Emporia Muslims celebrating Ramadan
Salim Sehlaoui, Special to The Gazette
Friday, August 13, 2010
Among the most important duties for a Muslim is fasting during the Islamic month of Ramadan, which is the ninth of the 12 months in the Islamic lunar calendar. Around the world, 1.5 billion Muslims observe fasting in Ramadan. The first day of Ramadan this year was Wednesday.
Ramadan is important for Muslims because it is believed to be the month in which the first verses of the Holy Quran (the divine scripture) were revealed by Allah (God) to Prophet Muhammad (570-632 C.E.).
During Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn to sunset every day. This means not consuming food and drink, including water, during the daylight hours. For married adults, it also includes refraining from marital relations during the hours of fasting (i.e., the daylight hours).
In the Arabic language, fasting is known as “Sawm.” Muslims wake up early in the morning during Ramadan to have a pre-dawn meal, known as Suhoor. At the end of the day, fasting is completed by taking the Iftar meal, which usually includes dates, fresh fruits, appetizers, beverages and dinner.
Later in the evening, Muslims perform special nightly Tarawih prayers at their local mosques. Each night during Ramadan, approximately one-third of the Quran is recited in Tarawih prayers, so that the entire scripture is recited in the course of the month.
Islam is one of the world’s major religions, and is the final link in the Judeo-Christian-Islamic tradition of monotheism (belief in one god). Islam has two major religious celebrations.
One of them is known as Eid al-Fitr (Festival of Breaking the Fast). The Muslim community of Emporia will celebrate this important event on Sept. 10. The other celebration is known as Eid al-Adha (Festival of Sacrifice), and it takes place during the time of the Hajj, or annual pilgrimage to the city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia.
Muslims consider the Quran to be God’s word recorded in the Arabic language, and transmitted to humanity through Muhammad, who is considered the last prophet. This tradition of God-chosen prophets includes such messengers as Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David and Jesus.
In fact, Muslims are required to believe in all these messengers.
Why Muslims fast
Beside being a prescribed act of worship, fasting has a number of social, psychological, spiritual and health benefits for a fasting person. These include:
- It helps one feel compassion for those who are less fortunate and the poor, because each day Muslims feel greater appreciation for what they have as a result of feeling hunger and thirst.
- It allows one to build a sense of self-control and willpower, which can be beneficial throughout life in dealing with temptations and peer pressure. Through fasting, Muslims learn to control their natural urges such as hunger, thirst and lust, and thus they are able to better resist temptations for things which are not necessary, such as drugs or other unhealthy or harmful substances and behaviors.
- It offers a time for Muslims to “purify” their bodies as well as their souls, by developing a greater sense of humility, spirituality and community. Ramadan is a very spiritual time for Muslims, and they often invite others to their homes to break the fast. A greater sense of generosity and forgiveness is also a characteristic of this time.
As with other duties in Islam, fasting becomes obligatory (i.e. one becomes accountable) after the age of puberty.
Eid al-Fitr
After the end of Ramadan, a very festive and joyous holiday is celebrated by Muslims, known as Eid al-Fitr, the Festival of Breaking the Fast. On the day of the Eid, Muslims attend special congregational prayers in the morning, wearing their nicest clothes.
After the completion of prayers and a special sermon, Muslims rise to greet one another, saying “Eid Mubarak,” which means “holiday blessings.” Later on, Muslim families visit one another and have special meals together. Children are often rewarded with gifts, money and sweets.
- Salim Sehlaoui is a professor at Emporia State University.
sail (anonymous) says...
Wonder what Christmas is like in saudi arabia, now that we know how ramidam is practiced in Emporia.
August 13, 2010 at 12:57 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
booker5m (anonymous) says...
LOL yeah like that would happen
August 13, 2010 at 1:08 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
kira002 (anonymous) says...
Dr. Sehlaoui is from Morocco, not Saudi Arabia, and has lived in the U.S. for about 15 years. Just thought I'd throw that out there before the OMGMUSLIMSINEMPORIA!!!!! pileup begins in earnest.
August 13, 2010 at 1:14 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
HenryVIII (anonymous) says...
The rituals and mythology of all religions are equally silly to me. That said, I don't care what you believe or practice as long as you aren't hurting anyone.
Me? I drink beer as a sacrifice to the lottery god. Just the other day, I downed a sixer and was blessed with a free scratch ticket! I figure if I drink more beer, I'll really appease the lottery god and I'll win big! It's only a matter of time, really. Praise be to the lottery god! (gulp, gulp, gulp)
http://www.emporiagazette.com/discuss...
'enry
August 13, 2010 at 4:27 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
justaflushaway (anonymous) says...
once a muslim,always a muslim
I do not give a damn what others say, they HATE infidels, and I just happen to be an infidel
give me some good sausage and ham and I will eat it anytimeday or night
August 13, 2010 at 5:09 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
latenighttips (Stephanie Ventura) says...
I totally disagree with the above comment. My best friend is a Muslim and he would and has done many things for me. I am a Christian and I have many other Muslim friends who have all been very good to me, my family, and my other Christian friends. I personally have met many Muslim students at ESU and they don't hate anyone!
August 13, 2010 at 5:27 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
justaflushaway (anonymous) says...
well good for you!!!
August 13, 2010 at 5:39 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
booker5m (anonymous) says...
Shake your and stab you the back
August 13, 2010 at 6:16 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mslater (Matt Slater) says...
I bet they're down for some good ole fashioned "Bacha Bazi" too.
Ohh, what? Looks like someone has been to a Muslim country!
If you thought Catholic Priests and little boys were bad, they don't hold a candle to Bacha Bazi.
Anyone who says their is no homosexuality in Islam is an idiot. The only thing they use women for is reproduction, and I do mean ONLY.
This isn't so prevalent in a lot of Western countries, mainly because it is hidden as much as possible, but in hard-core countries, it is not only prevalent, but almost the rule.
Read up on it, or in the words of reddog "Google Bacha Bazi."
Matt
August 13, 2010 at 6:48 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
Well it looks like the Gazette is backing a muslim like candidate Sam Brownback.
Chris Walker
There is only 1 thing more frightening than the terrorists attacking our country with bombs and such. It is our press who gives into right wing attempts to block freedom of speech all while using the banner of free speech. Why was the original blog thread on sam brownback removed? The man is running for governor and as such anything about the campaign should be open to public view. That is unless the candidate is running for office in Iraq.
Hundreds of thousands of Americans have fought and died defending the rights of free speech and freedom of the press.
Don't cheapen their sacrifice by censoring opposing views.
August 17, 2010 at 8:02 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
Your newspaper posted and printed the original story. Don't pull it because some disagree with your stance. Or at the very least, come out and take the stand. State to the public you are backing Sam Browback and will allow NO differing opinions on the matter in YOUR paper. Chris, I don't know if it was your decision to pull the original story and the resulting posts, I would like to think it wasn't. But I also thought you would have had the eggs to keep someone else from doing it.
August 17, 2010 at 8:22 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )