Sunday, September 12
I really wanted to comment on something I realized yesterday. All around me people are celebrating the Muslim holiday Ramadan-- which for one month you fast until 4 pm everyday, no food, no water. I actually knew a little about Ramadan from when I had my email pal in Qatar--she explained how they fasted everyday and then everyone would come together for one big meal. She always talked about the decadent foods she was about to help her mother make for the family and that not eating or drinking is really stinkin' hard to do. Anyways, most of the streets were closed, and there were very few cars on them yesterday until 4pm to honor the holiday (I think it was the last day of Ramadan or something because its not as empty out as it was yesterday…I'll look into it). Its quieter than normal, everything around feels good, welcoming, and celebratory of the holiday…
…and I remember that the date is 9/11.
It was just…weird.
Ramadan (Arabic: رمضان) is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, and the month in which the Qur'an was revealed.
ReplyDeleteRamadan is the holiest of months in the Islamic calendar. Fasting in the month of Ramadan is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. The month is spent by Muslims fasting during the daylight hours from dawn to sunset. The name came from the time before the Islamic calendar, when the month of Ramadan fell in the summer. Fasting during this month is often thought figuratively to burn away all sins. Muslims believe that the Qur'an was sent down to the lowest heaven during this month, thus being prepared for gradual revelation by the angel Gibril (Gabriel) to the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Furthermore, Muhammad told his followers that the gates of Heaven would be open all the month and the gates of Hell (Jahannam) would be closed[citation needed]. The first day of the next month, Shawwal, is spent in celebrations and is observed as the "Festival of Breaking Fast" or `Eid ul-Fitr.
The Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar, and months begin when the first crescent of a new moon is sighted. Since the Islamic lunar calendar year is 11 to 12 days shorter than the solar year and contains no intercalation, Ramadan migrates throughout the seasons. The Islamic day starts after sunset.
aug. 11 - sept. 9, 2010
apparently it was only suppose to go to the 9th this year but you never know they could have gotten it wrong... p.s. i'm going to be tirelessly searching for you crazy techno dancing in india with men with backwards do-rags until i find it!!! sounds like everything is going well :) you are awesome, love you!
hey awesome! thanks kel... lol i guess they did get it wrong? our landlord definitely told us that the roads were shut for ramadan so maybe they just wanted it to last until saturday? not sure
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