Dr. Mike Ghouse
This article is 2669 words long and is complete and comprehensive. It is everything you always wanted to know about Ramadan. Ramadan is also known as Ramzan in South Asia and Hari Raya Pauso in Indonesia, the largest Muslim country. About 50% of the world's Muslims (800 million) live in South and Southeast Asia.
Whether
you are an Atheist, Baha'i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jain, Jewish, Native
American, Pagan, Shinto, Sikh, Wicca, Zoroastrian, or from any other tradition,
you may feel a sense of connection with the spirit of Ramadan as you read
through it.
There
is a cause or a causer who created the universe to come into existence, sustain
and recycle it, and the word for that causer is God in different languages (or
faiths). There (she or it) cannot be different causers for the same universe.
No matter how and what name you call upon him –he is one.
The
physical aspect of the human journey from the sperm and an egg through death is
programmed precisely. The formula is the same for all humans, and there is no
such thing as a Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, or other genes.
When
the universe came into being; the two main products of the process were Matter
and Life. The matter functions precisely as designed, like the Sun, Jupiter,
Earth or the Moon playing their part. On the other hand, humans' interactions
are not pre-programmed; they have complete freedom, guidance (religion), and
intelligence to create their balance to live securely and in relative harmony.
Rituals are a part of every Religion
You may note that identical spiritual wisdom emerges in
different parts of the world simultaneously. The best example is how a mother
figures out what to do with her crying baby in the jungles of Amazon or
Hollywood; she knows the child is hungry and needs to be fed.
Indeed, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, and I would
say faith is in the heart of the believer, and every religion is dear to its
believer. Religion is like a mother who is dear to each one of us.
Religions were established to create cohesive societies where
each one of the members of the community feels secure about their faith, race,
ethnicity, culture, or other uniqueness. Religion is never the problem; the individual who doesn't get
his religion is the problem.
RAMADAN IN THE LIFE OF A MUSLIM
The
9th month of the Muslim calendar starts with the Moon Sighting.
Ramadan begins with the moon sighting! Here comes the politics of Ramadan. One group insists they must see the Moon themselves, while the other accepts if someone else has seen it. In the United States, most Muslims go by Nasa’s calendar so they can plan the festivities. However, waiting and watching for the pencil-thin Moon to appear in the sky is a joy. Parents place their kids on their shoulders, and kids get excited to watch that Moon from the top of their parent’s shoulders.
Chandni Raat
When
one sees the Moon or hears an announcement, they dash to the marketplace to
shop and celebrate. It was initially a South Asian tradition but has become
universal. It is like shopping for Dussehra, Rosh Hashanah, Christmas, and
other festivities.
Taraweeh: Special Ramadan Prayers
Muslims
observe diverse practices – Special Prayers called Taraweeh are prayed in the
late evening, followed by nightly prayers called Isha. Taraweeh is usually
performed in a congregation, generally a Mosque. Typically, 20 to 22 units of
prayers; some Muslims pray fewer, and some don't. They complete reciting 30 chapters
of the Quran in 30 days (or 29).
The Night of the Power, known as Laylat
al Qadr
Laylat al Qadr is also known as Shab-e-Qadr and is considered one of the mighty nights during Ramadan. It was the night
God first revealed the words of the Quran and concluded and completed it in the
last ten days of Ramadan over 23 years.
Shia
Muslims consider the 19th, 21st, or 23rd of Ramadan the most critical nights,
while the Sunnis and Ahmadiyya look up to the odd days in the third part of the
month.
A TYPICAL DAY (Times are approximate)
4:00 AM
The entire family rises in the morning, and together they
prepare the food for Sahri/ Suhoor – the meal before fasting.
My family had a routine; I would chop the onions, my sister
would flatten the dough to make Rotis (flatbread), one brother would wash the
dishes, and the others would sit around and talk. My mother would sit by the
stove (Chula), and my father would make sure all the ingredients were
available. It is a family affair and brings families closer.
Food habits vary from region to region; we made Rotis
(Flatbread) with Subzi and Keema (minced meat) and capped it off with a good
cup of tea or lassi.
Depending on the tradition, the cut-off time to eat or drink
is about 30 minutes before sunrise. We had to finish eating by 5 AM and say a
short prayer for God to accept our fasting.
5:30 AM
Pray together or go to the mosque if it were near.
6:00 AM
Sleep
for a few hours (Ramadan only) and go to work. A few choose to study the Quran
in a group called Halaqa. This is a month of reflection and connection with
family members.
1:30 PM
The
prayer in the afternoon is followed by the one in the late afternoon. One can
pray individually, but a congregational prayer is a good option. Remember, it
is about bringing the communities together. The Shia (including Bohra) Muslims usually
combine both the prayers and the Sunnis and Ahmadi do it individually.
6:30 PM – IFTAAR
Iftar is breaking day-long fast.
Sunset
– some follow the times prescribed for the evening, and some keep looking at
the sky (if it is a clear sky) to see the sunset.
A
prayer call (Azan) goes out at sunset; while the Sunnis and Ahmadi Muslims take
the first bite of the date fruit and sip some water, the Shias will wait until
after the prayer.
Since
the observers have not had anything to drink or eat for the whole day, they
will start with fruits and light snacks and let the stomach get ready for the
entire meal after the evening (Maghrib) prayers. It is a thoughtful process.
Did I tell you Muslims abstain from everything
from water, food, ill-talk, ill-thought and ill-conversation, and every
temptation that comes their way? Fasting is a learning
process to bring self-discipline. It is suitable for all, particularly for
procrastinators, smokers, alcoholics, or any addictions or unpleasant habits.
Iftar Parties
Muslims
invite their non-Muslim friends to join them for the Iftar parties. The parties
are community-building events. An entire range of foods is available to eat.
Indian Muslims offer vegetarian and non-veg foods (Hindu and Jain) to honor
their guests.
In
a given Mosque, you will find Muslims from at least 20 to 30 countries, and as
such, the variety of dishes increases by number. Biryani is the King of South
Asian cuisine, and Naan, Keema, Korma, Rooh Afza, Sweet Lassi, Mango Lassi, and
Gulab Jamun are on the plates. One universal item consumed worldwide is the
dessert made out of vermicelli; the South Asians call it Seviyaan, and the Shir
Khurma is very popular- it can be a drink or a soup.
Politicians
and corporations also organize the Iftar parties. The tradition was started by
President Bill Clinton and carried through President Obama, and we hope Biden
will re-start it.
8:30 PM Taraweeh Prayers (described earlier).
LAST DAY OF RAMADAN
On
the evening of the 28th as well as 29th everyone is out looking for that Pencil
thin Moon again; once an announcement comes out, celebrations begin. Chand Raat
(Moon Night) opens up, and people go shopping; it is like shopping on the last
day of Christmas, Rosh Hashanah, Diwali, or other festivities. It is a good
tradition of excitement and joy for successfully observing the entire month of
Ramadan dutifully.
Children and adults paint Mehendi (henna) on their hands with various designs. They look forward to it. Typically, new clothes are worn on Diwali.
Zakat
Every Muslim takes out 2.5% of his/her wealth and passes it on to the needy. Most people pay in advance, but as usual, some pay on the last day, like we file our IRS tax returns on April 15th. Zakat is one of the five obligatory duties of a Muslim..
Eid- the big celebration
Everyone
in the family gets up in the morning, and it is the dawn of a new era. Eat
breakfast and go for the mass or congregational prayers, also known as Jamaat.
Since a Mosque cannot accommodate all the people in the area, they rent
convention halls or big banquet halls.
Dallas,
Texas, rents the Convention Center, where some 20,000 people gather for the
congregational prayers. Yelahanka, my town, and perhaps in other places, they
all go to the cemetery grounds, where they have a dedicated place made for
Namaz (prayers). Generally, the Eid committee arranges the long mats to be
spread on the floor, and some people carry their own personal prayer rugs.
It
is the day to celebrate and includes forgiving each other and starting afresh
by hugging three times. My interpretation of the three is “forgive me,” “I
forgive you,” and “Let us begin” the relationship afresh.
The
Jains say “Michami Dukkadam,” meaning, let’s forgive each other and start the
new year with a clean slate.
In the late ’70s, Amitabh Bachchan, Rajesh Khanna, Asrani, Mehmood, and other Bollywood actors participated in Eid prayers in Yelahanka, my hometown, a suburb of Bangalore. Mehmood lived a mile or two from the grounds and brought those movie stars to the prayers. The movie stars enjoyed the different ways one can worship the creator.
Praying for the deceased
It’s
like Memorial Day, almost every Muslim visits the cemetery to pray for their
loved one buried there. You will always find yourself connected to them. You
can pray for them from anywhere, and on this day of joy, you feel their absence
even more.
EIDI
It
is a gift you generally present to kids and family members as we do during
Christmas, Diwali, and other holidays. Traditionally the head of the household,
man or woman, presents the gifts to the family members; it is usually cash to
spend. During my childhood, my father gave me one Anna (like 25 Paise), my
friend and I dashed to the store behind our home and drank Orange Soda which
was half Anna. That was the greatest pleasure we had.
Eid Parties
It
is usually an open house for families, friends, and community members to visit
for lunch. A typical family visits at least three homes and of course the
practices vary from Muslim to Muslim.
Exceptions:
Fasting
is exempt for individuals with diabetes and other difficulties, pregnant women,
and even people traveling. If you miss it, you have the option to make it up.
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said that God has no
need for the hunger or thirst of someone who hurts others, violates their
dignity, or usurps their rights. The fasting of the limbs must match the
fasting of the stomach. The eyes, ears, tongue, hands, and feet all have their
respective fasts to undergo. For example, the tongue's temptations — lies,
backbiting, slander, vulgarity, and senseless argumentation — must be curbed to
maintain the integrity of the fast.
The
consciousness of behavior and vigilance over action are the most profound
dimensions of fasting: the heart's fasting focuses on the attachment to the
divine. Ramadan becomes a source of peace and solace, just as Christmas, Rosh
Hashana, or Dussehra go beyond the rituals to bring forth kindness, charity,
and caring.
True
fasting is self-purification. From this comes a rich inner life that brings
about values such as justice, generosity, patience, kindness, forgiveness,
mercy, and empathy — values that are indispensable for the community's success.
Knowing
about hunger is different from knowing it. Empathy is not an intellectual
equation; it is a human experience. Our hardness of heart often springs from
our distance from the human condition of others. The poor, sick,
disenfranchised, oppressed — we rarely walk a mile in their shoes, not even a
few steps. "Rest assured," cautioned one teacher, "if you do not
taste what it feels like to be hungry, you will not care for those who
are."
Ramadan
will come and go with such stealth; what do we value, and why? We can change
our habits and customs, including obsessive behavior, in the face of a higher
calling.
Fasting
imparts a sense of what it means to be truly human. Its observance reflects its
universality in Baha'i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jain, Jewish, Sikh,
Zoroastrian, and other faiths. For fasting to be truly universal, its benefits
must extend beyond the fraternal ties of Muslims and must extend to forging a
common humanity with others.
Let
the spirit of Ramadan develop an understanding and respect for each one of
God's creations – that is, all of humanity.
The
most common greetings of the Ramadan festival are Ramadan Mubarak, Eid Mubarak,
and Ramadan Kareem, and then there is variation depending on the language you
speak.
Picture’s courtesy – Boston Globe and the Atlantic
Dr. Mike Ghouse is Social Scientist, Public Speaker, thinker, author,
newsmaker, and an Interfaith Wedding Officiant. He is deeply committed to
Pluralism in Religion, Politics, Societies, Human rights, and religious
freedom. He is the founder and president of the Center for Pluralism, Director at the World
Muslim Congress, a
think tank, and a wedding officiant at Interfaith Marriages. His new book American Muslim Agenda is available on Amazon,
and "Standing up for others" and "Madame President" are
coming soon. He is committed to building cohesive societies and offers
pluralistic solutions to issues of the day. His mission is to open people’s
hearts and minds toward fellow humans. More about him at TheGhouseDiary.com
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