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Through fasting and prayer, Muslims share their faith

The observance of Ramadan transcends borders and time zones, culture and language

"O you who believe, fasting has been prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you so that you may learn self-control."

This is the verse from the Quran that Muslims believe instructs them to fast during the holy month of Ramadan.

Ramadan, which started Monday, is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. Although recently Ramadan has become more commercial, its focus remains on self-reflection and devotion to God. Since the fasting person is not preoccupied with self-indulgence, he or she can focus on their spiritual nature.

During Ramadan, a time of intense worship, Muslims read the Quran and perform good deeds. Fasting allows believers to experience hunger and empathize with the less fortunate, and to develop an appreciation for what God has blessed them with. The ultimate goal of fasting is to develop taqwa, or God-consciousness.

Taqwa is considered one of the highest moral qualities any person can attain. The root of the word comes from a verb meaning "to safeguard." Muslims try to safeguard themselves from the wrath of God by obeying his commandments and avoiding that which is prohibited.

One of the acts of worship offered in Ramadan is taraweeh prayers. These are offered in addition to the five obligatory daily prayers, but they are not mandatory.

Taraweeh literally means "rest pauses," because there is a short rest between the pauses in the prayer. Muslims dedicate a large part of the evening praying, reflecting and asking God to accept their fasting and to forgive their sins.

In one of Prophet Mohammed's traditions, he is quoted as saying, "Whoever fasts during the month of Ramadan out of sincere faith and hoping for a reward from God, all his sins will be forgiven."

In Great Kills, several Staten Island residents gathered recently for a Quranic recitation and study session. They shared their thoughts on fasting and Ramadan.

"When I am fasting, I want to be a better person. I think twice before I do anything," says Nehal Moghazi of New Springville. "If I can be a better person when I am fasting, then I can be that same person when I am not fasting. To me that is the ultimate goal."

Khadiga Kassem, a mentor, advisor and mother figure to many in the Muslim community, said that according to Islamic teachings, fasting is the only act of worship that is exclusively between an individual and God.

"People could see you when you pray. They see you when you give charity. During the pilgrimage you are with hundreds of thousands of people," she said.

"When you fast, no one knows if you were sneaking a drink or a bite of some cake, except for God. God says that fasting is for him alone and he alone gives the reward for it."

Sahar Elfaramawy of Great Kills said "Fasting is meant to make you aware of your actions and eliminate them from your life if they are dishonest, hurtful or evil. A good person should not be doing these things at any time in their life, but when you are solemn in your duties to God, you cannot be immoral or malicious."

Ramadan is also a special period in Islam because the world's 1.2 billion Muslims are fasting together. This one act of worship transcends borders and time zones, culture and language. All Muslims from Australia to North America and South Africa to London are going through this phase in their spirituality together.

"It helps us feel a kinship with other Muslims around the world," noted Nehad Ibrahim of New Springville.

She added, "It makes you think of poor countries without clean water or shelter, and you just want to help them because now you are feeling a fraction of their suffering."

Ramadan brings people together, especially at sunset when it is time for Iftar, or breaking the fast.

In fact, in most Muslim countries, you can practically hear a pin drop in streets normally swollen with traffic, because everyone is inside sharing a meal with friends and family and maybe even a stranger. Since it is a time for sharing, giving and helping others, no one ever eats alone during Ramadan.

Muslim countries such as Egypt set up "tables of compassion " to offer free meals at sunset. This allows the poor and impoverished to have a full-course dinner they could never afford.

"The best part of Ramadan for me is that we all gather together and share the one thing we all have in common, our faith," said Zeinab Elbouchi of Great Kills.

"It isn't just breaking the fast, it is a feeling deep in your heart that words alone cannot describe. It is a feeling stronger than love and more enduring than life. If every one could feel it, there would finally be peace."


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