Originally Published in The Santa Clarita Valley Signal This month brought a close to the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Ramadan is marked by 30 days of fasting for Muslims from dawn to dusk and culminates with a day of celebration and festivity known as Eid-ul-Fitr. However, the Quran states that fasting is not a new phenomenon in the religion of Islam, but has had prescription in earlier...
Originally published in The Santa Clarity Valley Signal This month brought a close to the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Ramadan is marked by 30 days of fasting for Muslims from dawn to dusk and culminates with a day of celebration and festivity known as Eid-ul-Fitr. However, the Quran states that fasting is not a new phenomenon in the religion of Islam, but has had prescription in earlier...
Originally published in Minnesota Sun Post “Wait, so why do you have to starve yourself?” is the question I would always get during Ramadan at my school. I would have to explain that keeping away from food is only a part of the fast. During Ramadan, Muslims turn away from food, as a means to detach from the physical world. Doing so allows us to focus on our spiritual well-being as well...
Originally published in The Star-Telegram & Dallas Morning News According to former Gov. Mike Huckabee, Islam promotes “murderous mayhem” and rioting on its holiest days. As an American Muslim, I am not shocked that he did not cite a verse from the Quran. I mean, after all, it is tough to cite such an accusation from a religion which literally is defined as “religion of peace.” If Gov...
Originally published in Duluth News Tribune I was starving. I hadn’t eaten for almost 17 hours. And finally, when I got to eat, it felt so good. That’s how I completed my fast last Friday. More than 1 billion Muslims are fasting these days because it is the holy month of Ramadan. Fasting is obligatory for all healthy adult Muslims from sunrise to sunset for the whole month. Though I am not an...
Originally published in Akron Beacon Journal As an American Muslim, I am blessed to be able to have an abundant source of food and water that I can gladly have access to every day. During the holy month of Ramadan, however, it is prescribed that I give up this liberty of having any nourishment whatsoever from dawn to sunset — aside from a meal before sunrise. Why? It is because fasting...
Originally published in Milwaukee Sentinel Journal July 9 marked the first day of the month of Ramadan in the Muslim lunar calendar, and with its beginning millions of Muslims worldwide embarked on a spiritual journey to last 30 days. While some regard the abstention of food and drink for 15 hours a day as an incredible challenge, especially given the hot summer months, for Muslims the...
Originally published in Loudoun Times Mirror Muslims across the world will be celebrating Eid-ul-Adha (Festival of Sacrifice). This occasion requires Muslims to sacrifice an animal in which one-third of the meat is given to the poor, one-third is given to the neighbors and one-third is kept for the household. As an American Muslim, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all...
Originally published in Indiana Gazette It is July, and, as most of the nation enjoys summer, the Muslim world is enthralled in the spirit of sacrifice and humility as it passes through the holy month of Ramadhan. In Ramadhan Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset. The spiritual and mental benefits of fasting are evident, but many are misled to believe that fasting deprives the body of health...
Originally published in Akron Beacon Journal As an American living in America, I take many things for granted, such as the basic needs of food and water. During Ramadan, the holy month of Islam, Muslims take a spiritual journey while fasting from sunrise to sunset. This allows Muslims to get a much better understanding of what the poor around the world experience. Not only does it create...