Thursday, September 13, 2007
For the next month, Bazigha Tusail will not eat or drink anything from sunrise to sunset. She will focus her attention on charity and doing good things for others. She will perform extra prayers at night and put extra effort into refraining from bad thoughts and bad deeds.
Mohammed Algahtani, Saudi Arabia freshman, prays Wednesday night at the Islamic Center of Lawrence. The Islamic holy month of Ramadan starts tomorrow. Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset throughout the month.
Tusail, Lee’s Summit, Mo., senior, along with Muslims around the world, are celebrating the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Ramadan will be observed from today to Oct. 12. Muslims believe that during Ramadan, the gates to heaven are opened and the gates to hell are closed.
Tusail said Ramadan was a personal journey.
“It a time to recharge spiritually and focus on yourself,” Tusail said. “You empathize with people who are less fortunate and know what it’s like to be hungry.”
Ramadan, the ninth month in the Islamic calendar, signifies the time that the Koran, the Muslim holy book, was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad.
Ala Abdel-Halim, Tulkarim, Palistine, junior and president of the Muslim Student Association, said there were benefits for Muslims to fast during Ramadan.
“It allows people to build self control and will power so they can control themselves and not be driven by their desires,” Abdel-Halim said.
Abdel-Halim said Ramadan was also a time to give charity to the less fortunate. In Islam, charity includes both monetary gifts and doing nice things for others.
Barakat Makrami, Gizan, Saudi Arabia, graduate student and assistant director of the Islamic Center of Lawrence and of the Muslim Student Association, said Ramadan was the busiest month of the Islamic year. He said the Islamic Center would have speeches each night after the sunset prayer, guest speakers and activities on Saturday nights. He said anyone could attend the events.
“Ramadan has a special meaning to Muslims,” Makrami said. “People who don’t show up at the mosque all year show up during Ramadan.”
The Muslim Student Association will end the month of Ramadan with Fast-a-Thon, a day where they invite non-Muslim students to fast with them. Tusail said it gave participants a chance to better understand Islamic culture and to empathize with the hungry people around the world. The date and location of Fast-a-Thon are to be announced.
— Edited by Meghan Murphy
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