I would like to wish everyone a blessed Ramadan. As we enter this month, we are encouraged to keep the sufferings of the destitute and starved in mind. Since a good act is appreciated greatly by Allah, it is encouraged to give one’s Zakat in this month.

As I write this email, there has been a severe devastation in Pakistan. Due to the raging water of the floods many people have lost their lives, houses and livestock. The loss of the seasons’ crops is spelling the impending doom of a fast approaching famine. There have been cases of people who stood on the roofs of their houses and were drowned to death along with their small children and wives.

I have been able to find a very reliable person (Haroon Agha) in Pakistan to distribute this year’s Zakat. I would wish that everyone who gets this message pool something in by Ramadan 15^th so that the money can arrive promptly to those who deserve it. You are encouraged to give Zakat and Sadaqah. The money however will only be given to people who deserve Zakat with a preference to those who have been hard hit by the floods.

Please reply to this email or see me in person to contribute to this cause.

Hassan Mian.

By Yvonne R. Davis

What can Christians learn from Muslims during Ramadan? Is there wisdom that can be obtained from the 30-day fast – one of Islam’s five Pillars?

Searching for articles, essays or thoughts written by Christians about Ramadan, I could not find any substantial writing from a Christian perspective on how Christians could receive a spiritual benefit from Ramadan. It seems to me, for Christians in the United States to embrace the practice of Ramadan and the rituals surrounding it perhaps may be seen as some form of heresy for acknowledging the beauty of such an observance or even attempting to do it for the same reasons Muslims do.

Nearly 2-billion Muslims around the world commenced Ramadan at sunset on August 21. At this time, the Ummah Wahida (One Community) is fasting – there will be no eating, no drinking of any liquid and no sexual relations from sunrise to sundown. During the day a Muslim is supposed to not engage in the usual secularity of life in their speech and action. They are to continue to give prayer and supplications five times per day at the Mosque, in the home or where ever a Muslim believer is facing the East towards Mecca bowing to Allah in the most prostrate position. Work days in Muslim countries are shorter and families tend to stay together throughout the day. In the evening the Iftar (dinner) is served to break the swam (fast) – all and all the focus at this time is still on Godly things.

A moment of sincere reflection for Muslims on the status of the poor and downtrodden; the sacrifice of level one of Abraham’s Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is a reminder to followers to give to the least of these, be thankful to Allah for his blessings and to pray for all people in a most troubled world. The greatness of Ramadan is manifested by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH – Peace Be Upon Him) when he revealed the Holy Quran, it testifies: “Ramadan is the month in which was sent down the Quran as a guide to mankind …(2:185).”

In Amsterdam, Van der Kuil, Director of the Dutch Christian charity Vastenaktie began a 40-day Lent or a “Christian Ramadan” in March which there is a 40 Day fasting period likened unto Jesus Christ in the Bible who fasted for 40-days and nights in complete prayer and supplications to God.

Ramadan’s attention focused on surrender and letting go daily life sustaining habits, a Christian (in which fasting is a choice), can make a stronger connection with Allah, their community and family to know their mektub (destiny) through fasting, prayer, meditation and cheerfully giving to the poor.

Beyond respecting the time for Muslims or Christians participating in an Iftar, there are spiritual lessons a Christian can gain from learning about and observing the practice as an observer; perhaps in some instances attempting the fast for an entire day or more may enlighten us more about how to uplift humanity.

Dr. Abdelhamid Jaber, a prominent Professor of Middle East Studies and Political Science at Rutgers University and a political analyst spent a 25-year career at the United Nations on Middle East and North Africa Affairs. A leader in the tri-state Muslim community in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, he says Ramadan is a time to share with the Christian and Jewish community the importance of humanity and unity. “Ramadan is a time for humankind,” says, Jaber. “It is a time for people to live to become better human beings. It is a time to get closer to solidarity, giving, and feeling connected with others.”

Prof. Jaber furthers talk about the common messages between the three great Monotheistic religions – the notion of treating someone as you would like to be treated, the worship of one God and the one belief in helping those who can’t help themselves are all tenants of Ramadan that Christians as well as Jews can share. Prof. Jaber is holding a high level Iftar in New York City on September 10. The Permanent Representative of Qatar to the United Nations H.E. Ambassador Nassir Abdulaziz AI-Nasser will keynote to hundreds of guests. “We expect to have the Police Commissioner, presence from Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s office, distinguished religious, community and political leaders from all faiths will be in attendance,” says Jaber.

As a Christian who worships the Shabbat, I believe Ramadan is a wonderful way for Christians to remember their Muslim brothers and sisters in prayer for their sacrifice, but also a time to step up our efforts to think more about those who are struggling during this economic downturn. Is there an opportunity to take thirty days and find thirty ways to give something valuable to someone less fortunate than us? Can we attempt to pray more frequently throughout the day or even at the same time Muslims pray, praying to God for world peace? During my last visit to the UAE, I shared with my dear friend from the Emirates because of the Azan by the Muzzein before dawn, my faith in God as a Christian strengthened. I was constantly reminded that God is omniscient and omnipresent.

Afsheen Shamsi, Public Relations Director for the Council of American-Islamic Relations says, “Ramadan on a spiritual level is an opportunity to get back in touch with God and engage in more prayer to be at peace with oneself.” On a practical level, her organization has partnered with an organization called Muslims Against Hunger – they are feeding 3000 people in 30-days.

For Christians in the United States professing to know God and claim to hold our Christianity dear, Ramadan is a great time to think about how we treat and engage Muslims in our community. Pew Research and Zogby International Polls have shown a steady and significant level of anti-Muslim sentiment in America. Negative perception about Muslims from self proclaimed Evangelicals is quite high. Reasons for this are based in media stereo-types, unsubstantiated/hyperbolic terrorist fear and just plain ignorance for not taking the time to find out who Muslims really are and what they believe in. Ramadan is a time to check our prejudices and match our claims to love our neighbors as ourselves.

On the first day of Ramadan I fasted with my Muslim brothers and sisters during my vacation in Sicily. I understand the burden my friends will carry fasting the rest of the 29-days is greater. It was difficult for me, but I made it through appreciating sacrifice for someone who might be without food, shelter and clothing – later giving back to make sure that perhaps one less person goes hungry tonight in Sicily.

Today I came upon an old woman sitting on a dirty street corner near a prominent gelato shop in Palermo banging a plastic bowl on the sidewalk begging for money to buy something to eat. As everyone walked by her, I stopped, bent down low to her level and gave her some Euros, smiled and said, “Prego Signora.” As people looked at me a bit surprised, I felt good inside because I blessed someone I did not even know. Tonight, I will go again to the Mediterranean al mare (the sea) to pray and observe Muslim families from Pakistan and India break their fast having their Iftar on the beach; speaking rapidly and joyfully in Italian.

With the exception of two persons, when I shared about my one day fast with some of my Christian friends, there was an awkward silence. My spirituality and connection to Allah/G-d/God is beyond a dogma, but taking the good from something like Islam or Judaism and applying the learning to be a more self actualized person – even in dealing with mine enemies. It’s important for all Muslims to know there is great respect and tribute as your Christian sister remembers Ramadan with you.

 

Yvonne R. Davis, President and CEO of DAVISCommunications, is an internationally recognized leadership development coach, speaker, and award winning journalist. She is an expert in cross-cultural and global emerging markets. A hard-hitting political columnist, Ms. Davis is passionate about critical economic and socio-political issues in the Middle East, Central Asia, the Balkans, and Eastern Europe. She continues to play a crucial role in developing strategies to advance the status of women in these developing regions.

A pious woman’s priority is to seek the pleasure of Allah. She tries acquiring the qualities of a good wife by following the examples of the Prophet(Sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) and obeying what is commanded in the Book of Allah. Complete obedience and adherence to the Sunnah of the Prophet(Sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) and Quran is the best of a woman’s qualities.

Examples:
A woman is married for four reasons: for her wealth, for her fame, for her beauty and for her religion. So marry one for her religion and you will win. [Bukhari & Muslim]

Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient (to Allah and to their husbands) and guard in their husband’s absence what Allah orders them to guard (e.g. their honor, husbands property, etc) [4:34]

An-Nasaii narrated that the Prophet(Sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) was asked “Who are the best of women?” He replied, “The one who pleases him (her husband) if he looks at her, obeys him if he orders (her) and does not subject her honor or money to what he dislikes.”

Ibn Hibban narrated that the Prophet (Sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) said, “If a woman prayed five prayers, fasted in Ramadan, protected her honor and obeyed her husband; then she will be told (on the Day of Judgment): enter Paradise from any of its(eight) doors.”

Reflect on:
If a woman harms (in any way) her husband, then his wife in Paradise tells her: “Do not harm him, May Allah fight you, he is only staying temporarily with you. Soon he will come to us.” [Ahmad & At-Tirmithi]

If a man calls his wife to bed and she refuses till he slept while angry, then the Angels will curse her till the morning. [Muslim]

Allah does not look to the woman who does not appreciate her husband while she cannot stand his departing her. [An-Nasaii].

A woman does not fast while her husband is present without his permission, except in Ramadan. [Al-Bukhari & Muslim]

Any woman who asks her husband for divorce for no reason will not smell the fragrance of Paradise. [Sahih Al-Jamii]

The Prophet(Sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) said, “If I were to order anyone to bow down to other than Allah, I would order the wife to do so for her husband. By the One who owns the soul of Muhammad, if a wife does not fulfill her obligations towards her husband, then she will not have fulfilled her obligations towards Allah.”

Randy Swing gets a meal in Venice from Nanetta Okonkwo who has multiple sclerosis and doesn't fast. Muslims exempt from fasting for various reasons must decide whether to eat publicly and face questions about their actions.

When Aatif Sharieff was growing up in a Maryland suburb, none of the other kids in his elementary school knew about Ramadan.

Each year, as the Muslim month of fasting came around, Sharieff had to explain to fellow students why he couldn’t eat lunch with them or drink from the water fountain.

“Everybody would ask,” he recalls. “It became like a broken record, ‘I’m fasting, I’m spiritual.’ ”

These days, Sharieff finds himself explaining to Muslims and non-Muslims alike why he no longer observes the traditional dawn-to-dusk fast. The 27-year-old Virginia architect lets people know that severe acid reflux means that he cannot go long without food.

“There’s this expectation . . . that everyone is fasting, so you kind of feel like this anomaly,” he said. “The first question people ask is ‘How’s your fast going?’ ”

He has to tell them that it’s not.

Each year as Muslims across the world observe Ramadan, which ends this weekend, other members of the faith face the challenge and occasional awkwardness that comes with eating and drinking in public during daylight hours. Some explain their situation to friends and colleagues and eat openly; others take furtive sips of water or quick bites of food in stairwells, cars or even bathrooms.

“You should not eat in public. It’s not banned, it’s just emphasized that you should respect Ramadan,” said Muzammil Siddiqi, a director of the Islamic Society of Orange County and chairman of the Fiqh Council of North America, which rules on issues of Islamic law. “It’s not just an individual observance, it’s a community observance.”

In some predominantly Muslim countries, eating in public during Ramadan is illegal or so socially scorned that the decision for non-fasters is made for them. But in the United States and other countries with Muslim minorities, the choice can be more complicated. There are no rules banning public eating, but a rising cultural and global awareness means that more people — even non-Muslims — might ask, “Why aren’t you fasting?”

“It’s not a hidden phenomena like when I first came to America 35 years ago,” said Maher Hathout, spokesman for the Islamic Center of Southern California and a longtime Muslim leader in Los Angeles. He pointed to the annual Ramadan dinners now held at the White House and State Department, and growing coverage of the month by U.S. media outlets.

“Everyone knows, so it’s better to eat at home or shut the door of your office,” Hathout said.

Fasting for Ramadan can be a bit like filing complicated income tax forms, with various one-time or ongoing exemptions available.

Chronic illnesses such as diabetes or stomach ulcers can put a Muslim out of the Ramadan rotation permanently. Instead of fasting, those with such conditions are asked to feed a hungry person each day of the month. Muslims who are sick, traveling, menstruating, pregnant or breast-feeding have temporary exemption from fasting and must later make up the missed days.

Mariam Moustafa, a recent UC Irvine graduate, said she has never seen the need to eat secretly during Ramadan.

“I really don’t care. If I’m sick or on my period, I’m not the type of person who’s going to sit and eat in the corner,” Moustafa said.

“God gave me the right to not fast those days. It’s not me making up those rules, so there’s no reason for me to hide it,” she said. But she does try to be sensitive, she said, and avoids eating in front of those who are fasting.

Years ago, whenever Nanetta Okonkwo of Inglewood had to forgo the fast, she was careful about eating in public. She worried that if she didn’t have a chance to explain, non-Muslims would think Ramadan was optional. So, even at restaurants, she would tell her server why she wasn’t fasting.

Two years ago, Okonkwo, 40, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. These days, she refrains from eating openly during Ramadan so she won’t have to tell people about her illness.

“I want people to know that it’s the month of Ramadan and we don’t eat in Ramadan,” said Okonkwo, a special education teacher. “And if I ate in public, I would feel obligated to explain.”

Okonkwo said her inability to fast for the full day has been heartbreaking for her, but she works hard to find other ways to meet her religious obligations.

This year, on the third day of the holy month, she stopped at a natural foods restaurant in Marina del Rey and bought two veggie burger meals. Putting each in a plastic bag, she drove toward Venice, stopping briefly along the way when she spotted a man sleeping on the grass. She tried to wake him but he didn’t stir.

At the beach, Okonkwo walked along the bike path until she found a disheveled man standing near a canopy tied to a tree. “It’s Ramadan and I can’t fast so I have to feed someone,” she said quickly, handing him the food.

The man gave her a blank stare, but took the offering.

Hathout, a retired cardiologist, said many Muslims feel guilty about not being able to fast during Ramadan and believe it is an act of piety to try to struggle through it, even against doctor’s orders. As both a physician and community leader, he counsels such people that Islam forbids anything that harms the body, such as not taking medication or food when needed. He also tells them that fasting exemptions are a gift from God.

“And it’s not nice to not accept a gift from God,” he said.

The month is a major part of the Muslim faith. Children often begin fasting for short periods of time at an early age, to practice for when it becomes an obligation once they hit puberty. Even people who ignore other pillars of the religion, including daily prayers and giving charity, will fast, an observance intended to strengthen self-control and remind Muslims of the poor and hungry.

Sharieff stopped fasting in 2005 after his doctor suggested that the ritual might be contributing to his constant acid reflux and vomiting. He was relieved that his medical problem wasn’t more serious but also disheartened.

“Fasting for me is something you do. I mean Ramadan, boom, you fast,” he said. “Losing that was like losing a piece of . . . my iman,” his faith.

As usual, with much anticipation, we welcome the holy month of Ramadan, during which Muslims fast, perform extended prayers and engage in charitable acts to thank Almighty Allah for his benevolence and countless bounties and to beseech Him for salvation of our souls.

However, contrary to the spirit of fasting, more attention is given to food preparation during this month. This defeats the very purpose of fasting. Ramadan fasting is not only an act of worship to purify the soul from malice and malevolence and feel the hunger of the deprived, but also an act that cleanses the body. This act of purification results in psychological and physiological equilibrium, restoring harmony to the body, mind, and soul. According to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), “Fast and you will gain health.”

Rather than an array of mouth-watering food fit for feasts, lighter meals such as salads, grains, legumes, or vegetable soups would be more appropriate for breaking fasts. We must put an end to eating this unhealthy food and resort to our healthier old customs of breaking fast — eating, and fasting in a manner befitting the true Islamic notion of Ramadan.

Fasting slows down the metabolism; regenerates energy, cells, and organs; detoxifies various body systems; and breaks down fat tissues, restoring health. Scientists believe that when the body finds no food supply, it feeds on waste that obstructs its functions. By consuming its own undesirable residue of degenerated (cancer) cells, harmful bacteria, cysts, lumps, skin pockets, and mineral-buildup in bones, joints, organs, and soft tissues, the body rejuvenates itself. During the process, the blood soaks in toxic compounds from the digestive tract and circulates them around the body for elimination.

This explains the resulting headaches and fatigue during the first few days of fasting. These are normal side-effects of detoxification. To relieve such debilitating after-effects and restore energy, we should drink lots of water, after iftar (breaking fast) until sahar (the meal before fast begins). We should maintain a high fluid intake, avoiding consumption of fried, syrupy disserts, and refined, processed, or fatty foods to benefit from the purge. We must resort to the practice of Prophet Muhammad who broke fast with dates and water, which our body needs more and more. Can we stop for a moment to listen to our body needs rather than impulses?

Water has become an overlooked nutrient in our diet. All the functions of our body depend on water. With dehydration, body, brain, and organs start to suffer, resulting in urinary tract infections, headaches, acid reflux, constipation, fatigue, irritability, anxiety, and bad breath, whereas a glass of water at iftar would give a burst of energy to the lethargic body and mind. As an energy provider, water hydrates the vascular, digestive, hormonal, glandular, circulatory, and immune systems, which depend on it for functional efficacy. Allah, our creator, reminds us in the Quran, “…And We have created all living things from water…” (Chapter: 21; verse: 30).

Older citizens should be reminded to drink as their sensation of thirst diminishes with age, leading to dehydration and complications.

Water also prevents memory loss and poor concentration. School children should drink water (not soda drinks) after iftar to improve their ability to learn and focus.

Fasting, prayers, and charity are healing and rewarding to body, mind, and soul. Such are the benefits of this holy month. According to the Holy Quran, “God wills that you shall have ease, and does not will you to have hardship”. We pray to Allah to grant us guidance and strength to perform His commands in the required manner.

Thirteen hours had passed since sunrise, and that plate of dark, sweet dates, and those brimming water glasses, looked tempting indeed.

“I saw the stars,” a hopeful young girl in a head scarf told her friend as they waited for the sun to set.

But it was not until they heard the adhan, or call to evening prayer, at 7:34 that they and other worshipers at this West Philadelphia mosque reached for “breakfast” – their first food and drink of a long day.

“Yes, you may have a date,” a woman assured her young son Thursday evening. He scurried toward the table.

It was Day 14 of Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar, when Muslims around the world abstain from food and drink during daylight hours, donate to the poor, and – above all – pray.

“If a person fulfills the obligation to fast and to pray five times a day, he is considered a pious Muslim,” explained Ali Ghazzawi, the imam at the Association of Islamic Charitable Projects’ mosque at 44th and Walnut Streets.

But to go beyond the core obligations during Ramadan brings “special merit,” said the Lebanese-born Ghazzawi, on hand that evening to participate in the special salah, or prayer, known as Tarawih.

Uttered at night and only during Ramadan, Tarawih (tadda-WEEHKH) is a recitation of the complete Quran over the course of 30 days.

“Every night, we say about one-thirtieth” of Islam’s holy book, said Ghazzawi, who also teaches physics at Dobbins-Randolph Vo-Tech High School in Philadelphia.

After the maghrib, or recitations and prostrations of sunset prayer, about 50 people – half of them children – descended to the mosque’s basement dining room for barbecued chicken, sweet potatoes, and string beans.

Only some would stay for the night prayer that began about 9:15, and fewer still for the nearly hour-long Tarawih that followed.

“It’s very beautiful, and rewardable,” said Hana’ Hishmeh, 22, who explained that “in the hereafter, we are rewarded for our good deeds,” and that to recite the Tarawih was the equivalent of “thousands” of good deeds.

Although an esteemed ritual for the world’s one billion Sunni Muslims, Tarawih is not practiced by the minority Shiites, who view it as a false understanding of Muhammad’s intentions.

According to tradition, Muhammad entered a mosque one night during Ramadan to recite portions of the Quran. Seeing him, a crowd gathered to pray with him, and their numbers grew each night.

Fearing the faithful would suppose the recitations were mandatory – like the five daily salahs – after three nights, the prophet withdrew from praying in public and sent word that it was voluntary.

Its voluntary aspect is part of its attraction for Ra’id Abu Malik, 33, who arrived at the mosque shortly before 9 p.m.

Fetching a plate of dinner for his small son, he then stood facing east at the side of the dining hall to recite the maghrib while there was still time.

After bowing, prostrating, and sometimes kissing the floor, for about 12 minutes, he joined his son with a plate of food. He was staying for night prayers and Tarawih, he said, “because, personally, I like Tarawih.”

A convert to Islam at 17, Malik said he was observant, but did not feel he does enough. “I’m lazy,” he said, and laughed.

Ramadan is a time to redeem himself, he explained, and perhaps acquire the discipline of prayer. The daylong fasting “softens my heart,” and the deep absorption he feels praying Tarawih leaves him feeling “better, lighter” – and more disposed, he hopes, to expanding his prayer life after this year’s Ramadan ends Sept. 19.

Like Malik, most people at the mosque said they genuinely enjoyed the daylong fasting of Ramadan. “The first day, you feel a bit hungry,” said Maryam McClain, 9. “But once you get used to it, it’s very, very easy.”

“It’s amazing,” said Omar Dimachki, president of the Association of Islamic Charitable Projects in North America, whose wife had just brought him a small handful of pills. “I have diabetes and hypertension, and Ramadan is my best month of the year.”

Shortly after 9, there was a call to prayer, and the remaining handful of worshipers made their way to the domed sanctuary, slipped off their shoes, and lined up side-by-side at the front of the cavernous, carpeted room.

About 20 men and teens stood in the front rank. Five women stood a dozen feet behind them. All recited the ‘Isha, or mandatory night prayer, and then settled into the Tarawih, led by an Arabic-speaking prayer leader.

Instead of proceeding sequentially through the Quran, group prayer leaders (like individuals at home) may select passages, which are recited in pairs lasting seven to 10 minutes, with short breaks in between.

The two lines lengthened and shortened as the hour wore on. Some people slipped away after a few couplets, scooping up their children and heading for the door, only to be replaced by late arrivers.

Then, around 10:20, the worshipers visibly relaxed. Some stood, others sat and stretched, and many began chatting among themselves. Tarawih for this night was over.

“It’s like an extension of the fast,” explained Abd Ghazzawi, 21, the imam’s son. “Not a chore, but a very calming experience . . . a time to remember why we are put on this Earth.”

By Global Voices Online

With the advent of Ramadan around the globe this weekend, Muslim and non-Muslim bloggers everywhere are wishing each other Ramadan mubarak (or “blessed Ramadan”). As is the case each year, bloggers have found a variety of topics to talk about, from the Qur’an to the difficulties of Ramadan, to the fast itself.

Ramadan Kareem…from the White House?

One popular topic amongst bloggers this year is U.S. President Obama’s Ramadan speech, in which he wished all Muslims a blessed Ramadan. Middle East Blog, whose author is Egyptian, appreciates Obama’s sentiment but wishes for a bit more:

Obama is a charming, charming talker. He peppers his words with Islamic references to both make Muslims feel that he understands them and their religion and is educating others about the faith as well. He highlights the most significant issues in the Muslim world – the war in Iraq and the Israel/Palestine conflict. He even draws on fears that many Muslims have about how Swine flu may affect making Hajj (pilgrimage) this year.

Of course, I take all this in the way it’s supposed to be taken. Obama is doing a brilliant job at trying to reach out to Muslims through words. However, I can’t help but feel that speeches such as this one merely gloss over the lack of action that he promised us.

Egyptian chronicles has mixed feelings about the speech as well, but adds a fun fact:

Allah Akram* president Obama , another speech to the Muslim world , this time it is short yet with too many points : Iraq, Palestine , and the Muslim world. Nice short smart speech for sure.

By the way the most expensive “ LE 18”and finest dates in Egypt is called Obama this Ramadan

Reading the Qur’an

Beyond fasting, Ramadan is a time for reading (or re-reading) the Qur’an. Special prayers for Qur’an recitation are held, with the intent of reading one thirtieth of the Qur’an each night for the entire month. Some bloggers are writing about the experience.

bint battuta (Bahrain), who is undertaking the project of reading the Qur’an in Arabic during Ramadan, writes her first post on the experience:

A strange thing happened yesterday. As I was reading the Qur’an, listening simultaneously to the sheikh reciting, I found tears running down my cheeks. Before this is misinterpreted by anyone, it was simply because I was moved by the beauty of the Arabic. It’s true that I am sensitive to language – it is my life – and that words, beautiful or ugly, are able to affect me deeply, but I was surprised to experience such a strong reaction.

Malaysian Anas Zubedy has initiated a project called “Let’s Read the Qur’an” for Muslims and non-Muslims alike to “read the Quran in the language they understand most and find in it areas of common value for our day to day living.”

HoongLing, from Malaysia, is taking part in the project, and even fasting. Of the experience, she writes:

I have “announced” of my fasting this Ramadhan through facebook. Lots of feedbacks and it was intriguing to see the comments of many friends. No, I am not a Muslim but I am a bangsa Malaysia, when asked am I a Muslim (therefore fasting).

Fasting during Ramadhan isn’t new to me. I did this as soon as I have the liberty to cook and sahur at 5am. Puasa for 4 years during Ramadhan and then stopped for 6 years due to gastric. This year, I am back on track. My colleague suddenly asked me today, the reason I fast.

The answer was simple. I was a church-goer for 6 years, apparently to learn and improve English and then only discovered Buddhism when I was 13 years old. Buddhism (yes, I am a Buddhist) encourages Buddhists to go search and find out about other religions before deciding one that is right for him/her. With this “freedom” of choice and Malaysia being one of the easiest place on earth to learn diversified cultures and religions, so why not? I went on to learn about Islam and eventually practise them in daily live.

Difficulties During Ramadan

Although most Muslims are grateful for the arrival of Ramadan and the challenges it brings, life is ongoing and it is impossible to escape from its difficulties at times. An American Muslim in Morocco is a blogger experiencing her first Ramadan in the Muslim North African country, and is experiencing some disappointments. She laments:

Here’s what I imagined…that family’s prayed together at each and every call to prayer; that people greeted each other with As Salam Alaikum on the street, so much so that I would have trouble keeping up with the number of people we passed; that people would be more willing to help each other; and that the level of respect youth had for elders was eons beyond American kids. I imagined that no one drank, no one tried to cheat another, and I imagined that the the stares and comments American women complain about where figments of their imagination.

Here’s what I found…teenage girls wearing the tightest revealing clothes while walking next to their fully covered mothers in veils and djellabas; dirty streets where people litter forgetting that Allah gave them this Earth to live on and care for; people having to fend for their lives to cross the street as cars speed toward them not even bothering to slow down; and so many people drinking that they have to dry-out for 40 days before Ramadan…

From Palestine, the stories are more complicated. In Gaza, noting the poor quality of fresh food, and the effects of the Israeli blockade on the fishing industry and medical practices, says:

With all of these facts and clear evidence of the systematic destruction of Palestinians lives and means of existence in Gaza, one can hardly expect Ramadan to be filled with joy as in former years.

Reflection

Lastly, Ramadan is a time of reflection, and many blog posts during this time reflect that fact. Canadian Sana of KABOBfest, wishes readers a happy Ramadan, reminding them:

We are reminded briefly of the pains of millions around the world, many in our own backyards and on our streets, suffer without the comfort of knowing that at the end of the day there is going to be a meal waiting to fill the roaring stomachs. We fast to starve ourselves – starve us of our egos, our materialism, and our individualism. When we fast we experience, together, the realities of an empty stomach and the realities of a fed soul. And of course, take this month of communal dinners and support to get to know your brethren – Muslim or not. Starve yourself of your shyness, your lethargy and your inhibitions.

From Indonesia, Titus Jonathan reminds us to be happy:

Ramadan will always a beautiful month if people offer smile each others. Let the smile becomes our home where we are able to take some rest on the hot earth and share kindness each other, not only for a month, but also for another eleven months onward. If smiles exist everywhere in Ramadan, everyone will always miss Ramadan, and expect to come again, soon.

Happy Ramadan, with an outpouring of smile everywhere.

Finally, from Syria, Abu Fares leaves us with a lovely reflection:

I hope we work on eradicating the disparity between the rich and poor so that the wealthy don’t feel that they are doing the needy a favor with their alms.

I hope we become free to live the way we choose to and liberate our minds from the vice of judging others.

I hope we believe in ourselves enough not to wait for miracles to happen but instead work out butts off to make viable wonders come true.

I hope we come to terms with reality, cherish the physical world and see the inherent beauty of the universe with wonderment and joy not in awe and fear. ex nihilo nihil fit.

I hope we never lose the impulse to learn, the will to travel and the urge to discover the unknown.

I hope we reach the point when no one believes that it’s worth dying or killing for a cause.

I hope that no man has to toil for bread, no child sleeps unfed and no woman is coerced in bed.

*”Allah Akram” means “Allah (God) is most generous”

A story which really showed the impact of a sincere naseehah from one brother to another in this blessed month is that related by our Shaykh Muhammad al-Arefe, an outstanding da’eeyah, mainly active in the Arab and Muslim world. I thought to share this beautiful story with you. (If you are interested and understand Arabic, you can listen to the entire lecture where he shared this story titled “Enni Sa’em” ["I am Fasting"] here).

The Shaykh says (paraphrased):

A couple of years ago, on one of the nights in the month of Ramadhan I was scheduled to do a television program with a topic related to this month. The location was a top floor of one of the hotels facing the Masjid al-Haraam in Makkah. So, the background was the Ka’ba and the Haram. The words being said (in the program) were touching and the background was moving. The environment was one full of Eman, so much so that the host teared up during the program. After an hour, the program was completed, Alhamdulilah.

Afterwards, the cameraman came to thank me and tell me that he was moved by what he heard. I immediately noticed in his hand a cigarette, which he had lit right after the program was completed. I held his hand and also thanked him for his work and asked Allah to reward him for being cameraman for Islamic programs and so on. Then I told him that; ‘I have a small word for you and I hope you will accept from me.’ He welcomed the advice wholeheartedly.

Just as I began to speak and the words ‘smoking’ and ‘cigarettes’ came out of my lips, he cut me off and said: ‘You will give me naseehah? Ya Shaykh don’t give me naseehah… there is no point….don’t waste your time….I have been smoking for over 40 years.….smoking is in my veins……if there was someone who could have stopped me, it would have happened before you!’
Seeing that this is was the situation, I said, ‘So there is no point in my naseehah?’ He replied, ‘No, go to the Haram and recite Quran.’ So I repeated, ‘Khalaas (that’s it), no naseehah then?’ He said, ‘Pray for us, Pray for us.’
At this, I held his hand and asked him to come with me. ‘Where?’ he said. I replied, ‘I’ll pray for you.’

I took him to the window facing the Ka’bah and we stood there looking at it. It was extremely crowded with worshippers in the Haram; a truly moving sight.

I told him, ‘Do you see all of these people?’

‘Yes’, he replied.

I said, ‘They came from all over… different nationalities, colors,
Arab, non-Arab, poor, rich…. all of them are here seeking Allah’s
forgiveness and mercy, right?’

‘Right’, he said.
I then said, ‘Do you not wish that Allah grants you from what he grants them?’

His reply was in the affirmative.
So I suggested that we stand right there in the window, face the ka’ba
and make du’aa. He agreed. I asked him to raise his palms in du’aa and
that I will make the du’aa and he should only say ‘Ameen’.

I began making du’aa for him.

I said, ‘O Allah forgive him.’ He said, ‘Ameen.’
‘O Allah raise his status.’
‘Ameen.’
‘O Allah join him with his beloved in Jannah.’
‘Ameen.’
‘O Allah grant him the company of the Anbiyaa (prophets) in Jannah.’
‘Ameen…. Ameen….. Ameen….’
I continued to make du’aa until his heart softened and he wept and wept whilst repeating ‘Ameen, ameen.’
When I saw this and I wanted to end the du’aa I said, “O Allah, if he gives up smoking, then answer this du’aa. And if he does not give it up, then do not grant him from it (the du’aa).’

The man was in deeply moved. Heavily weeping, he covered his face and exited the room.

I left him alone and did not follow him. (That was the end of this meeting).

Months passed, and I was again invited to do something with the same channel. So when I arrived at their place, a man came very happily approached me and began greeting me very excitedly; kissing me and so on. He seemed to be very touched about something. I did not know him or remember who he was. So I thanked him for his emotions, but informed him that I did not recall who he was. He replied that there was no problem and began reminding me of the man who I gave naseehah to 2 years earlier about smoking. I remembered. So I he said, ‘I am him!’ Then he continued, ‘And by Allah, ya Shaykh, I
did not place in my mouth a cigarette ever since that moment!’” Allahu Akbar!

This is the end of the Shaykh’s story.
The Prophet sallaAllahu alayhe wasallam said,
“By Allah, if Allah were to guide one man through you it would be better for you than the best type of camels.” (Agreed Upon).

And in another hadeeth,
“Verily Allah and His angels, even the ant in its hole and the fish in the sea, verily (they all) pray for he who teaches people good.” (Authentic, narrated by Tabraanee).

May Allah use us in good and righteousness and guide us and make us a cause for guiding others

There are a number of Christians Brian knows who are doing this. As he writes in his blog: “We, as Christians, humbly seek to join Muslims in this observance of Ramadan as a God-honoring expression of peace, fellowship, and neighborliness. Each of us will have at least one Muslim friend who will serve as our partner in the fast. These friends welcome us in the same spirit of peace, fellowship, and neighborliness.”

I shared the story with Shaykh Hamza Yusuf at the beginning of Ramadan, and he told me that he was reading a book about the Judeo-Christian tradition of fasting, and learning a great deal from it.

Then I heard that many of the non-Muslim FaithsAct Fellows (a joint program of the Interfaith Youth Core and the Tony Blair Faith Foundation), are fasting together. That is truly remarkable. These young people are currently on an interfaith fellowship in Africa, working with Christians and Muslims in health clinics that prevent and treat malaria.

In his beautiful video message on Ramadan, President Obama spoke of the particular Muslim practice of Ramadan (the additional nightly prayers, the belief that this is the month when the Qur’an was revealed), but also of the common tradition of fasting across religions – how it is meant to bring us closer to God, and to remind us of those who cannot take their next meal for granted.

Shaykh Hamza told me during our conversation, “Eboo, the walls are falling, the barriers are breaking.” I hope so. I hope this interfaith solidarity during Ramadan is a sign of the times. I pray that we are moving towards a world in which people are rooted in their own traditions but find dimensions to admire and learn from in others, that Ramadan is a time during which people from a variety of backgrounds come together in the common purpose of growing closer to God and one another. That is the heart of Islam, of all of our faiths and traditions.

Egyptian women perform the Eid al-Fitr dawn prayer at a stadium in Mansura, 120 km north of Cairo.

Muslims around the world woke up Sunday and welcomed the end of a long month of fasting with hearty greetings of “Eid Mubarak,” or happy festivities.

The faithful were ushering in Eid al-Fitr — three days of celebrations that Muslims mark with joyous community prayers, acts of charity, visits from far-flung relatives, gift-giving and elaborate feasts.

“Think Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Year’s — all rolled into one. It’s that huge for us,” said Sajjad Aziz of Hoboken, New Jersey.

Islam follows a lunar calendar, and the timing of Eid al-Fitr varies around the world depending on when the crescent of a new moon is sighted.

So, while most countries — including the United States — observed Eid on Sunday, some will begin their celebrations on Monday.

The night before Eid, entire communities gather on rooftops, scanning the sky with giddy anticipation.

“It only needs one sighting of the moon in the whole country, and the whole nation erupts in cheers,” said Qazi Arif, 35, of Sirajgong, Bangladesh. “It’s a divine feeling, hard to describe.”

Eid al-Fitr bids goodbye to Ramadan — a month of dawn-to-dusk abstinence from food, drinks and other sensual pleasures. Muslims believe the Quran, the religion’s holy book, was revealed to Prophet Muhammad during Ramadan more than 1,400 years ago.

The Eid is one of two major holidays in Islam, alongside another called Eid al-Adha. The latter commemorates the prophet Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son, Ishmael, for God.

On the morning of Eid, Muslims don new clothes and head to prayers that are often held in open fields to accommodate crowds too big to contain in mosques.

Those who can afford it donate a small percentage of their possession or its equivalent to the poor and needy so they too can avail themselves for the celebrations. Feasts await at every house.

“It’s a festival principally about community. We’re even asked to take a different route when we walk back from prayers so that we can meet different sets of people to greet and celebrate with,” said Wasim Iqbal of Karachi, Pakistan.

For Muslims in North America — and countries where they are the minority — Eid is a more subdued affair.

“If you have family close by, then you can kind of capture the mood that you remember from back home,” said Abdallah Gamal, a native of Egypt who lives in St. Louis, Missouri. “But it’s not the same.”

Because the U.S. Census does not ask about religious affiliation, it is difficult to gauge the Muslim population in the United States. The Pew Muslim American study conducted two years ago estimated it at 2.5 million, while the Council on American-Islamic Relations places it as high as 6 million.

On Saturday, both President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton offered greetings to American Muslims.

“We know there is more than unites peoples of faith than divides us,” Clinton said. “So as Ramadan draws to a close, let us hold on to that spirit of community throughout the year to achieve our common goals of peace, prosperity and stability.”

It is a message that Afghanistan’s president, Hamid Karzai, also shared during Eid prayers when he called on the Taliban to join the peace process in his war-weary country.

The day wasn’t one of universal comity, however.

In Yemen, the government and rebels accused each other Saturday of breaking a cease-fire they both asked for to commemorate Eid.

And Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei used his Eid sermon to launch another volley at the country’s arch-rival Israel and at Western powers.

“We’re not quite there, I’ll will admit,” said Mehreen Ali of Boston, Massachusetts. “But have you seen an Eid prayer? Rows and rows of Muslims all prostrating together in unison. It’s a feeling of such unity and brotherhood. You have to believe that with that spirit present, anything is possible.”