Ramadan
encourages cleansing of soul
By Sonya Smith
On-line Forty-Niner
Abdullah
Ibrahim has practiced Ramadan since he was
old enough to understand it, and says of
the ritual fasting “I am used to it.” Ibrahim
added, “[The holy month] reminds me of my
beliefs and the path that I am to follow
for the rest of the year.”
Ramadan began on Nov. 6 and it will continue
until Dec. 6 with the “Eid ul-Fitr” or Feast
of the Fast-Breaking, according to a press
release from the Muslim Student Association.
Ramadan is the fourth pillar of Islamic
beliefs and involves fasting from sunrise
to sunset, reading the Quran and praying
more often, said Muslim Student Association
advisor Mohammad Khan.
Fasting is the main aspect of the holy month
and it gives many benefits such as patience,
good manners and unity. The holy month also
establishes a closer relationship to Allah
and helps Muslims to feel like the poor;
therefore giving them sympathy. Those who
are under the age of 12, sick or traveling,
may abstain from the fasting, explained
Khan.
Khan also said that the holy month is when
Muslims strive “to be as clean as humanly
possible” which means they abstain from
eating, drinking, smoking, profanities and
anything else that is bad or unclean.
The last ten days of Ramadan include special
religious activities, such as special prayers,
said Khan. The last day of Ramadan is one
of the two Islamic festivals and it involves
a special morning prayer, a new outfit to
wear and a feast with friends and family.
Third year English major Ahmab Almutawa
said that for the feast he would usually
go to his grandparent’s house, gather with
family and friends and have a meal together.
Almutawa’s family, however, is all back
in Kuwait so for his festival at the end
of Ramadan, he has dinner with his friends
here. Almutawa said that Ramadan mainly
“helps me control myself and my desires.”
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