A LOOK AT RAMADAN, A TASTE OF RAMADAN

Ramadan began on May 16 this year and will be observed for a month. There will be a Taste of Ramadan open house and breaking of the fast on June 3 at 5:30 pm at the Avon Senior Center on West Avon Rd. For more information, click here.

Our Guest Blogger, Alexis Zinkerman, interviewed Khamis Abu-Hasaballah, the President of the Farmington Valley American Muslim Center. The subject was Ramadan, an important holiday for the Muslim community.

“Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam, an obligatory ritual that every adult Muslim has to observe,” said Khamis Abu-Hasaballah, President of the Board of Trustees of the Farmington Valley American Muslim Center in Avon, Connecticut. Ramadan is a fasting holiday when Muslims abstain from food, drinks, and intimate relations. These requirements can go on for 10 hours a day in winter to 16 hours a day in summer.

“Ramadan is a chance for spiritual cleansing and conscious piety,” he said. “Conscious piety means that you are constantly aware of the presence of God.’’

Khamis indicated that people go to work and school and play sports all while fasting. With the exception of nursing mothers, the sick and the elderly, everyone has to fast once they have reached puberty. And if a temporary illness affects someone, he/she can make up the fast when he/she is better.

The holiday is about hunger too. “When you experience hunger and spend long days without food or drink, you get to appreciate what people who don’t have access to food go through,” he said. “Not only can we sympathize with them, but we can empathize and help them.”

This is similar to the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur and other shorter-term fasting festivals throughout the year.

In Islam, giving charity or Zakatul -fitr (alms) is a way of cleansing and perfecting the fast. It is paid towards the end of Ramadan to assist those who may not have enough funds to share in the celebration on the day of Eid-ul-Fitr. This day of Eid-ul-Fitr (or the celebration of the end of fasting) officially ends Ramadan, and Muslims resume normal eating and drinking, as they would do on any day outside of Ramadan.

“One of my favorite and most powerful verses in the Koran is ‘There is no compulsion in religion,’ it’s a principle in Koran from 14th centuries ago, and it means freedom of worship which is cherished in this country today,” said Khamis. “Even though many people misunderstand what Islam is about, Islam promotes this truth: that no one has to change the way they worship.”

​Khamis said that the mosque has been received quite well in this part of the state. They have received more requests from non-Muslims thirsty for knowledge…’’more than we can handle… That is where League of Light group comes in.” The League of Light is a multi-faith council of members in the Farmington Valley and Hartford area who spread awareness about issues and events of faith

Author

Alexis A. Zinkerman Do Good. Tell Stories. Be Mindful.
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Website: http://alexisazinkerman.com