Monday, September 8, 2008
With the beginning of the fasting month of Ramadan on Sept. 1, Lawrence restaurants were empty of local Muslims, who were required to fast from sunup to sundown.
The holy month is based on the lunar calendar. It begins on the first day of the ninth month to celebrate the initial revealing of the Qur’an by Allah. Fasting is required and entails neither eating nor drinking while the sun is up, as well as abstaining from sex and smoking.
Three Muslim women pray at the upper level of the Lawrence Islamic Center on Friday afternoon during the Islamic holiday of Ramadan.
Dalal AlBuhayri, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, graduate student, said she spent most of her day sleeping to avoid being drained from the fast, only getting up occasionally to pray.
“Last year I had to drop two classes because of the fasting and being tired from it,” she said. “I couldn’t do my homework or pay attention in class.” This year she took most of her classes at night to avoid the harsh toll fasting takes on the body.
Middle Eastern businesses around Lawrence also feel the presence of the fast, especially with the meal after sundown, called the Iftar. Mohammad Al Zaiti, manager of the Mediterranean Market and Café on Kasold and 15th Streets, said he saw an increase in Muslim shoppers preparing for the evening meal.
“We see a lot more Muslim and Arab shoppers this time of year,” he said. “We sell a lot of sweets, like Baklava and biscuits to celebrate after the sun goes down.”
Traditionally at sunset Muslims gather with friends and family and partake in a shared meal usually containing some sort of soup, nuts, dates and tea, depending on the geographical location. Dessert is a main part of the meal, and Al Zaiti said this is what he stocks up on in his store.
“Mostly people are shopping for a large group, so they buy a lot at once, especially desserts,” he said.
While medical studies reported by The Associated Press have shown that fasting can be beneficial to health, it is also dangerous to overeat or overload the stomach with heavy foods, hence the light fare of sweets, fruits and soups.
AlBuhayri said the breaking of the fast at sundown was the most enjoyable tradition of the month.
“After the sun goes down all of your friends get together and you eat a great meal, with a lot of sweets afterwards to celebrate,” she said. “After the meal at night we all spend time together and talk about the Qur’an and Mohammed and pray and spend time talking about stories and faith.”
Health concerns are not supposed to interfere with the month. There are exceptions to the tradition of fasting for people who are too ill or unable to abstain from food and water. Pregnant women, menstruating women, the sick and elderly are encouraged not to endanger their health but to make up days they missed later in the year.
But fasting isn’t the only emphasized practice of Ramadan.
Erhan Delen, Mardin, Turkey, graduate student and president of KU’s Intercultural and Interfaith Dialogue Association, said focusing on the poor was especially important during Ramadan.
“When we are fasting we are understanding the poor people better,” he said. “Although we have food and water we cannot drink them so we can understand the poor people’s lives.”
Fasting is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, which are the backbone of the religion. Almsgiving to the poor is another pillar.
“We do this for God,” he said. “Just for God, not any other people.”
He said that giving to the poor was to satisfy God, and to help attain self-purification.
— — Edited by Ramsey Cox
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