more than 1 billion others worldwide, some Muslims in New York started fasting yesterday, based on the sighting in their home countries, such as Egypt or
Pakistan.
But most American, Mexican and Canadian Muslims followed the direction of the Islamic Society of North America, Khan said. "The preponderance of opinion is that unless the new moon is sighted in the place you live the month doesn't start," Khan said.
One of the month's highlights will come Oct. 22 when Muslims and Jews are scheduled to celebrate Sukkot and Ramadan together in a 4 p.m. service at Temple Beth-El in Great Neck, followed by a shared meal to break
their fasts.
Copyright (c) 2005, Newsday, Inc.
This article originally appeared at:
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/longisland/ny-lirama054455592oct05,0,376038.story?coll=ny-linews-headlines
Visit Newsday online at http://www.newsday.com/
posted by amiCreative at 1/02/2005 03:20:00 PM
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